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.
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Glass Pitcher
$13 At Target
Mesh Sieve
$16 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.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
41 Low-Fuss Recipes for Labor Day Weekend
Peel-and-eat shrimp, corn on the cob with basil butter, three-ingredient peach floats, and more.All the Recipes From Bon Appétit’s May 2024 Issue
In the May issue there are cocktails for every type of drinker, a bubbling pot of spicy sulguk, and posole blanco for cool evenings.
