This Simple Trick Makes It Easy to Carve a Watermelon

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.

Make one of these stunning fruit salads to fill your watermelon basket

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Sparkling Fruit Salad

Pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, strawberries and grapes are treated to a dressing of wine and sparkling club soda in this delightful salad. Serve in dessert dishes or set the whole bowl on the table for a fetching presentation. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Company Fruit Salad

We first tried a salad like this at a local deli. Since I couldn't get that recipe, I started mixing up different dressings until I hit on this one. Now I make this refreshing delightful salad for every picnic and get-to-gether. It can be a snack, side dish or dessert. —Connie Osterhout, Napoleon, Ohio

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Berry Nectarine Salad

I've been making this recipe for years. Whenever my family has a summer get-together, everyone requests it. The nectarines and berries look beautiful together, and the topping is the perfect accent. —Mindee Myers, Lincoln, Nebraska

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Crunchy Apple Side Salad

With fiber-rich fruit, light dressing and crunchy walnuts, this is a great side dish or snack. Try it with low-fat granola. —Kathy Armstrong, Post Falls, Idaho

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Tangy Poppy Seed Fruit Salad

For a fruit salad that’s delightful, we combine berries and citrus with a honey lime dressing flecked with poppy seeds. —Carrie Howell, Lehi, Utah

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Glazed Fruit Medley

The orange dressing on this salad complements the fresh fruit flavors beautifully. It’s perfect for a spring or summer brunch. —Karen Bourne, Magrath, Alberta

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Creamy Pineapple Fluff Salad

Guests of all ages will gravitate to this traditional “fluff” salad, chock-full of pineapple, marshmallows and cherry bits. —Janice Hensley, Owingsville, Kentucky

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Watermelon Shark

Take a bite out of summer boredom with this kid-friendly food project. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Peach Bavarian

Fruit molds are my specialty. This one, with its refreshing peach taste, makes a colorful salad or dessert. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

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Swift Strawberry Salad

A simple blend of syrup, orange juice and caramel topping forms the light dressing for the fresh berries and the crunchy cashews found in this sensational salad. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Brunch Fruit Salad

This appealing fruit salad is a lovely addition to breakfast, lunch or even supper. Light and refreshing, it's perfect alongside egg bakes, sausages and other hearty staples you find on breakfast buffets. —Millie Vickery, Lena, Illinois

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Mint Watermelon Salad

I invented this refreshing fruit salad one sultry afternoon while my friends were gathered around my pool. It was quick and easy to prepare and disappeared from their plates even quicker. Even the kids loved it! —Antoinette DuBeck, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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Sangria Gelatin Ring

This gelatin is enjoyed by everyone because you just can't go wrong with fresh berries. —Nicole Nemeth, Komoka, Ontario

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Honey-Melon Salad with Basil

Put the taste of summer in your salad! Loaded with juicy cantaloupe and honeydew and glazed with a sweet honey dressing, this dish will be gone in minutes. Watermelon is a great addition, too. —Khurshid Shaik, Omaha, Nebraska

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Pina Colada Fruit Salad

Give friends a taste of the tropics on warm summer days with this refreshing fruit blend. For a little extra punch, you might add a splash of coconut rum. —Carol Farnsworth, Greenwood, Indiana

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Creamy Grape Salad

Everyone raves when I bring this refreshing, creamy salad to potlucks. For a special finishing touch, sprinkle it with brown sugar and pecans. —Marge Elling, Jenison, Michigan

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Layered Fresh Fruit Salad

People always pass on compliments when I take this salad to covered-dish suppers. It's nice on a hot day...with a winter meal...or as a dessert! We live on a small farm where my garden gives me lots of possibilities for fresh food. —Page Alexander, Baldwin City, Kansas

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Honey-Yogurt Berry Salad

I wanted my family to eat more fruit but not more sugary ingredients. This berry salad lets you play with different low-fat yogurts and fruits. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota

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Mojito Marinated Fruit

All the flavors of the popular mojito cocktail are featured in this fantastic salad. After you eat the fruit, you’ll want to sip the luscious syrup! —Marcy Griffith, Excelsior, Minnesota

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Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Cranberries grow in the coastal area about 50 miles from our home. When they become available, I always make this creamy salad. —Faye Huff, Longview, Washington

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Fresh Fruit Bowl

The glorious colors used here make this a great summer fruit bowl. Slightly sweet and chilled, it makes a nice accompaniment to a grilled entree. —Marlon Kirst, Troy, Michigan

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Lime-Honey Fruit Salad

Nothing is more refreshing to me than a seasonal fruit salad enhanced with this simple honey-lime dressing. —Victoria Shevlin, Cape Coral, Florida

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Fluffy Cranberry Delight

This was originally my daughter's recipe, and she or I will make it for one or more of our holiday get-togethers. It can be served as a fruit salad along with the meal or as a light dessert. It's particularly pretty in a cut-glass bowl on a buffet. —Ruth Bolduc, Conway, New Hampshire

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Overnight Fruit Salad

I first tasted this rich fruit salad at my wedding reception many years ago. The ladies who did the cooking wouldn't share the recipe at the time, but I eventually got it. I've made it for many meals, and our daughters copied the recipe when they married. —Eileen Duffeck, Lena, Wisconsin

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Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Boat

A sweet, summery treat that looks as good as it tastes! No one, young or old, will be able to resist this healthy fruit salad. Amy Short, Lesage, WV

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Aunt Marion's Fruit Salad Dessert

Aunt Marion, my namesake, is like a grandma to me. She gave me this luscious salad recipe, which goes to all our family reunions, hunt club suppers and snowmobile club picnics...and I go home with no leftovers! —Marion LaTourette, Honesdale, Pennsylvania

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The post This Simple Trick Makes It Easy to Carve a Watermelon appeared first on Taste of Home.

Emma B. Kumer