How to recognize the perfect honeydew melon
Created: 07/22/2022, 11:52 am
By: Maria Wendel
Read here how you can recognize a ripe honeydew melon when you go shopping and how it should be stored correctly.
In summer, melons are a very popular fruit because their high water content makes them taste refreshing.
Honeydew melons are particularly sweet, whether as a snack, in a fruit salad or in a starter combination in the form of a melon wrapped in ham.
June to September is the best time to buy honeydew melon, when the tropical fruit is in high season.
But so that even the most beautiful specimen ends up in the shopping trolley, you should pay attention to a few features.
It should taste sweet, have soft, juicy flesh and smell aromatic.
You can also find out below how best to store honeydew melons at home and how long they can be kept.
The sweet and juicy honeydew melon is also suitable in a hearty combination, for example with ham.
© Chromorange/Imago
Is the honeydew melon ripe?
You can recognize it by these characteristics
In order for the perfect honeydew melon to taste sweet and juicy, it has to be ripe.
And how can you tell from the outside?
The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Nutrition and
Foodwissen.de
give tips on how to recognize the degree of ripeness of a honeydew melon:
The peel should have a rich color: yellowish and free from brown spots.
In addition, the shell should not have any cracks or dents.
A soft skin, on the other hand, indicates that the fruit is overripe: if you don't touch a melon, it's probably already fermenting and no longer tastes appetizing.
When the stalk of a melon falls off, it is a sign of ripening.
The end of the handle should yield to a light finger pressure and not be hard or brownish in color.
Sniff the side opposite the stem: if it smells sweet, that's also a sign of ripeness.
Tap the honeydew melon: a dull, hollow sound indicates ripeness.
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Can honeydew melons ripen?
There are types of fruit that can continue to ripen after harvesting and those that have to be harvested when they are properly ripe.
Honeydew melons can still ripen a little if they were harvested and bought while they were still green.
Therefore, put them next to apples at home.
These emit ethylene - a ripening gas that allows other fruits and vegetables to ripen faster.
On the other hand, if you've bought the perfect honeydew melon that's already ripe, don't store it with apples for the same reason, or it'll spoil faster.
Proper storage: how long do honeydew melons last?
Due to their robust skin, honeydew melons can be stored for a long time.
Whole, i.e. uncut, honeydew melons can be stored at room temperature for about a week.
You can store honeydew melons for up to two weeks in a cool pantry, in the cellar or in the refrigerator.
If you cut the melon, wrap it in cling film and keep it in the fridge.
Then it should be used within two to three days.
Incidentally, the tips for correct storage and recognizing the right degree of ripeness also apply to cantaloupe and Galia melons.
With watermelons, on the other hand, there are other characteristics by which you can tell when they are ripe.
