Watermelon Bloody Marys

(19)
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Servings:
8

This not-just-for-brunch cocktail gets a light sweetness from watermelon juice. Freshly ground celery seeds add complexity, while dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces give it a kick.

Ingredients

  • 12 cups watermelon chunks (from one 4-pound watermelon, rind removed), plus pieces, for serving

  • 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

  • Ice, for serving

  • 1 ½ cups tomato juice

  • 13 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste

  • 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons coarse salt

  • ½ teaspoon celery seeds, ground with a mortar and pestle, or celery salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 1 to 1 1/4 cups vodka

  • Celery stalks, for serving

Directions

  1. Working in batches, puree watermelon (with seeds) and sugar in blender. Strain into a bowl through a fine sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula; discard solids. (You will have 5 1/2 cups juice.)

  2. For children's drinks: Divide 2 1/2 cups juice among 4 ice-filled glasses.

  3. For adults' drinks: Stir remaining 3 cups watermelon juice with tomato juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and celery seeds in a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice. Season with pepper. Stir in vodka and divide among 4 ice-filled glasses.

  4. Garnish adult drinks with a piece of watermelon and a celery stalk.

Cook's Notes

To carve the watermelon, cut off the ends and stand it upright. Using a sharp knife, cut the rind from the flesh, making sure to remove all of the white. For a time-saving trick, puree the watermelon chunks -- seeds and all. Then strain the juice through a fine sieve.

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