Grandma's Watermelon Rind Pickles

My grandma's recipe for watermelon rind pickles. Delicious, crunchy and sweet with a flavor of cloves, cinnamon and ginger.

My grandmother always added green food coloring to her watermelon rind pickles. But you can leave them their natural color, as well.

Cooks have been making these pickles for centuries. The first cookbook published in the United States, in 1796, includes a recipe for preserving watermelon rind.

Ingredients 4 quarts watermelon rind 3 TBS pickling lime For the Brine 8 cups sugar 1 quart vinegar 1 quart water food coloring (optional) Spices 2 TBS whole cloves 3 cinnamon sticks ½ inch fresh ginger root

Prepare the rind by removing all the pink part of the melon and the outer skin, leaving just the pale green rind. Cut into cubes.

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Dissolve pickling lime in warm water. Place rind in a nonreactive bowl or pan and pour in lime water. Add cold water to cover rind.

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Put plates on top of the rind to keep it submerged. Soak covered, overnight, occasionally stirring and mixing well.

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The next day, drain rind and rinse in cold water several times. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, then wash again to remove all the lime.

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Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings. I usually run them through the dishwasher to sterilize them.

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Add vinegar, water, sugar and spice bag to a large pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, add the rind and simmer for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, until about half the rinds are clear or translucent.

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Remove spice bag and pack hot pickles into sterilized jars, leaving ½-inch head space and removing any bubbles. Wipe rims of jars, then then add lids and rings, adjusting to fingertip tight.

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Transfer the jars to a rack in a water bath canner. Process covered for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner and allow to cool on kitchen towels for 24 hours before moving.

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Grandma's Watermelon Rind Pickles

My grandma's recipe for watermelon rind pickles. Delicious, crunchy and sweet with a flavor of cloves, cinnamon and ginger.

My grandmother always added green food coloring to her watermelon rind pickles. But you can leave them their natural color, as well.

Cooks have been making these pickles for centuries. The first cookbook published in the United States, in 1796, includes a recipe for preserving watermelon rind.

Ingredients 4 quarts watermelon rind 3 TBS pickling lime For the Brine 8 cups sugar 1 quart vinegar 1 quart water food coloring (optional) Spices 2 TBS whole cloves 3 cinnamon sticks ½ inch fresh ginger root

Prepare the rind by removing all the pink part of the melon and the outer skin, leaving just the pale green rind. Cut into cubes.

Cut the rind.

Dissolve pickling lime in warm water. Place rind in a nonreactive bowl or pan and pour in lime water. Add cold water to cover rind.

Prepare the rind.

Put plates on top of the rind to keep it submerged. Soak covered, overnight, occasionally stirring and mixing well.

Soak overnight.

The next day, drain rind and rinse in cold water several times. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, then wash again to remove all the lime.

Rinse rind.

Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings. I usually run them through the dishwasher to sterilize them.

Sterilize jars.

Add vinegar, water, sugar and spice bag to a large pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, add the rind and simmer for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, until about half the rinds are clear or translucent.

Pickle the rind.

Remove spice bag and pack hot pickles into sterilized jars, leaving ½-inch head space and removing any bubbles. Wipe rims of jars, then then add lids and rings, adjusting to fingertip tight.

Pack into jars.

Transfer the jars to a rack in a water bath canner. Process covered for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner and allow to cool on kitchen towels for 24 hours before moving.

Process jars.

More Canning & Pickle Recipes

14-Day Sweet Pickles

Lime-Mint Freezer Pickles

Spicy Pepper Jelly

Click the link below for the printable recipe card and full instructions for making Watermelon Rind Pickles.