Watermelon rind pickles (mom)

1 Batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 gallon Watermelon rind, prepared
4 tablespoons Lime (slaked)
Water
10 cups Sugar, granulated (divided)
8 cups Apple cider vinegar (divide)
Cheesecloth
2 tablespoons Cloves, whole
2 tablespoons Allspice, whole
4 Cinnamon sticks
Ginger root (2 pieces)
5 minutes. Drain and cool.

Directions

Peel watermelon, removing all green and pink flesh; cut rind into cubes and measure a gallon. Heat a large pot of boiling water; drop rind in and boil for

Dissolve slaked lime in 2 quarts cold water. Pour over rind; let stand for 4 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Cover rind with cold water and bring to boil; boil till rind is tender and drain.

Combine 4½ cups sugar, 2 cups vinegar and 8 cups water. Add allspice, cloves, cinnamon and ginger root (all tied in a cheesecloth bag). Bring to boil; boil for 5 minutes. Add rind and return to boil.

Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Leave rind standing in syrup in cool place between 12 and 24 hours.

Add 6 cups vinegar and 6 to 8 cups sugar (to taste); bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until rind is transparent and syrup is almost as thick as honey. If syrup gets too thick before rind becomes transparent, add ½ cup hot water, a little at a time, as needed.

Discard bag. Pack boiling rind and syrup into hot jars and seal.

Store at least a month before serving.

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