Pickled Watermelon.
By Leilanesson on Flickr
This recipe for Polish pickled watermelon rind gets added flavor from spices like cloves, cinnamon and allspice. Some recipes call for mustard seed, but I don't care for that flavor. Add 2 tablespoons mustard seeds if you desire.
Some people cook their rind in the syrup, but this recipe calls for marinating the rind overnight in salted water, which effectively cooks it.
Makes 3 pint jars of Polish Pickled Watermelon Rind
Ingredients
- 3 pounds watermelon rind, trimmed of green skin and any red flesh
- Salt water (3 tablespoons for every quart of water used)
- 2 pounds sugar
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 6 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons whole allspice
- 2 tablespoons whole cloves
Preparation
- Cut rind into 1-inch cubes. Soak overnight in salted water to cover.
- Drain rind. In a large saucepan, bring sugar, vinegar and spices to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Have hot, sterilized pint or half-pint jars at the ready. Pack them with drained watermelon rind.
- Pour boiling syrup over rind to within 1/8 inch from top, making sure rind is completely covered. It's OK if some of the spices end up in the jars. Seal jars at once with hot two-piece caps. To ensure a good seal, process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Store cooled jars in a cool, dark place.
