Cool off this Summer with Chef Tom's recipe for a Watermelon Mojito Granita! This irresistible frozen treat boasts the perfect combination of sweet and savory - juicy watermelon caramelized on the grill, mint infused simple syrup, rum and lime blended to perfection.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Grilling with the lid open instead of closed keeps the watermelon from steaming and breaking down completely, so it picks up char and color while still holding its shape enough to slice and dice afterward
- Blending the watermelon flesh on low speed purees the fruit while leaving the seeds mostly intact, so straining removes them cleanly instead of blending them into grit
- Muddling the mint into the simple syrup while it's still warm, then pulverizing it in a blender, extracts more flavor than simply steeping whole leaves would
- Scraping the mixture with a fork every hour as it freezes builds the granita's signature light, flaky texture, rather than letting it freeze solid into one block
Watermelon Mojito Granita
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
Mexican
Servings
24
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Cool off with Chef Tom's Watermelon Mojito Granita! Juicy watermelon caramelized on the grill, mint infused simple syrup, rum and lime are combined then frozen for a flaky flavor packed Summer treat!
Ingredients
- 6 lb watermelon, sliced 1” thick rounds (yield 8 cups diced)
-
1/3 cup Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 (1/2 oz) bunch fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup light rum
- 6 tbsp lime juice
-
1/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Salt
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500ºF, set up for direct grilling. When the grill comes up to temperature slide your GrillGrate grilling panels directly over the fire box.
- Grill the watermelon with the door of the grill open to prevent the watermelon from completely breaking down. Flip when you have some nice grill marks and a little char. Repeat and remove from the grill.
- Slice the red flesh away from the rind. Dice the flesh and place in the blender. Blend over low to medium-low speed so that flesh is pureed, but the seeds are not. Strain the liquid and discard the seeds.
- To make the mint simple syrup, combine the Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar, water and fresh mint in a Lodge 8” Cast Iron Skillet. Muddle the mint with a wood spoon and stip until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Place the mixture in a small blender cup or food processor and blitz to pulverize the mint leaves. You can choose to strain this or leave the small flecks of mint in the syrup.
- Combine the grilled watermelon juice, mint simple syrup, rum, lime juice and Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Salt and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed.
- Pour the mixture into a large foil pan (or two smaller pans) and transfer to the freezer.
- Let freeze for about 3 hours, then scrape and agitate with a fork. Return to the freezer and repeat the scraping again in another hour. Repeat this until the granita is light and flaky. At this point it can be stored in the freezer as is, and scraped again just before serving.
- Garnish the watermelon mojito granita with fresh berries and a splash of rum, if desired.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why grill the watermelon with the lid open instead of closed?
Leaving the door open prevents the watermelon from steaming and completely breaking down under trapped heat. It still picks up grill marks and a little char while holding together enough to slice and dice afterward.
Why blend the watermelon flesh on low speed instead of high?
Blending low purees the flesh while leaving the seeds mostly whole, so straining afterward removes them cleanly. Blending on high would grind the seeds into the juice along with the flesh.
Why muddle the mint into the syrup while it's still warm, then blend it again?
Muddling releases the mint's oils into the warm syrup, and pulverizing it afterward in a blender extracts even more flavor than steeping whole leaves would on their own.
Why scrape the granita with a fork every hour instead of letting it freeze solid?
Repeated scraping breaks up ice crystals as they form, building the light, flaky texture a granita is known for. Left undisturbed, the mixture would freeze into one solid block instead.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 the syrup, blending, and freezing steps all happen in a regular kitchen; a hot cast iron grill pan or broiler can char the watermelon in place of the outdoor grill, though you'll lose some smoky char flavor.
Recipe Highlights
Open-lid grilling: Chars the watermelon without steaming it into mush.
Low-speed blending: Purees the flesh while keeping seeds intact for easy straining.
Double-processed mint syrup: Muddling and blending extract more flavor than steeping alone.
Hourly fork-scraping: Builds the granita's signature light, flaky texture.
