Total Time:

35 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

¾ cup Hy-Vee granulated sugar
¾ cup water
10 fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish
2 (5-lb.) seedless watermelons
4 cups watermelon juice
2 cups bourbon whiskey
¼ cup fresh lime juice
4 tsp Hy-Vee salt
4 tsp Gustare Vita balsamic glaze
lime slices, for garnish

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Preparation

Combine sugar, water, and basil leaves in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Steep, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve; discard basil. Set syrup aside to cool.

Cut the top from watermelons. Using the S-blade attachment on an immersion blender, blend pulp inside the watermelons until pureed; occasionally remove and transfer the pureed pulp to a sieve set over large bowl. Press pureed pulp in the sieve with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the juice; discard pulp.

For cooler: combine watermelon juice, whiskey, basil syrup mixture, lime juice, salt, and balsamic glaze in 2-quart pitcher. Cover and chill until serving. Serve in hollowed-out watermelons or ice-filled glasses. Garnish with lime slices and fresh basil, if desired.