Stop Chilling the Watermelon
Summer is just around the corner, but the weather here in PNW is doing its best to convince me otherwise. Constant drizzle punctuated by torrential downpours, gray skies and hail of all sizes are the constant, oppressive norm. The only evidence that the seasons change can be found in the grocery section. Spring alliums , asparagus and berries starting to fall: these plant parts allow me to enjoy the season even when the weather is cold and shitty. And soon the season of melons will come, and then I will know that summer has come.
Watermelon feels especially summery. (I like mine with a bit of salt – keep the mustard ). Chilling the melon so it’s nice and cold when you come in after mowing the lawn or a morning run can make it even more refreshing, but you don’t want to store the melon in the fridge. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board , this can affect flavor and texture:
Store watermelon between 50 and 59°F, however the ideal temperature is 55°F. If watermelons are received chilled, do not break the cold chain and store them in the refrigerator. Watermelon will keep for 7-10 days at room temperature. After two days at 32°F, watermelons become off-flavour, pitted, and discolored. Freezing leads to the destruction of the crust and the formation of a powdery, mushy texture. Once the melon is cut, it should be wrapped and stored at 9 to 36°F.
According to the Tasting Chart , refrigerated watermelon is actually less nutritious than melon stored at higher temperatures:
But refrigeration affects more than just flavor and color. As shown in a study by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, this also affects nutritional levels. Antioxidant levels are higher in room temperature watermelon. Medical News Today explains that lycopene content is 20% higher and beta-carotene levels double in unrefrigerated watermelons. (Refrigeration can cause the watermelon to lose its color, and a darker color indicates higher levels of lycopene.)
In my opinion, fruit at room temperature tastes better anyway. Cold can reduce the intensity of certain flavors, and while this topic remains poorly understood in scientific circles, room temperature fruits are considered more juicy, sweet, and flavorful.
So if you don’t buy pre-sliced or pre-chilled melon, or you have leftover sliced melon, keep the fruit in a cool place in the kitchen. If your home is a little over 59℉, and most are, don’t worry too much about it. A melon might not last a full 10 days at 70 degrees, but in my house a watermelon has never been left uneaten for more than a day or two, and it will taste better (and thus be eaten). much faster) than melon stored at refrigerator temperature.