Grilled watermelon makes a delicious side for meat and fish, as a garnish for sandwiches, or, like any pickles, a snack from the bottle. Photo and recipe courtesy Watermelon.org.

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August 2010

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Fruit

Recipe: Pickled Watermelon Rind

Don’t Throw Out The Rind: Turn It Into Delicious Watermelon Pickles

In addition to this Pickled Watermelon Rind recipe, also take a look at:

• Watermelon History
• Watermelon Nutrition Facts
• Watermelon Tips
• More Watermelon Recipes

Watermelon Pickles Recipe

Because you’ve already bought the watermelon for its flesh, this recipe is almost a freebie (although you still have to buy the sugar, vinegar and spices).

Watermelon is related to cucumber; taste the white rind and you’ll notice the cucumber flavor. Pickled watermelon rind—also known as watermelon pickles—are similar to sweet gherkins: Serve them as a condiment with sandwiches, burgers, grilled meat and fish; slice them into salads; add them to skewers with mozzarella balls, ham and cheese cubes.

Makes about 4 cups.

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 tablespoons coarse (kosher-style) salt

• 5 cups cubed watermelon rind, prepared per instructions below

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon multicolored peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
• 2 long slices fresh, peeled ginger

After you have made the initial recipe, you can try different spices, based on your flavor preferences. Some options:

• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 3 cinnamon sticks, broken into 1" pieces

Preparation

1. Peel and remove all green peel and and most pink flesh from white rind; leave a thin layer of pink. Dice rind into 1/2 inch x 2 inch pieces.

2. In a large pot, bring water and salt to boil over medium high heat. Add rind pieces and boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Strain. Transfer rinds to a large bowl.
3. In saucepan, combine sugar, cider vinegar, peppercorns, cloves, pickling spice and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Pour into the bowl of watermelon rinds. Place a plate over top of the rinds to keep them submerged in liquid.
5. Cover and refrigerate for one day. Transfer to a glass jar and keep sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Or if you like, you can preserve them in Mason jars as gifts. (Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions closely for proper sterile preservation.)

Nutritional Information

Per 2 tablespoon serving: about 60 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 16g carbohydrate, 0mg cholesterol, 490g sodium. %DV: 4% vitamin A, 4% vitamin C.

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Photo and recipe  © copyright National Watermelon Promotion Board. Other material