Watermelon Rind Pickles

Name: Watermelon Rind Pickles
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 pints.
Ingredients: 8 cups sliced peeled watermelon rind (2x1-in. pieces); 6 cups water; 1 cup canning salt; 4 cups sugar; 2 cups white vinegar; 6 cinnamon sticks (3 inches), divided; 1 teaspoon whole cloves; 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

"Waste not, want not" has always been smart advice—especially when it produces picked watermelon rind that's so refreshing. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

8 cups sliced peeled watermelon rind (2x1-in. pieces)
6 cups water
1 cup canning salt
4 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
6 cinnamon sticks (3 inches), divided
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Directions

Place rind in a large nonreactive bowl; stir in water and salt. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Rinse and drain well.
In a Dutch oven, mix sugar, vinegar, 2 cinnamon sticks, cloves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Add rinds; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until tender. Discard cinnamon sticks.
Carefully ladle hot mixture into four hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Add a remaining cinnamon stick to each jar. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.
Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Editor's Note: To prepare watermelon rind, remove dark green peel from watermelon rind and discard.

Editor's Note

The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

1/4 cup: 16 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 96mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.

Originally published as Watermelon Rind Pickles in Taste of Home Recipes Across America

Reviews

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Renee

Aug 11, 2019

I didn't read the directions good and left the peel on them, but they still turned out great. Just a little hard to eat off the peel. I just finished peeling some more for another batch. If you are looking for a good recipe for pickled watermelon rind, look no further.
shawnba

Jun 28, 2017

Really good. I like that they stayed crunchy even after processing. They were easy enough to make, if a little time consuming, but well worth the effort