A slice of ripe watermelon cannot be improved upon—unless you add a sprinkle of salt. This juicy pitcher drink goes one step further, adding a little heat in the salt mix on the rim of each glass. Lemon and just a touch of bitter Campari balance the ripe summer sweetness of watermelon juice and strawberry preserves here. This fruity cooler is ready for your next cookout or pool party; if you’ve invited a crowd and you want to double the recipe, you’ll likely need to make it in two batches to not overfill your blender.
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What you’ll need
Glass Pitcher
$13 At Target
Mesh Sieve
$13 At Amazon
Pyrex 4-Cup Measuring Cup
$8 At Bed Bath and Beyond
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together 2 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. Aleppo-style or other mild red pepper flakes on a small plate. Moisten half of rim of 6 rocks glasses with ½ lemon, then press into chile salt to coat. Set aside.
Step 2
Purée 4 lb. seedless watermelon, rind removed, flesh cut into large cubes (about 5 cups), in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing on solids; discard solids. (You should have 3–3½ cups juice.) Add 1 cup gin, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp. Campari to pitcher; stir well to combine.
Step 3
Fill prepared glasses with ice; divide punch among glasses.
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