Grill Your Honeydew Melon This Summer And Taste The Magic

Refreshing, juicy, and sweet, fruit is a staple at summertime cookouts and poolside picnics. But you shouldn't just eat any old fruit during the summer. Fruit that's at its peak during the summertime is sweeter, juicier, and more nutrient-dense than out-of-season fruit. From apricots to blueberries and bananas, one of the most commonly enjoyed summertime fruits is melons, including the decadent and sizable honeydew melon. But this summer, branch out and taste the magic of honeydew melon when it is grilled.

Although it's an unconventional way to enjoy the pastel green fruit, you'd be surprised at just how delicious and adventurous grilled honeydew melon is. Though grilling is often reserved for hearty meats like beer-cooked bratwurst and double-stacked burgers, this cooking method caramelizes the natural sugars of honeydew melon to develop a candy-sweet taste. As those dulcet flavors evolve, the grill gives the flesh a smoky, campfire finish reminiscent of a dessert-inspired summer barbecue. While it may seem impossible to pair grilled honeydew with other provisions, its sweet and smoky flavor accentuates many dishes, ensuring that your options for plating the grilled fruit are never limited.

Not only is this grilled delicacy tasty and versatile, but it's also easy to prepare. Honeydew is firm and can hold up to the heat of a grill without collapsing or disintegrating into an inedible pile of mush. Simply dice the melon, skewer it, and let it grill on all sides until it's golden brown.

Grilled honeydew is great on its own, but it's even better when jazzed up with spices, herbs, and glazes. Don't know where to start? We've got you covered. Glazes are the perfect way to zhuzh up grilled honeydew melon because they are made from sugar, liquid, and aromatics. Citrus juice, honey, and ground ginger can work together to create a bright, sweet, and slightly spicy glaze that enhances the melon's natural flavors while developing more depth and complexity. To add a savory dimension to the glaze, introduce miso paste for a subtle layer of umami that both curbs and complements the sweet fruit.

Making a glaze for grilled honeydew melon requires a few extra steps, so to keep things simple, dust the fruit with complementary spices. Tajin can impart a zesty kick that balances the sweetness, while cumin adds a warm, earthy twist, and ginger powder provides some heady pungency. To keep things sweet, dust the melon with cinnamon, brown sugar, or a generous drizzle of floral honey or botanical agave nectar. Need something even simpler? A pinch of salt can enhance the natural flavors of the grilled melon without distracting from its sweet, fruity prowess.

Whether glazed or drenched in multi-floral honey, grilled honeydew melon is an enticing snack on its own. However, if you want to incorporate it into platters or meals, there are plenty of ways to dice, slice, and transform it to fit into your favorite summertime recipes.

Salsa is more than just fire. Introduce grilled honeydew into your favorite salsa medley to give it a fruity, zesty, and zippy taste that cools off the heat from the peppers and provides a quietly smoky dimension that culminates in a dip that's equal parts sweet, zesty, spicy, and savory. From pineapple to orange, whole fruit isn't an unusual component in ceviche, and grilled honeydew melon is no exception. The smoky fruit provides the citrusy seafood dish with a charming, smoldering sweetness that's bold but never brash. Similarly, grilled and finely chopped honeydew melon is a perfect baja taco topper. Another option is to skewer and grill the melon alongside shrimp and bell peppers to fashion a refreshing, ocean-inspired shish kabob.

With grilled honeydew melon, summer salads have never tasted better. Refreshing cucumber, feta cheese, and grilled honeydew topped with a citrus dressing culminate in a cooling yet rich and tangy medley of nutrient-dense ingredients that's as delicious as it is sophisticated. When all else fails, put your grilled melon in a bowl and munch until there's nothing left.