How to make perfect vodka watermelon?

May 26, 2010 9:22 PM

Any tips on making the perfect vodka watermelon?

Has anyone actually made one and how did you do it?

posted by ShortHairyMan to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

Good tips in this AskMe.
posted by iconomy at 9:34 PM on May 26, 2010

Previously.
posted by Gordafarin at 9:34 PM on May 26, 2010

Google 'infusions of grandeur' (typing this on my phone so no link). This no longer updated blog documented infusing vodka with many different ingredients.
posted by nestor_makhno at 9:46 PM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

My friends made about 50 a few years ago, to smuggle into an alcohol-free tailgate. They used syringes and grain alcohol.
posted by acidic at 9:56 PM on May 26, 2010

I have royally screwed this up before. The number one tip I would give you would be to try not to get the brilliant idea that the larger the bottle of vodka you cram into this thing, the more awesome it will be. This is not at all true unless you enjoy chewy vodka.
posted by troublewithwolves at 10:02 PM on May 26, 2010

Hm...when I did this, we just cut a hole in the watermelon the size of the neck of the vodka bottle (standard 750ml, and standard oval-ish watermelon), and opened up the bottle, put the watermelon on the bottle via the hole, and flipped the whole thing over (so bottle on top, upside down to pour into the watermelon). Left it that way overnight, in the morning there was nothing left in the bottle, and the watermelon was a bit more "watery" than usual, but still held its shape, and was also noticeably(strongly!) vodka-flavored.
posted by Grither at 4:34 AM on May 27, 2010

And upon reading that previous thread, perhaps my watermelon was unusually dry when we started? Cause just overnight did the trick for us... I guess we got lucky!
posted by Grither at 4:37 AM on May 27, 2010

A few friends of mine attempted this last weekend and the conclusion they came to was that it was a mistake to buy the cheapest vodka available. Also, just as a head's up, the alcohol was fairly unevenly distributed - so brace yourself before taking a bite from the center.
posted by anonymous78 at 4:51 AM on May 27, 2010

The few times I have seen this attempted, the major problem was planning ahead and patience. It can take 2-3 days to get the liquor throughout the melon, although Grither seems to have done well in a shorter time.
posted by TedW at 4:54 AM on May 27, 2010

Use tequila. Melon needs to be quite ripe and it helps to cut more than one plug and use more than one smaller bottle of tequila. Cut the plug(s) and save them, put the melon into a tub or cooler for stability, invert the bottle(s) into the plug(s), wait for the bottles to drain. Remove the bottles, replace the plugs, rotate the melon and repeat. Then fill the cooler/tub with ice and leave it sit (rotating regularly) for 3-4 days. When you're tired of eating through it, do not throw the remaining melon bits at highway signs from the back of a pick-up. Really. Don't. Resist the urge.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:57 AM on May 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

A way to do this without waiting 2-3 days for the liquor to distribute is to use a "cajun injector". I punch a hole at one end with a toothpick (air comes out this side when the vodka goes in the other) and then inject in a series going from one end to the other. Pop in the fridge for 6 hours and it's ready.
posted by Runes at 7:11 AM on May 27, 2010

Just saw this post from Sweet Paul's blog on Saturday recommending using lime flavored vodka.
posted by alice ayres at 11:09 AM on May 27, 2010

Seedless watermelons don't seem to work as well. The seeds leave little gaps for the alcohol to flow to, I guess.
posted by RunawayOctober at 11:12 AM on June 2, 2010