Hot Ingredient Find: Watermelon Rind

Move over, kale! It’s time for another new, unexpected ingredient to roll onto the culinary scene: watermelon rind.

“Can you really eat that?” you ask. The experts have weighed in, and yes you can! Packed with nutrients and hydrating water, the versatile watermelon rind can be prepared sweet or savory. It’s all in how you season and cut, slice, dice, shred, or blend it. And speaking of weight, using the entire fruit saves an average of 5 pounds of food waste per melon. That’s a sweet bonus!

Here’s the full scoop.  

Have we been tossing out the good part all along?

It’s undeniable. The sweet, red, juicy watermelon flesh pleases the taste buds and soothes the soul, but we have been leaving a LOT on the table—and in the trash. The rind, green skin and all, is packed with fiber and rich in magnesium, potassium, and L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps reduce blood pressure and is believed to boost athletic performance.

In other words, it turns out the part of the fruit we haven’t been eating has been discovered to promote gut health, help manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and even improve circulation. Why can’t scientists discover the same thing about pizza crust?

What types of menu items can you make with watermelon rind?

• Blend into smoothies and cold soups.
• Shred for salads, slaws, and tacos.
• Slice for stir fries, pickling, fermenting, and grilling.
• Dice for relishes and salsas.

 Visit watermelon.org for recipes and menu ideation tips for culinary professionals.

 

How to Use 100% of Every Watermelon

Step 1: Cut

Start with a Mercer Culinary chef’s knife to slice off the ends of the clean watermelon for stability, and then trim off the rind. 

Cube the rind and place in a storage container or bowl for further processing. Cut melon flesh into slices or cubes to suit your menu.

Genesis Chef’s Knife by Mercer Culinary is the knife for the job. Precision forged construction gives this knife strength, sharpness, and balance paired with an ergonomic, non-slip Santoprene handle. To see the complete Genesis cutlery collection, click here.  

Millennia Colors Chef’s Knife by Mercer is an economical alternative to traditional forged cutlery that still provides reliable strength, wear resistance, and edge holding. Its raised Santoprene^® handle is textured for an excellent grip and features an integrated finger guard for improved safety. 

The collection has color-coded handles for dedicated use with produce, poultry, meats, etc. to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. The Millennia Cutlery line is also available in black.

Step 2: Slice, Dice, Shred, or Blend the Rind

Make quick work of processing the rind with a Sammic food processor. The Vegetable Prep Machine CA-2V by Sammic easily tackles the job with high precision settings paired with cutter and discs designed for quick and consistent cuts. 

The machine can be fitted with a wide range of discs and grids to produce over 35 different types of cuts and grating grades to get you the precise cut you’re looking for. It’s also a compact size that’s ideal for kitchens that are short on space.

Need to blend or puree your watermelon rind? The Sammic XM-12 Immersion Blender can help you whip up smooth and delicious soups and smoothies and so much more! 

Watch the video here.  

Serve it up and show it off!

Watermelon rind is no ordinary ingredient, so go ahead and dare to also be a little different with your serving presentation!

TableCraft Taco Taxis will take your customers’ taste buds for a ride with a variety of serving pieces designed specifically for tacos, lettuce wraps, gyros, pita pocket sandwiches, and more. 

Depending upon the style, taco taxis safely transport one to four of your hand-held menu creations from kitchen to table for an impressive presentation every time. Choose from Solid, Wire, and Patterned Stainless Steel; melamine; and disposable bamboo.

TableCraft Lindenwood Display Platters add a distinctively earthy touch to the memorable presentation. Contrary to its natural wood appearance, the Lindenwood Collection is made of dishwasher safe melamine. Platters are available in 9, 11, and 13 inch sizes.

The TableCraft Europa Collection Serving Bowl is perfect for indoor and outdoor serving of soups, salads, dipping sauces, and salsas. 

The collection’s matte finish with beige rim, irregular shape, and textured pattern makes it look like upscale deglazed white ceramic, but without breakage worry or need to hand wash.

If you like The look of Europa, but prefer a richer color, check out the equally stunning Lunara Collection. 

Both collections are made of easy to clean and dishwasher safe melamine.

TableCraft’s new Straight Sided Ramekins are simply elegant, durable, and versatile, making them the perfect piece to introduce fresh new menu items. 

The bright white "porcelain" color offers the perfect contrast for serving colorful side dishes, dips, sauces, dressings or desserts. Straight Sided Ramekins are available in 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, and 14 ounce capacities.

And what better way to top off your creation than with decorative Watermelon Picks by TableCraft? 

Picks come in packs of 100 and are 4½" long—perfect for appetizers, mini kebabs, wraps, sandwiches, specialty drink garnishes, and more. 

Click here to see TableCraft's full collection of picks.

To learn more about the above items and for more fresh ideas and recommendations to help you keep your foodservice operation on the cutting edge, contact us!

Many thanks to our sources:

watermelon.org

mindbodygreen.com

healthline.com