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WATERMELON RIND PICKLES
10/04/16 — Heydon Hatcher
melons![img_3186]()
by Megan Winfrey
If you've been following along for awhile, you know that I love to make pickles. I've pickled everything from cucumbers to okra, tomatoes, beets, green beans, peppers, and jicama. They haven't all been successes, but that's exactly what keeps me pickling - the determination to perfect my techniques. Thinking about all of the different types of pickles out there could make your head spin! Theres dill, bread and butter, garlic, spicy, sweet, candied, sour, half sour, and then there's an even longer list of produce to pickle! It's just so fascinating! I find that pickling and preserving makes me feel closer to the earth and closer to my ancestors, who couldn't rely on a refrigerator or even an unwavering source of produce. They preserved as a way of life, and if I could just get ahold of those recipes, my days of trial and error could end much quicker!
Watermelon Rind Pickles![img_3166]()
First, using a serrated vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove the outer skin of the watermelon. Slice the melon and remove the pink flesh, which you should definitely cube, cover with Tajin, and devour. You're left with the light green rind, which should then be cut into 1 inch slices.
Soak the rind overnight in the brine, made by dissolving 1/4 cup of kosher salt in each quart of water needed to cover the rind. If doubling this recipe, double the brine also.
Drain the brine away, then thoroughly rinse the rind in cool water. Drain completely.
At this point, if you haven't already, sterilize your jars. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the jars you'll be using (glass part only) and allow to boil steadily while the rind cooks down. This recipe yields two pint jars of pickles.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large saucepan and allow to boil together for 5 minutes. Your kitchen will now smell amazing! Add the rind slowly in batches, then let simmer for about 30 minutes, until the rind appears translucent.
Pack the rind in hot, sterile jars and cover with the remaining liquid. Let cool at room temperature, then check to make sure the center of the lid is tightly sealed before refrigerating. These will stay in the fridge for several months.
Side note: I missed the part about skinning the watermelon, whoops! But I found that leaving the skin on gave the pickles a nice bite, and didn't affect the flavor at all. I think I'll always make them this way! Oh, and the lemon rinds are delicious, too.
by Megan Winfrey
If you've been following along for awhile, you know that I love to make pickles. I've pickled everything from cucumbers to okra, tomatoes, beets, green beans, peppers, and jicama. They haven't all been successes, but that's exactly what keeps me pickling - the determination to perfect my techniques. Thinking about all of the different types of pickles out there could make your head spin! Theres dill, bread and butter, garlic, spicy, sweet, candied, sour, half sour, and then there's an even longer list of produce to pickle! It's just so fascinating! I find that pickling and preserving makes me feel closer to the earth and closer to my ancestors, who couldn't rely on a refrigerator or even an unwavering source of produce. They preserved as a way of life, and if I could just get ahold of those recipes, my days of trial and error could end much quicker!
Watermelon Rind Pickles
- 1 JBG watermelon
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups white sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp. whole cloves
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 quart water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
First, using a serrated vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove the outer skin of the watermelon. Slice the melon and remove the pink flesh, which you should definitely cube, cover with Tajin, and devour. You're left with the light green rind, which should then be cut into 1 inch slices.
Soak the rind overnight in the brine, made by dissolving 1/4 cup of kosher salt in each quart of water needed to cover the rind. If doubling this recipe, double the brine also.
Drain the brine away, then thoroughly rinse the rind in cool water. Drain completely.
At this point, if you haven't already, sterilize your jars. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the jars you'll be using (glass part only) and allow to boil steadily while the rind cooks down. This recipe yields two pint jars of pickles.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large saucepan and allow to boil together for 5 minutes. Your kitchen will now smell amazing! Add the rind slowly in batches, then let simmer for about 30 minutes, until the rind appears translucent.
Pack the rind in hot, sterile jars and cover with the remaining liquid. Let cool at room temperature, then check to make sure the center of the lid is tightly sealed before refrigerating. These will stay in the fridge for several months.
Side note: I missed the part about skinning the watermelon, whoops! But I found that leaving the skin on gave the pickles a nice bite, and didn't affect the flavor at all. I think I'll always make them this way! Oh, and the lemon rinds are delicious, too.
