When it comes to carving a neat watermelon shark or fruit-filled watermelon basket, the most daunting step can be figuring out how to come at that big ol’ melon. It’s nearly impossible to hold the giant fruit in place with one hand while you slice with the other—unless you know the kitchen trick that makes carving a watermelon easy.
Put down the knife—and read on before you lose your rind!
So, what’s the trick?
It all comes down to creating a sturdy base. You chop off one end of the watermelon to create a flat base. (Don’t worry about ruining the melon—it can be a small cut!) From here, you can move on to these impressive displays of carving prowess—or just slice off the other end, stand the fruit on one flat side, cut down the middle to halve, then quarter, slice and serve.
While it’s most helpful for watermelons, this trick works with any smooth, round fruit. Next time you put our favorite summer melon recipes to the test, be sure to give it a try.
So please, for the love of all that is tasty, don’t cut your watermelon with a round side wobbling on your cutting board. For even more stability, place a kitchen towel beneath your cutting board to keep it from moving around on you.
Why is it useful?
Cutting yourself with a super-sharp knife is a common kitchen nightmare—and it can happen to the best of us. (The phrase “avocado hand” is actually slang now for slicing your palm while attempting to make avocado toast. Learn the best way to cut an avocado here.) This trick might even save you time in the kitchen, since you won’t need to worry about stabilizing 20 pounds of produce prone to rolling.
Now that you know the trick, you’re all set for watermelon season! Head to your local grocery store—or farmers market—to grab this classic summer fruit, and get ready to make some extra-refreshing watermelon recipes. Handy hacks like this are one in a melon!
If you thought this was cool, be sure to check out our best time-saving kitchen hacks, too.
