Home canned picked watermelon rind is one of the most sinfully delicious treats, yet watermelon rind is one of the most ignored and wasted food products. You don't have to grow your own watermelon in order to begin home canning this fruit. Simply purchase a commercially grown watermelon and save the rind.
Watermelons range in shape from round to oblong and in size from about six inches at maturity to about 30 inches, making it hard to determine exact yield. However, one mature watermelon of about 20 inches should provide approximately four or five pint jars.
Picked Watermelon Rind Recipe
Start with a fresh watermelon that is free of blemishes. Only rinds devoid of pink flesh or green peeling should be used. Leaving some of the pink on the rind can change the crispness of the watermelon rinds. Choose watermelon rind that is at least one inch in thickness after the green peel and pink flesh have been removed.
It takes several days to make pickled watermelon rind from start to finish, so make sure you have the time available before you begin. When home canning, all equipment must be sterilized. Cooking utensils, jars, lids and rings can be sterilized in the dishwasher and kept hot until ready to use.
Standard Equipment Needed:
Large, deep kettle
Smaller saucepan
Large long-handled spoon for stirring (slotted works, also)
Pint jars with vacuum lids and rings
Pickled Watermelon Rind Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
4 quarts rind
1 gallon cold water
1 cup canning salt (Kosher)
2 cups white vinegar
7 cups granulated white sugar
¾ tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole allspice
½ tablespoon mustard seed
6 cinnamon sticks
½ cup lemon (thinly sliced)
Peel and remove all traces of the green outer skin and the pink inner flesh from the watermelon rind. Cut the rind into one-inch cubes or into triangles for a more festive appeal.
In a large kettle, dissolve salt in water. Soak the rind overnight-or at least six hours-in water and salt. (For each quart of water, add ¼ cup of kosher salt). Drain the mixture and place the rind into a large, deep kettle and cover with cold water.
Bring this mixture to a boil and then simmer until the rind is almost tender. Meanwhile, bring sugar, vinegar and spice bag to boil in the smaller saucepan and boil for ten minutes.
Add the rind and simmer until the rind is transparent. Remove the spice bag and immediately ladle into sterilized jars. Add the hot liquid, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by inserting the sterilized handle of a rubber spatula or a plastic knife into each jar and moving it around the sides of the jar.
Wipe off the top of the jar with a clean, hot, wet cloth and put sterilized lids and rings onto the jars. Process the jars in a hot water bath for ten minutes.
Uses for Pickled Watermelon Rind
Pickled watermelon rind should be eaten by the following season. Once jars are opened, they must be refrigerated. If jars do not seal, refrigerate and eat within four months. Discard any product that shows signs of spoilage.
Serve this delicious sweet treat with meat dishes or as a side with any meal. Pickled watermelon rinds can be served in place of dill pickles or relish as a garnish and are great when wrapped in bacon and broiled for about 15 minutes as an appetizer.
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