Watermelon Controversy! - Seeded vs. Seedless?

Question

At our July 4th cookout were were discussing the merits of seeded vs. seedless watermelon.
 
My feeling is that old fashioned watermelon, with seeds, is sweeter, juicier, and has a better texture.
 
The new seedless varietes always seem to have a pulpy texture and are never really juicy. Also, the seedless varieties always seem to have something missing in terms of taste. They also have a paler, slightly whitish color not the deep red of the seeded varieties.
 
I have no great desire to spit out seeds, (thought it can be fun) but I am definitely not ready to give up on good old fashioned watermelon.
 
Any other Chowhounds want to weigh in on this one?

Answer

I have developed a personnal watermelon protocol:
 
With seeds - for eating plain
 
Seedless - anytime I need to chop it up for salads, sorbets, watermelon balls, i.e., if something else is going on to disguise the not-quite-perfect taste.

Answer

Have you tried yellow watermelon? It is even sweeter than the red. 
 
Red or yellow, the ones with seeds are sweeter.

Answer

To be honest if you don't want to spit out the seeds is it a big deal to swallow them? I really dislike spitting seeds out and instead just eat them (and take my word for it the tales from childhood are not true). 
For me the watermelon controversy would be how to pick out a good one. I have tried all of the methods (looking for "bee stings" tapping, thumping, hefting, appearance,etc.) and I have come to the conclusion that the best method is to just grab the closest one because at least that way you don't waste alot of time on it if it isn't that good.
 
scott

Answer

By the way the "pulpy" texture can be in any type of watermelon. It is a symptom of poor care by the farmer. Either over/under fertilization or watering. I can't remember which.
 
I do know that the watermelons from when I was a wee youngen' in the '60's and '70's were much sweeter and had much more watermelon taste than most you get nowadays. 
 
Of course the ones from farm stands that were picked that morn can be incredible. Last year out on the Island I had a variety that was low seed hybrid variety called something like sugar candy or sugar baby. It was a perfectly round melon about 20% bigger than a basketball. It was almost too sweet. Very crisp and juicy. I even froze some and served it scooped as an ice for desert. It looked and tasted like I slaved for hours making a homemade gelato. I served it splashed with a bit of tequila.

Answer

The ones with seeds are definitely better. When you do selective breeding (such as to make smaller seeds) for aesthetics or for convenience, inevitably the flavor suffers.

Answer

Watermelons with seeds are much sweeter and juicier. I am having a hard time finding a nice natural watermelon with seeds. May be time for a trip to the Valley... (Rio Grande Valley in So. Texas home of the best watermelon)

Answer

To me, doesn't matter (that much). Both are good. I just hope the watermelon growers don't go too far make the mistake of breeding all the flavor out of the melons. I don't like think rinds on water melons. 

Given the choice, I like seeded. I think it tastes slightly better with better mouth feel. However, everyone in the family likes the convienance of seedless so guess which we get?

Answer

I prefer the flavor of "with" seeds but I can't seem to find any in the local markets. Seedless has taken over.

Answer

Yes, you are correct on all points. The problem now is you can't find watermelon with seeds, everything is seedless. Well, at least in my neighborhood (outside Boston.) Haven't seen watermelons with seeds in a while.

Answer

Watermelon WITH seeds is definitely sweeter. IMO

I recently saw a Utube video or blog post that talked of slicing out the sections that have the most seeds. 
When peeled you can see how the seeds concentrate along regular lines. 
Sounds like a sticky messy job but worth it if you like gobbling down delicious chunks of seed free watermelon. 
Oh and the cut out chunks can still be squeezed in a colander for the juice.

Answer

I agree ... summer seems to be the only time to buy (at a reasonable price) watermelon. The local produce market as well as most of the chain supermarkets seem to be moving toward All Seedless. Although I admit, I have had a good one or two (I use a knock-test) ... but lately I've been very disappointed. I long for the 'good old days' ... bright red ... juicy ... sweet watermelon. I agree ... these new seedless varieties may have the advantage of being priced right ... seedless and look and sound good ... it even looks good opened ... but then the taste test ... oh what a disappointment to have a 15 lb. melon go to waste. If it's not sweet and juicy ... what's the point. We need to change the way we produce food and get back to the old way of doing things.

Answer

After years of being disappointed in the watermelons I was buying I finally found the ones with seeds. What a difference. The real taste of watermelon again!
It's difficult to find the ones with seeds and they are a bit more expensive...but well worth it.
 Young people probably don't know what fresh fruit is supposed to taste like.
The sign over the watermelon I purchased said "seeded." I had a discussion about that with the produce fellow. To me that means "seeds removed!"

Answer

I dislike seedless fruit on principle - I think it's generally a bad idea to create a fruit that can't be used to reproduce itself.

Answer

I just tried my first seedless watermelon last year (August 2014). I live in Chile, and it's all with seeds and oblong here.
With seeds, based on the ONE seedless I tried, has a stronger taste.

Answer

Can't have a seed spitting contest with a seedless watermelon. ;)

Answer

NO DOUBT, the WM with seeds is far superior in taste to the no seeds kind. The yellow ones are scrumptious !!
I can eat a whole large WM in one week, by myself & I'm 80.

Answer

You may only want to consume seeded, instead of seedless fruits and vegetables due to the fact that nature never makes anything without the ability to reproduce?
For something to be “seedless” it has to be hybridized a multitude of times, which not only diminishes nutritional value but also makes it harmful for ingestion. So, if it's seedless don't eat it.

Answer

Absolutely, the seeded watermelons are better if things like FLAVOR, SWEETNESS, JUICINESS, and TEXTURE actually matter to you. 
(And how come they DON'T seem to to so many people??!!) I think the public has fallen for the smoke and mirrors act that says that the seedless melons are actually equal to or better than the seeded ones in the ways that I just mentioned, and to me that is a bunch of preposterous hogwash. I also think that a lot of people are lazy about wanting to deal with the seeds, and many people (especially younger folks who didn't grow up with SEEDED ONLY, like I did) opt for the seedless ones, somehow convinced that they are the better choice. They are NOT--not if the factors I mentioned above are important (and TO ME, THEY ARE!). 
Even the APPEARANCE of the larger, oblong deeper-red seeded melons is better, IMO.
I've eaten my share of both, and the seeded melons are (on average) far better eating, HANDS DOWN, NO CONTEST.
Evidently, people are mostly buying the "seedless" varieties these days, as is evidenced by the LACK OF seeded ones at my local supermarkets 
By the way, most of the "seedless" melons still have a lot of underdeveloped small whitish seeds, anyway. They just aren't mature, black-coated seeds, like in the seeded ones-- so when you buy a "seedless" melon, you don't normally get an actual "seedless" melon. You still have to contend with removing seeds. It's just less annoying perhaps, than dealing with all of the big black ones. But I'll take dealing with them in exchange for getting a superior melon, every time. And yes, I understand that sometimes you get a mealy melon when you buy a seeded one (this can happen with the seedless ones, too--but in my experience , it happens more often with the seeded ones). I don't know exactly why it happens. Maybe it has a lot to do with time in transit from being picked to ending up at the market. No fruit lasts forever without going bad at some point. Anyway, my comparison is assuming that you have two GOOD fruits, side by side. I want the good SEEDED melon, because I know it'll more than likely be better on just about every level that counts than the seedless one (unless the not dealing with the seeds is your #1 priority, and flavor, etc. matters not).

Bring back the mighty seeded melons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer

It might depend on where you buy your watermelons or how you cut them. I've done comparisons during times when the seedless kind were too expensive and I had to get the kind with seeds. The kind without seeds is ALWAYS sweeter and juicier than the kind with seeds. I just cut open my 3rd watermelon of the week a few minutes ago. (I usually eat 2 melons a week but have been eating more lately because they're on sale.) All of the seedless watermelons I get either here or at home (I'm currently traveling for work; I spend most of my time in five states in the eastern US) are so juicy that I have to keep a tall drinking cup nearby and keep pouring in the juice as I scoop out the melon into my bowl. Every time I eat a bowl of melon I end up with a cupful of juice to drink along with the melon! Mmm-mmm!!!! The kind with seeds is always like pumpkin -- lots of stringy mess to throw away, which is wasteful, and the edible part is disappointing. If you have doubts about the sweetness comparison, my diabetic father can confirm (because of medical sugar whatever-it-is that he has to do) that the watermelons without seeds are indeed sweeter than the ones with seeds. Anyway, we were chatting about why on earth would anybody buy a watermelon with seeds and wondered if it was because they are diabetic and needed a less-sweet melon or if it's because they wanted to plant the seeds, so I looked it up and found your post.

Answer

I signed up for a Chowhound account, just to register my own distaste for seedless watermelons! Can't stand them and never waste my money on them. 

I'm originally from Boston, where seeded watermelons are in short supply but, living now in the Charlotte, NC area, I'm lucky that I can find seeded watermelons at my local Food Lion every summer, which I and my kids thoroughly enjoy. 

I've taste tasted both types, side by side, twice and there is no doubt in my mind that seedless watermelons don't even compare.

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