“Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles”

Since Summer is winding down, do you ever think of preserving foods for the Winter months? I grew with family who preserved vegetables, jams, jellies, and sauces. When I think back it was fun being able to eat fresh everything long after Summer was gone. That leads me to watermelon and how much we ate during the Summer months. Mom would make delicious Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles. The end of the season is a perfect time to make these pickles because the rind from the melon is thicker and that’s what you want to use.

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

To prepare the pickles from watermelon rind, peel the watermelon first. Next slice away any red flesh because it will become soggy when making the pickles. So, the thicker the rind the better for texture and flavor. The thicker the rind you’ll find the pickles have more bite and not as soft which I love.

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

Now, cut the rind into 1-inch pieces and to easily fit into your canning jars. Finally rind is soaked overnight in a mixture of pickling salt and water to help keep their crisp pickle texture. The rind sits in this liquid overnight in the refrigerator and is rinsed before making the pickles. Add rind to a large pot and cover with water, cooking for about 10 minutes until tender.

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

Next, using a non-reactive saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon, whole cloves, pickling spice, lemon, and water. Simmer syrup for 10 minutes and discard solids if you like. Add rind to syrup and cook until translucent for about 30 minutes. Place pickles in sterilized jars and fill jars with syrup to within 1/2-inch from top. Tighten sterilized lids on jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes for pints and 5 minutes for half-pints. Let jars seal and sit for 24 hours.

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

Watermelon Rind Pickles are marvelous on a meat and cheese platter or vegetable platter. Tastes great served with burgers, ribs, or just by themselves as a snack. I can eat them right out of the jar. Try your hand at making these old-fashioned sweet pickles from my childhood. They are still a favorite and provide great memories of my Mom and I in the kitchen. Make some new memories in your own kitchen.

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

 

Homemade Watermelon Rind Pickles

7 cups watermelon rind, pink flesh and green skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup pickling salt

6 cups water

4 cups granulated sugar

2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 broken cinnamon sticks

2 t. whole cloves

1 T. pickling spice

1/2 of a lemon, cut into thin slices

 

Place watermelon rind, pickling salt, and water in a large bowl. Add in enough water to cover rind completely. Soak overnight in refrigerator.

Drain and rinse rind then place in a large pot covered with water. Bring water to boil and cook rind for 10 minutes until just tender.

In a non-reactive 6-quart pot, combine 1 cup water, sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring syrup mixture to boil and cook for 10 minutes.

Discard any solids if desired and add in watermelon rind and lemon slices, cooking until rind is translucent, about 30 minutes.

Fill sterilized jars with rind and syrup, leaving 1/2-inch space from top of jar.

Tighten on sterilized lids and process jars in a water bath for 5 minutes in half-pint jars or 10 minutes for pint jars.

Let jars seal and sit for 24 hours untouched.

Note: Lemon slices can be omitted from recipe if desired.

 

Makes 3 pints or 6 half-pint jars.