- Wash the watermelon.
Scrub it well and pat dry. Make sure the surface is clean and free of
any dirt, so it will be ready for decoration and carving.
2
Mark the cut line.
Draw a circle around the circumference of one end of the watermelon
where you'll remove the top. You may want to use a drawing compass for
accuracy, or simply sketch as neat a line as possible.
3
Draw decorative features.
Mark parts of the watermelon using a pencil or a Sharpie. You will most
likely fill the watermelon with punch three quarters of the way, so if
you want to carve any decorative shapes or designs toward the top, map
out the design now.
4
Cut off the top of the watermelon.
You'll need the top as a lid that goes back on the melon after you’ve
added the punch. Use your sharpest kitchen knife or a box cutter to
slice cleanly through the melon. Follow the pre-drawn lines when
cutting; this will make it easier.
5
Gently remove the top. Clean it of any residual watermelon, and then set it aside.
6
Scoop out the watermelon flesh.
Lay down newspaper or sheeting underneath the watermelon—this is going
to get messy! You could also place the watermelon in a deep sink to
reduce mess. Just like carving a pumpkin—only wetter—scoop out as much
flesh as possible with an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
- When scraping out the flesh, take care not to scrape too much of the
skin. The idea is to hollow out the watermelon neatly without creating
indentations in the outer edge.
7
Save the goodies. Try to remove the watermelon in chunks so you can use the fruit later either in your punch or as a snack.
8
Clean out the inside of the watermelon using a wet paper towel. Remove any errant seeds or pieces. You should be left with a smooth, hollow surface.
9
Create the “watermelon keg”.
Make a hole toward the bottom portion of the watermelon using an apple
corer. A hole approximately two to three inches (5 to 7.5cm) from the
base of the watermelon is appropriate. Then when the watermelon sits on a
table, guests can easily place their glass underneath the spigot.
- Make the keg hole the same size as the spigot line. You will want to
fit the spigot snugly into the hole created by the corer, but not so
large that a gap is created.
- If the spigot line has a sharp edge and the watermelon skin is not
overly tough, try puncturing the skin using the spigot and bypass using
the apple corer. You may find that you get a tighter fit this way.
10
Fill the fruit keg with your favorite punch recipe. A punch recipe that infuses watermelon or watermelon flavors would be most desirable, but any punch recipe will work.
11
Test first! Pour
only a few cups of the mixture into the watermelon to determine if the
spigot will leak. If it has a leak, fill the gaps with either pieces of
rind or even duct tape around the inside the spigot line, inside the
watermelon. Hold the duct tape in place with pins if it does not adhere
to the watermelon (which it very well may not given the wet and slippery
surface).
12
Add watermelon.
Integrate pieces of watermelon flesh into your brew when preparing it.
This will further enhance the flavor and taste. If possible, re-use the
chunks of watermelon in your punch and float several pieces inside the
punch for good visual effect.
13
Place the watermelon keg on display.
Decorate the watermelon using other pieces of fruit. For example, you
could create a fun face using apple pieces, dried fruit and watermelon
chunks. Affix fruit pieces to the watermelon using toothpicks.
- Keep the watermelon keg on ice to maintain freshness and a cool punch temperature.
Edit Things You'll Need
- 1 medium-large watermelon with a strong rind (if you find soft spots on the watermelon , don’t use for this project)
- Carving knife—use the same knife you might use to carve a pumpkin
- Wooden cutting board
- A marker to help you decorate the outside of the watermelon; a green Sharpie or a pencil is ideal
- Melon ball scoop
- Large spoon or ice cream scoop
- Apple corer
- Small to medium sized spigot (purchased from a restaurant supply company)
- Straight pins
