Crenshaw Melons
Look for a Crenshaw melon that:
- Has a sweet, fragrant smell
- Has a deep yellow rind, or has yellow speckling or streaking on a green rind
- Feels heavy for its size
- Yields to gentle pressure at the blossom end
- In season
Crenshaw melons that have a sweet, fragrant smell and yield to gentle pressure at the blossom end tend to be riper. A deep yellow rind or a green rind with yellow speckling or streaking indicates freshness. Relative heaviness indicates that the melon will probably be juicy. Their peak season is July through October, but Crenshaw melons are typically at their tastiest in the fall.
As long as a Crenshaw melon has a sweet smell and no evidence of spoilage, it does not need to perfectly meet all the criteria above to be edible. The closer it is to meeting these guidelines, however, the higher its quality should be.
Notes
A whole Crenshaw melon will continue to ripen at room temperature but only if it has some yellow on the rind. Allow about one cup diced melon per person served.
These relatively large melons are often purchased pre-cut. See “Crenshaw Melon, cut” for choosing cut Crenshaw melon.
After you get your Crenshaw melon home
A Crenshaw melon will not continue to ripen after it has been cut, so leave the melon whole until the rind turns golden bronze. Crenshaw melons are ethylene-sensitive and will ripen more quickly when placed next to an ethylene producer such as a banana or an apple. You can keep the melon on a counter for up to four days or until it is ripe.
Once ripe, you can store a whole Crenshaw melon in the refrigerator for up to seven days. If cut, the melon should be wrapped in plastic and placed cut side down on a plate or stored in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator.
To freeze, cut the melon into pieces, place the pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray, and freeze until firm. Remove the frozen pieces and store them in freezer bags from which the air has been removed. Cut melon will keep in the freezer for eight to twelve months.