Three Sheets to the Watermelon

Recipe from Jill Dobias

Adapted by Robert Simonson

Three Sheets to the Watermelon — Nancy Borowick for The New York Times

Total Time: 5 minutes, plus at least a few hours to macerate
Rating: 4(124)
Notes: Read community notes

This summer cocktail is essentially a variation on the watermelon margarita that eliminates the blender and the Curaçao and adds some fun and easy prep work. The result is thick, fresh and fruity — a drink that poses no danger of your interrupting your backyard barbecue with deep thoughts. —Robert Simonson

Featured in: Microwaved and Messy, Not Stirred

Learn: How to Make Cocktails

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink

110-pound watermelon, cut in half lengthwise, from stem
1cup plus 1 ounce tequila
½ounce fresh lime juice
¾ounce simple syrup

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Take one of the watermelon halves and, using a fork or knife, score the red interior in one direction and then the other, creating a grid of squares. (Refrigerate the remaining half for other uses.) Slowly pour 1 cup of the tequila into the scored melon half, taking care to spread it around. Let melon macerate overnight, or for a few hours, in refrigerator.
Step 2
Scoop out 2 heaping tablespoons of the watermelon and add to a cocktail shaker ¾ filled with ice. Be sure to get some liquid as well as chunks of fruit. Add the remaining ounce of tequila, the lime juice and the simple syrup. Shake vigorously so the melon chunks break up into slush and the drink chills, about 30 seconds. Pour into a 10-ounce rocks glass. Add more ice if needed. Note: To make simple syrup, warm 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water in a saucepan over low heat until dissolved. Cool to room temperature before using. (There will be extra syrup; refrigerate if not using immediately.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

124 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

CDG3 years ago

The 1 cup of tequila did not seem to "fit" in the scored watermelon

AH2 years ago

Surprisingly flavorful, but too chunky. We tried a couple different ways of processing and found muddling and then using a Hawthorne strainer worked well.

nash3 years ago

I substituted rose’s lime juice (and cut down on the simple syrup) and now it tastes like an elite watermelon jolly rancher - if you wanted something a little sweeter.

CDG3 years ago

The 1 cup of tequila did not seem to "fit" in the scored watermelon

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