New York-Based Duck's Eatery Offers Watermelon Ham as Meat Alternative
NEW YORK, NY - When my partner brought home a smoker, I never thought I’d want to use it to desperately try to duplicate a New York restaurant’s innovative offering in the convenience of my backyard, but here I am! Duck’s Eatery is changing the smoking game with its smoked “ham,” a juicy watermelon that takes on the delicious, savory, rich flavors in the unique process. Are you salivating yet? Yeah, I need a bib just writing about it.
“It’s hot, which is super weird, we understand,” Will Horowitz, Duck’s Eatery Co-Owner, said in a FOX Business interview with Maria Bartiromo. “We just wanted to try something a little different.”
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At a whopping $75 bill per “ham,” it takes time to create—five days time, to be exact—and can be shared amongst three to five people. The process is a big to-do, as well. First, the watermelon is brined in a salty solution with coriander, oregano, and wood ash, according to Food & Wine. This step gives the fruit the tough exterior that looks like a ham. Second, its dried and smoked for half a day. Third, it is scored like a ham, seared in a pan, and basted in its own juices. What?! Yes, you read that right, friends.
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What makes the offering so special for Duck’s Eatery is that it is, in fact, a watermelon dished up for customers, a far cry from its meat-focused menu options, but the restaurant makes up for the difference by cultivating a ham-like look. The news source relays that the owners began trialing smoked fruits and vegetables to become environmentally-friendly and sustainable methods of cooking, as well as attract vegetarian and vegan eaters. One of its first successful ventures into the seemingly Upside Down of cooking was a smoked cantaloupe burger. Since then, Duck’s Eatery is on the up and up.
“We’re seeing incredible feedback on social media,” Co-Owner Julie Horowitz told the news source. “Our business has increased.”
According to Delish, customers are waiting 30 days to get your hands on the alternative-meat delicacy. The restaurant's website explains that customers wanting to skip the wait can preorder the ham a minimum of one week in advance via email.
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Since New York is kind of far away from me—like on the other side of the country, far—it’s time to pull out that smoker and get crafty with some fruits and veggies! Wish me luck!
Will this trend seep further into consumer trends throughout the nation, and will folks perusing the aisles be looking at produce for their center-plate needs in a new way? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
