Watermelon Margaritas

By Susan52

Ingredients

• 4 pounds seedless watermelon
• Eight 1-inch-long strips lime peel
• Kosher salt
• 16 ounces (2 cups) fresh lime juice (from about 16 small limes)
• 16 ounces (2 cups) tequila blanco (“silver tequila”)
• 8 ounces (1 cup) Triple Sec, Cointreau, or other orange liqueur

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the flesh from the melon (discard the rind), chop it into chunks, and transfer it, in batches if necessary, to a food processor or blender. Liquefy the watermelon. You should have about 1 quart watermelon juice.


For each cocktail, salt the rim of an 8-ounce glass by first smearing it with a piece of lime peel and then dipping it in a saucer of kosher salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and add 4 ounces tequila, and 1 ounce orange liqueur. Shake vigorously and strain into the glass. Garnish with the lime peel.



VARIATION: Watermelon Lime Cooler: If you’re the abstemious type, omit the alcohol in this drink, pour it over ice, and you’ve got a really delicious summer cooler. You may want to add a splash of seltzer to make it a little less sticky. (You’ll see what I mean).