Halving the Melon
Rinse the honeydew melon under cool water and dry it with a paper towel. Rub the melon clean using your hand or use a produce scrub brush to tackle any stubborn grime. Then, dry the clean honeydew melon with a paper towel to make it less slippery. If your melon seems particularly dirty, use white vinegar as an extra cleaning agent for the rind. Rub about 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of the vinegar over the surface of the melon, and then rinse it off with cool water. The vinegar will help kill any surface bacteria. Having the exterior of the melon wet while cutting can make it very difficult to handle. So air-dry it for 5-10 minutes if needed before you proceed with cutting it.
Use a sharp, heavy knife to cut off the top and bottom of the melon. Rest the melon on a cutting board to avoid scratching the flat surface you are working on. Brace the melon with one hand, and carefully slice away the top and bottom portions of the melon. Trim about ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) on each end to create 2 flat surfaces that are parallel to each other. This will stabilize the melon so you can easily cut it in half. Be careful when cutting the melon, as the smooth rind can be hard to handle. Consider using a non-slip cutting board to make it easier to cut the melon.
Sit the melon on one of the flat ends and carefully cut the melon in half. Place your heavy knife across the flat top of the melon. Use the pressure from both of your hands and the weight of the knife to cut the melon in half—top to bottom. Avoid using a sawing motion to cut the melon as this will cause more of the juice to squeeze out. The flat base of the melon should stabilize it well enough for you to cut it in half easily.
Scoop out the seeds and pulp from each half of the melon with a metal spoon. Brace the melon half with one hand to keep it from rolling. Then, run the metal spoon around the inside of the melon pit to remove the pulp and seeds. Gently scrape the inside of the melon as needed to detach any stubborn pulp. Repeat this process for the other melon half. Then, discard the pulp and seeds before continuing to cut the melon. Choose to cut your melon into cubes, slices, or balls.
Cutting the Melon Half into Cubes
Place a melon half fruit-side down so it is flat against the cutting board. Press on the melon gently to make sure it is not slipping across the cutting board too much. Use a paper towel to wipe away any juice on the cutting board or the outside of the melon. This will keep the melon from slipping and make it easier to finish slicing it.
Use your sharp, heavy knife to cut away 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) slices of the rind. Turn the melon on the cutting board as you slice away the rind. Start at the top of the melon half, and slice in a downward motion on a slight angle to minimize the amount of the fruit you remove. Only penetrate the melon enough to slice away the rind. Think of this more as peeling away the rind with the knife.> This method takes less precision and works best if you aren’t as experienced in using a knife. However, you may lose more of the fruit when cutting large chunks of the rind away. Repeat this process for the other half of the melon.
Slice the melon into 1 in (2.5 cm) wide sections horizontally. Brace the skinned melon with one hand to hold it still on the cutting board. Then, carefully slice the melon half. Apply a gentle pressure with your bracing hand when doing this to keep it from moving, but do not squeeze it so hard that you damage the fruit or squeeze out the juice. Make sure to keep the slices of fruit together, as this will make it easier when you cut the fruit vertically into cubes.
Cross-cut the bundled slices to make a grid of 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes. Rotate the bundled slices if needed to make it easier to cut them. Then, cut the pieces into bite-sized pieces that are about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide. This will make it easier to eat with a fork or spoon. Your cross-cut will give the bundled fruit a gridded appearance before you separate it. Repeat this process with the other half of the melon.
Store your cut melon in the refrigerator for 3-5 days to keep it fresh. Simply, place the melon in a sealed container and enjoy eating it over the next week. After about a week, your melon will soften and excrete its juices. This is an indicator that the melon is starting to rot. Alternatively, store the melon long-term in the freezer. Place the melon in a sealed container or freezer bag, and keep it in the freezer for 10-12 months.
Slicing the Melon Half
Cut the melon half into 3 or 4 slices to make removing the rind easier. Place the melon half fruit-side down and hold it in place with one hand. Then, carefully cut the melon into 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) wide slices. Keep your fingers away from the blade as you cut to avoid injuring yourself. This method works best if you are confident with using a knife, and it will also minimize the amount of fruit you waste when removing the rind. Use your heavy knife or a smaller paring knife to cut these slices. Either knife will work, so choose one that feels most comfortable. Consider cutting the slices in half horizontally make removing the rind easier. You will have more pieces to remove the rind from, but working with smaller pieces may be easier for you. Repeat this process with the other half of the melon.
Hold a melon slice upright so the rind is against the cutting board. Place your fingers on top of the fruit and away from the rind that you are going to be removing. Make sure to hold the slice still to avoid injuring yourself. For less formal occasions, consider leaving the rind on the melon slices. This will give you something to grip while eating the slices.
Use a paring knife to carve the rind from each melon slice. Run the knife between the fruit and rind, and carefully remove the fruit in one slicing motion. Use your fingers to apply a little pressure to the slice as you gently saw the rind from the melon. Continue to do this process until the rind is removed from all of the melon slices. Cut your slices into chunks if you want to eat or serve smaller pieces.
Keep your melon fresh by storing it in a container in the refrigerator. Enjoy eating your honeydew melon over the next 3-5 days. After this time, the melon will begin to excrete its juices and soften. This often means that the melon is beginning to spoil. Alternatively, store your cut melon for 10 to 12 months in the freezer. Simply, place the melon in a sealed container or freezer bag before freezing it.
Using a Melon Baller to Scoop out the Melon
Place the melon half upright on the cutting board so the fruit is facing upwards. Brace the melon half with one hand. This will keep it from wobbling when you use the melon baller on it.
Press the melon baller into the fruit at a downward angle and scoop it upwards. Start near the edge of the fruit by the rind. Dig the tool into the melon until the scoop is filled with fruit. Then, scoop it upwards to finish creating the melon ball. Drop the melon ball into a bowl or onto a serving plate. If you don’t have a melon baller, you can use a rounded measuring spoon or a small ice cream scoop instead.
Make your second melon ball as close to the pit of the first as you can. Work from one end of the melon half to the other. Scoop the melon balls close together to avoid wasting any of the fruit. Continue to scoop out melon balls from the melon until the rind of the honeydew is emptied. Scrape any excess fruit into a separate bowl to snack on.
Eat the melon right away or store it in a sealed container to keep it fresh. The cut honeydew melon will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator before the texture starts to deteriorate. After a week, the honeydew will become mushy and excrete its juices, which is often an indicator that it is starting to rot. To make your honeydew last longer, place it in a tightly sealed container or in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. Preserve the melon for 10 to 12 months thereafter.
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