Is it possible to eat overripe watermelon and what to cook from it?

Choosing a quality watermelon is a whole science. Sometimes a seemingly perfect fruit turns out to be rotten or overripe. And if a rotten watermelon can only be thrown away, an overripe one can be consumed without harm to health.

How to tell if a watermelon is overripe

Watermelon is 90% water, but it also contains:

• vitamins;
• microelements;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• folic acid.

If the fruit is overripe, it not only loses its beneficial qualities, but can also be harmful to health. You can identify an overripe fruit yourself by the following signs::

• An overripe berry has a lighter pattern and color of the rind than a ripe one;
• the shine on the crust is well expressed;
• the tendril and stalk are shrunken;
• when you tap on such a fruit, there will be a dull sound;
• inside its color is changed almost to orange;
• the surface of the seeds becomes slimy;
• the pulp has voids, and its consistency is loose and fibrous;
• if the fruit is large or medium, but light, then its pulp has deteriorated and become too soft;
• If you rub the peel with your fingernail, a characteristic sour smell will appear.

Is it possible to eat overripe watermelon?

This watermelon is not recommended for consumption.:

• its pulp becomes sour;
• the taste becomes unpleasant and has a specific smell;
• unfavorable microflora and bacteria develop in it;
• Toxins may be released.

Important. Eating overripe berries can lead to food poisoning!

What can you cook from overripe watermelons?

If you find that you have purchased an overripe berry, do not rush to throw it away. There are several options for how this fruit can be used without harming your health..

Baking “Drunk Watermelon”

This dessert takes several hours to prepare, but don't waste your time. The result will pleasantly surprise both you and your family.

To prepare this dessert you will need:

• watermelon – no more than 5 kg;
• sugar – 150 g;
• puff pastry – 500 g;
• dry white wine – 1.5 tbsp.;
• gelatin – 40 g;
• powdered sugar – 100 g;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• cream – 1 tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Divide the dough into two equal parts.
2. Roll one half of the dough along the bottom of the baking dish, cut the second into medium squares.
3. Fold the resulting squares into triangles and place them in the oven.
4. Place the chopped watermelon pulp without seeds on the rolled out dough, then place the baking dish in the oven.
5. Next, mix the wine with gelatin, lemon juice and sugar.
6. Boil the resulting mixture, but no more than 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. After cooking, cool the mixture.
8. Fill the finished cake in the mold with the cooled mixture.
9. Then place the dessert in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
10. Remove from the mold.

Before serving, spread whipped cream and powder over the cake. After this, decorate the pastries with grated lemon zest and puff triangles.

Important. Both the rolled out dough and the triangles are baked at 180°C. In this case, baking should be separate. Each part should be well baked and golden brown.

Jam

When the watermelon pulp is digested, all taste defects and smell will disappear. This product can be consumed without fear.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp – 1 kg;
• lemon - to taste;
• sugar – 1 kg;
• vanillin - a pinch (add to taste).

Making jam:

1. Wash the watermelon, remove crusts and white streaks.
2. Remove the seeds and cut into medium cubes.
3. Place the cubes in a deep container, cover with granulated sugar and leave for 1-2 hours so that the pulp releases all its juice.
4. Next, put the container with the watermelon on the fire and wait for the mixture to boil.
5. After boiling, the jam should cook for about 30 minutes.
6. Then it needs to be infused again for two hours. There should be three such approaches.
7. Before the last approach, grind the boiled mass twice in a blender, or grind it manually through a strainer.
8. Next, add vanillin and lemon juice to the jam and digest again.

Watermelon jam used as a filling for homemade desserts or as a sweet for tea. The recipe for watermelon jam can be varied by adding ginger, mint or cinnamon.

Natural spices will hide the taste of fermentation and acidity of spoiled watermelon, and the overall taste of the jam will become much piquant and healthier.

Read also:

What do the white veins in a watermelon mean?

Dangerous sugar: is it in watermelon?

Braga

If you have a distillation cube, then you can prepare watermelon mash at home. Overripe berries are best suited for moonshine, because the fermentation process has already begun in it. It is important not to use completely moldy or rotten parts of the fruit, they will ruin the taste of homemade moonshine.

Ingredients:

• sugar – 3 kg;
• watermelon juice – 30 l;
• dry yeast – 50 g (or pressed 300 g).

Preparation:

1. Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon, leaving the rind and the white part near the rind intact.
2. Grind the pulp on a sieve. Ideally, if the mesh size in the sieve is no more than 0.5 cm, this will make it easier to get rid of watermelon seeds.
3. Pour the prepared watermelon juice into a fermentation container, add sugar, diluted yeast and mix everything.
4. Install a water seal on the neck (if you don’t have one, a rubber glove with a small hole in the finger will do).
5. Place the wort in a dark room with a temperature of 18-27°C.
6. When the water seal stops gurgling (and if you use a glove, then as soon as it falls) - a bitter taste will appear in the mash, the wort will lighten and foam will settle in it.
7. Pour the foam into a special vessel for distilling liquid - a distillation cube.

Note. The fermentation process lasts from 3 to 7 days.

Stages of mash distillation:

1. In the first stage, the most important product is selected until the strength of the mash falls below 30°.
2. The second step is to dilute the moonshine with plain water to get a strength of 18-20°. Afterwards, the product is distilled again. It is not recommended to consume the first 200 ml of moonshine; it is better to get rid of this volume.
3. In the third stage, they wait until the strength of the mash drops below 40°.
4. The fourth stage is final. Moonshine is diluted with water, lowering the degree to 40-45. Next, keep the product in a dark, cool place for 2-3 days.

How to choose the right watermelon when buying so as not to get an overripe one

There are a few signs, according to which choose a sweet and juicy watermelon:

1. The color of the spot on the side of a watermelon. A ripe and good watermelon has a bright yellow spot, about the size of a palm. In an overripe fruit, this spot will be whitish and soft.
2. Peel. It should be smooth and shiny, it should be impossible to pierce it with a finger. The skin of a bad watermelon will be matte and can be easily damaged even with a fingernail.
3. Tapping sound. If you hold a watermelon suspended with one hand and slap it hard with the other, vibration should appear.Vibration will not come from an overripe fruit.
4. Fruit tail. A ripe watermelon is distinguished by the presence of a dry tail. This means that the fruit ripened itself while still in the garden.
5. Product documents. Ask the seller to show documents for the shipment of watermelons. The shelf life of the berries is no more than 21 days. This way you can make sure that the watermelons are not ripe while they are lying on the counter.

Conclusion

In order not to be upset by the purchase, it is enough to remember the signs of a ripe watermelon. But if you nevertheless purchased an overripe fruit, do not rush to get upset. There are uses for it too. Watermelon in the form of jam or dessert will be no less tasty. The main thing is to heat treat the watermelon!