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Follow these steps to cut up a watermelon two different ways: into cubes/chunks and into big triangular wedges. Look for a watermelon that has a vibrant green color and a yellowish patch; this is where it was sitting on the ground as it grew.
The second my kids see a watermelon in the grocery store, they go bananas and beg me to buy one. Lucky for them, I have no reason to say no! Watermelons are 92% water, so they help keep you hydrated on a hot day. They also contain an array of vitamins such as Vitamin A (good for your skin and eyes), potassium (good for blood pressure), iron (moves oxygen through your body), and Vitamin C (boosts your immune system).
Something else to note, once watermelon is cut, it's one of those "danger zone" foods that you don't want to leave out at room temperature for more than 2 hours or it can start rapidly growing bacteria. If we're hosting a summer get-together, I'll line the bottom of a cooler with ice packs/ice and throw a bunch of watermelon wedges in there so they'll stay safely below 40 degrees.
What you'll need:
Plastic container(s) and/or gallon sized ziploc bags, for storage
Option 1: Into chunks
Step 1
Rinse the melon well under water. Since you will be slicing through the rind/skin and then immediately through the flesh, you want to avoid introducing any bacteria that might be hiding on the rind into the fruit.
Use a chef's knife to cut off the two stem ends of the watermelon and discard.
Step 2
Stand the watermelon up on one of the now-flat ends and slice right down the middle to cut it in half.
Step 3
Take one of your halves and lay it flat on the cutting board, cut-side down so it's nice and steady. Cut in half the long way to create two large wedges.
Step 4
Take one of the big wedges, lay it on one of the flat sides on your board, and cut in half crosswise, going the opposite way of the stripes on the outside of the rind.
Step 5
Stand one of these pieces up on one of its flat sides and cut in half one more time, going right through the center of the triangle.
Step 6
Stand up one of your little wedges on one of it's flat ends. Following the white line of the rind, carefully slice down to remove it.
Step 7
Lay your now-rindless piece flat on your board. Make 2-3 cuts lengthwise, so you have a few long pieces.
Step 8
From here, I stand my wedge back up on it's unsteady, curved side and carefully make 1-2 cuts lengthwise.
Step 9
Now I lay my piece back on it's flat side, and just slice, slice, slice from the narrow end up to the end where the rind used to be, making my cuts about 1/2 inch apart.
Repeat with remaining watermelon.
Option 2: Into wedges, leaving the rind on
Step 1
Use a chef's knife to cut off the two stem ends of the watermelon and discard.
Step 2
Stand the watermelon up on one of the now-flat ends and slice right down the middle to cut it in half.
Step 3
Take one of your halves and lay it flat on the cutting board, cut-side down so it's nice and steady. Cut in half the long way to create two large wedges.
Step 4
Lay one of you quarters on one of it's flat sides on your board. Starting at one end, cut a slice that is your desired thickness (I usually make my wedges 1-2 inches thick).
Repeat with remaining watermelon quarters.
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