Alton Brown's Wildly Cool Trick For Removing Watermelon Rinds
Watermelon is a real treat, particularly when in season. This healthy snack is packed with various vitamins, nutrients, and a high water content that aids in hydration. The only hiccup is the longing to get into it faster, but there's a solution. With the help of Alton Brown, everyone's favorite kitchen expert, you can enjoy perfectly peeled watermelon rounds in just a few seconds.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Brown shows a clever use of a wire cheese slicer — with the wheel part removed — to efficiently cut the rind off watermelon rounds. Although some wire cheese slicers come equipped with this wheel, which Brown removed for his purpose, you can also find stainless steel versions without it.
To utilize the cheese slicer for watermelon rind removal, begin by cutting your watermelon into rounds using a large knife. Then, on one of these rounds, make a small incision from the edge of the rind to the start of the pink fruit. This cut acts as an entry point for the cheese slicer. Next, turn the round on its side and run the cheese cutter around the fruit until the rind comes off entirely.
Why the trick works so well
Generally, when you remove a watermelon rind, you have to do it with a knife, leaving your pieces of watermelon with more ragged edges. In the past, you'd slice your watermelon into rounds or half-rounds, and then you'd use your knife to take the rind from each slice. But unless you have exceptional knife skills, this cheese slicer method is much easier and ensures a round slice of watermelon without any jagged edges or leftover rind.
Alton Brown's method is not only quicker, but also easier to manage than using a knife. Cutting watermelon with a knife means you have to guide a sharp blade around the slice of watermelon. By using the cheese slicer, you simply guide the cheese wire around the fruit in a circle, removing the rind quickly, efficiently, and with less risk of injury.
Even if you're planning to cut the watermelon into smaller pieces, such as for a watermelon and peach salad, this method is beneficial. It ensures that there's no rind left on the fruit and it saves you time. Plus, it results in large, uniform slices of rind, which you can use for other recipes.
Don't toss that rind!
While it's typical to throw out the rind of a watermelon, it's not necessary. Watermelons are closely related to cucumbers, and like cucumbers, the entire fruit is edible. Consuming watermelon rind can provide numerous health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, enhanced gym performance, and a good source of natural fiber.
Instead of tossing them in your compost bin, there are a few creative ways you can eat the rinds. If you enjoy the taste of salty, briny things, you can actually pickle your watermelon rinds just like you would a cucumber. If you're planning to do a quick pickle, consider removing the green skin for a better texture.
You can also blend the rinds in a high-powered blender with your regular smoothie ingredients. If you're making smoothies later, consider blending the rinds up with some water and then freezing this mixture in your ice cube trays. You can also cook these rinds as you would any other vegetable. Watermelon rinds have a texture similar to peppers, so you can slice them up and add them to curries and stir-fries. If you want to keep your watermelon rind on the sweet side, you can even candy them. Now, not only can you enjoy this delightful fruit more quickly, but you can also consume the entire fruit with minimal waste.