The ultimate summer challenge: watermelon cutting. This task can be so tricky I am convinced it should be turned into a competition, like the annual hot-dog eating contest broadcasted on the Fourth of July. It may not be as entertaining, but it would certainly be less vile.

But fear not! Do not let this daunting task deter you. Once you know the proper approach, it really is pretty straight forward. Think of it more as cutting the watermelon in half…a lot of times.

To Begin…

Using a knife with a blade at least 8 inches long, begin the cut the watermelon in half. Carefully place the top of the knife blade in the middle of the watermelon. Using even pressure, press down the cut the rind. Once you get to the inside, the knife will move much easier, so be sure not to lose control.

Once you have cut all the way through one half of the watermelon, remove the knife, turn it around and repeat the cutting motion. The end result should be two halves of a melon.

Repeat this pattern two more times until you have 8 total watermelon slices.

Triangle Slice

To cut the traditional triangle watermelon slice, take one (1/8) section of the watermelon and slice into even pieces, cutting all the way through the rind.

Cubes

To cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes, you will need to separate the pink and green parts of the melon. While the whole watermelon is edible, the rind (green part) is not very tasty on its own.

Starting on one corner of the slice, carefully slide your knife down along the white part of the watermelon, as pictured. Turn the knife with the curvature of the rind. When you reach the middle, remove the knife, turn the melon around, and start again from the other side. Trying to continue the blade up the other side is dangerous, as the knife will be resistant and can easily slip.

Once the rind has been removed, cut the slice in half along the narrow edge of the watermelon.

Lay the two sections flat and cut into 2-3 strips, running the length of the watermelon. Turn the strips and cut into bite-sized square chunks.

I hope you can now approach watermelon cutting with confidence and enjoy the refreshing, thirst-quenching goodness of the beautiful fruit.