WATERMELON MARGARITAS
CHEERS!
Today I’m going to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite summertime cocktails: WATERMELON MARGARITAS.
Nothing says summer better than watermelon after all!
My recipe for Watermelon Margaritas is not only cool, refreshing and delicious, it is actually in many ways good for you. Now granted, there is alcohol in this recipe. But hey, if you are going to drink alcohol I can’t think of a better way to do it then to mix it with watermelon. WHY? Well, the watermelon in this cocktail has many surprising benefits. Watermelon is 92% water so it is actually very hydrating. This is especially true because watermelon contains essential rehydration minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Watermelon is also rich in Vitamin C , beta carotene and lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been purported to help fight heart disease and several types of cancer. Tomatoes have been highly touted as the premier source for of lycopene when in reality, watermelon actually has the highest concentrations of lycopene of any fresh fruit or vegetable. So hey, I say “Drink Watermelon Margaritas”.
I served Watermelon Margaritas last weekend at my first dinner party of the season on the dock. I have found that this cocktail is enjoyed by both men and women, so in other words, it’s not just a chick drink.
Here is how I make my Watermelon Margaritas:
Start with a seedless watermelon. You may not think it is important to wash the outside of a melon, since you don’t eat the skin. But, when you slice the melon, bacteria on the outside of the melon are easily transferred to the inner edible area. And since watermelon grows on soil where it is exposed to microorganisms from the soil, bacteria may be present on the surface of the melon that could make you sick. So, first give your watermelon a thorough washing.
Next, cut your watermelon up into cubes and transfer the cut up watermelon into a ziplock bag. I suggest doing this at least a day before you plan to serve your Margaritas. That is because my recipe calls for 8 cups of frozen watermelon.
I have found that a gallon size bag holds just about exactly the 8 cups of watermelon needed for this recipe. So, once you have filled a gallon size ziplock bag with watermelon cubes, place the bag full of watermelon in the freezer. This is done for two reasons: it will make your Watermelon Margaritas icy cold, and it eliminates the need to blend up ice in your Margaritas which would further water down your drinks.
This recipe also calls for 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice. Plus you will need a lime or two to use as garnish. So, once again, start by washing the limes to remove any dirt or pesticides that may be present on the fruit before juicing and slicing the limes.
After washing, thinly slice 1 or two limes and set them aside for use later as garnish.
Next, slice 2 or 3 limes in half and juice them to produce 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice.
Now it’s time to make some Simple Syrup. Do this by adding 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking (without stirring) on low for about 5 minutes to thicken the syrup. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the syrup to the refrigerator until ready to make the Watermelon Margaritas.
Once your watermelon is frozen and your simple syrup is cold you can prepare your margaritas.
Remove your bag of frozen watermelon from the freezer……
and place 8 cups of frozen watermelon cubes into a blender.
Add 1-1/2 Cups Tequila, 1/4 cup Triple Sec, 1/2 cup simple syrup and 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice to the blender with the watermelon.
Blend for a couple of seconds until all of the watermelon is pureed.
Now in my case I planned to serve these Watermelon Margaritas on my dock, so I transferred my margaritas to a large mason jar, placed it on ice in a cooler and transported it down to my dock.
I added lime slices and ice to each glass and placed a few more slices into a serving pitcher, into which I poured the margaritas.
These Watermelon Margaritas were a delicious way to enjoy a refreshing before-dinner cocktail on the dock.
And they pack a punch of healthy nutrients as well.
So there you have it, Watermelon Margaritas.
ENJOY!
- 8 Cups Frozen Watermelon, Cubed
- ½ Cup Simple Syrup
- ½ Cup Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- 1-1/2 Cups Tequila
- ¼ Cup Triple Sec
- Thinly sliced lime for garnish
- Place frozen watermelon in a blender.
- Add simple syrup, lime juice, Tequila & Triple Sec to the blender with the watermelon.
- Process for a few seconds until the watermelon is pureed.
- Serve immediately in a cocktail glass with ice.
- Add a slice of lime for garnish.
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