Canning Pickled Watermelon Rinds
Making Pickled Watermelon Rinds
When I pickled watermelon rinds, I was surprised at the flavor profile for them. You use red hot candies to make them and vinegar water with sugar. I was expecting a super sweet flavor, because it’s watermelon.
This is an easy recipe that does not require a lot of ingredients. You will need to boil water and hot water bath the jars to process.
The Weirdest Pickle
The watermelon rind is the weirdest pickle ever. The watermelon doesn’t taste like watermelon. Instead it takes on the flavor of sweet pickles or sweet relish, with a hint of cinnamon. The vinegar definitely gives it the pickle taste, but it doesn’t look like a pickle!
What Can You Make With Watermelon Rind?
When you remove the outer green skin from the watermelon and the watermelon flesh, you can that was was considered food waste and make delicious pickled watermelon.
How Do You Make Watermelon Pickles?
You will want to remove the pink flesh from the inside after cutting the watermelon in half. Leave some flesh, but you should remove as much as possible (and eat it or make jelly). The picture above has too much pink still on the rind. You can try to use a vegetable peeler, but because of the surface of the watermelon, it may not work and you will need to use a knife to carefully peel this off, leaving the green white flesh peel inside.
Add the ingredients. We use white vinegar, not apple cider vinegar as it is not as tart. This recipe does not require pickling salt either. We use red hot candies instead of cinnamon sticks as these are more of sweet pickling.
What Shapes Do You Cut the Pickled Watermelon Rinds?
You can cut the rind pieces into square or into long slender pieces (like pickles), depending on what you want to use it for and what size jars you are using.
Do You Need To Water Bath The Pickled Rinds?
Yes. You will want to place the jars into water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Allow the jars to cool on a towel, covered in a towel. And don’t forget to label and date the jars.
Pickled Watermelon Rinds
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 watermelon cubed watermelon rind (remove the green, leave a little pink)
- 1/4 cup cinnamon red hot candies per jar of watermelon rinds
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
Instructions
- Place 1/4 cup of cinnamon candies in bottom of the jar.
- Add cubed watermelon rind filling the jars.
- Boil water - white vinegar & sugar mix until the sugar is mixed in.
- Wipe the jar rims with a clean wet towels.
- Add the clean seal and hand tighten band onto the jar.
- Water bath can the jars for 10 minutes once bringing the water to a boil.
- Place jars on towel and cover with another towel to slow cooling and prevent cracking.
- Once the jars have sealed, label and date the jars.
- You can move the jars around to dissolve the candies if they are still present.
Video
