Pickled Watermelon Rind

No meal at Grammy's was complete without a Ball canning jar of pickled watermelon rind. This recipe makes excellent use of the green and white bits of a watermelon slice. It used to shock us that our friends had never heard of this.

This recipe takes a long time to make. If nothing else, we can appreciate how much work used to go into those jars.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

7 lbs Watermelon Rind, cut in 1" size

-Cook until clear, pour off water

Syrup:

1 pint water

7 cups sugar

1/2 tsp oil of cinnamon

1/2 tsp oil of clove

pinch of salt

1 pint vinegar

-Bring to boil, and put rind in and let sit overnight

-In morning, remove rind.

-Reheat syrup + put back rind

-Do this for 3 more mornings.

-On 4th day, heat syrup and put in canning jars

-"I put in the pieces of rind then pour enough syrup to fill jar then seal.

-Let jars cool.

-Wash jars off.

-Let sit for 3 months before you eat it."

And refrigerate once you've reopened the jar.

Also, "If using pressure cooker, cook for 8 minutes."

And her final tip:

"A 17 lb melon gives about 7 lb rind."