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Smoked Watermelon

Charlie
This creative cooking technique will turn your favorite summer fruit into a savory dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 serves
Calories 89 kcal

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large seedless watermelon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
  • ½ cup kosher salt 120 g
  • 3 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp ground cloves

Instructions
 

  • Slice both ends from the watermelon. Turn to one flat end, and slice off the rind. Try to keep as much flesh as possible.
    It should resemble an oval shape, with flat ends and no white rind visible.
  •  Blend cold water, kosher salt, black pepper, and preferred herbs and spices.
    You’ll need a large tub, or cooler box, big enough to fit the skinned melon. Submerge in the bath of brine and refrigerate for a couple of days. Once completed, remove and place on a cutting board. The brine mixture should balance the sweetness of the watermelon.
  • After brining the watermelon you want to  cut 1-inch deep diagonal slits in opposite directions to form a cross-hatch pattern.
    Then we will season the watermelon. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder, coconut sugar, salt, pepper and cloves in a bowl and whisk together well and then coat the watermelon, ensure you get it the cuts.
    Then put the olive oil, rosemary and garlic cloves in the alumiumn pan and place the watermelon in the middle of the pan.
    Position cross-hatch side up, and let sit for an hour. This will allow the flavors of the aromatic spices to absorb into the fruit.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat – around 250°F and load with your woodchips.
  • Smoke for two hours, baste the watermelon every 30 minutes with the pan juices. remove the foil and smoke a further 2 hour.
    Then turn your smoke up to 400°F (if it can go that high, if not you can either broil it or place in a large cast iron pan.
  • Broil, grill smoke or roast the watermelon until it has gone a deep brown on the outside, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, this will take 30 minutes.
  • Allow the watermelon ham to cool slightly, about 15 minutes, before slicing.
Keyword Smoked, smoked watermelon