I really don't know how this idea came to me. I was just sitting at the table and looking at the watermelon and I remember thinking about grilling watermelon, then it moved to infusing it with soy and lime and mint and then this idea surfaced.
Peel and square off the melon, maybe let's just use the very core. Reserve rest for watermelon gazpacho. Shape the core into a rectangle. Place in a bag, pour in rendered pork fat, maybe infused with something?, then vacuum seal the bag. The fat will rush in and replace the lost air. Since watermelon is so loose-celled, I am anticipating the fat will resemble the marbling on a good slice of great meat. Chill this infused melon to firm the fat, then slice thinly and serve.
I'm really excited about the idea. Of course, there are considerations. First, what kind of fat? Or does fat derived from different parts of the pig all behave the same? Also, will the fat hold because of the water content of the melon? Would it be a better idea to infuse and then dehydrate? The final product must be thinly sliced.
A search for watermelon prosciutto revealed that the blog Ideas in Food, have called dehydrated watermelon wedges/slices this. They say the texture is sort of bendy, pliable, not crisp, thereby closely resembling prosciutto.
