Watermelon Rind Pickles
- 8 lbs watermelon rind
- 1 c. pickling salt
- 4 1/2 c. cider vinegar
- 6 lbs sugar
- 40 cloves
- Cut the watermelon into 3/4-inch slices.
- Trim the rind away from the pink flesh; make sure no pink is left on the rind.
- Trim away the outer skin.
- Cut the rind into approximately 3/4-inch cubes.
- Toss with the pickling salt in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2.
- Prepare the jars and lids:
- Wash all jars and lids thoroughly with soap and water and rinse well.
- Fill your canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer.
- Using a pair of canning tongs, lower the jars in gently, tilting them to fill with the hot water.
- In a small saucepan, keep some water warm but not boiling; place the lids in the water.
- Have an additional kettle of water on to boil.
- Pickle the rind:
- Rinse the rind thoroughly and drain, twice.
- In a large stockpot, combine the vinegar, sugar and cloves, and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the rind to the brine, bring back to the boil, reduce to a low boil and cook uncovered until the rind is translucent, about 20 minutes.
- Fill and close the jars:
- Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner, carefully pouring the water back into the canner.
- Set next to the stockpot with the pickled rind.
- Turn the heat under the canner to high.
- Use a ladle to pour the pickled rind into the jars through a canning funnel, leaving 1/2-inch headspace at the top.
- Run a clean chopstick around the inside of the jar to dislodge any trapped air.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel.
- Place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.
- Seal the jars:
- Using canning tongs, gently transfer the jars to the canner, taking care to keep them vertical.
- When all the jars are in the canner, there should be at least 1 inch water covering them; if you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered.
- Bring the water to a full rolling boil, and process for 5 minutes.
- Remove and cool:
- Using canning tongs, gently remove the jars from the canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, again keeping them vertical.
- Do not set hot jars directly on to cool counter surfaces.
- Leave to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours.
- If any of the jars do not seal when cool, reprocess using the method above, or refrigerate and use immediately.
- Label and store:
- Add a label to the lid or side of your jar, noting the date it was canned.
- Remove the rings and store jars in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks before opening.
- Jars can be stored for up to a year.
- Refrigerate after opening.
watermelon rind, pickling salt, cider vinegar, sugar, cloves
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/watermelon-rind-pickles-recipe.html (may not work)