Watermelon rind preserves are a sweet and tangy treat that can be enjoyed as a snack, breakfast item, or dessert. Made from the rind of a watermelon, this unique preserve is a great way to use up leftover rind and add a unique twist to your meals. The process of making watermelon rind preserves is relatively simple and requires only a few basic ingredients. With a little patience and time, you can create a delicious preserve that will be a hit with your family and friends.
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WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES
This is an old recipe. Select melons with thick rinds. You will need to check with your local extension office for processing times.
Provided by Dave McIntyre
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Canning and Preserving Recipes Jams and Jellies Recipes
Time 9h15m
Yield 64
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Peel off the green part of the watermelon rind, and slice into 2 inch pieces. Soak the rind in a solution of 1 gallon water and 1/2 cup salt overnight.
- Remove rind from the salt water, and place in a stockpot with clean water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the rind is tender. Drain.
- In a large pot, combine the sugar, 8 cups water, and sliced lemons. Tie the cinnamon and cloves into a cheesecloth bag, and place in the pot. Bring the syrup to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the rinds, and cook until transparent. Remove spice bag. Stir in red food coloring, if using. Ladle preserves into hot sterile jars, and process to seal.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 118.5 calories, Carbohydrate 30.3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.2 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 733.3 mg, Sugar 28.1 g
WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES OLD TIME
This is an old time recipe that my mother and grandmothers used to make pear preserves. They used whole cinnamon sticks and cloves, but I've used ground and they taste good too. I experimented with watermelon rinds and found that the basic recipe works just as good. I did cut back on the sugar, originally it calls for 2 parts fruit to 1 part sugar, which is a bit much for my liking. The end result is a syrupy sweet fruit preserve, not like the preserves that are store bought, so don't expect store bough consistency. These are good old time simplicity.
Provided by Ms. B
Time 14h
Yield 8 pints
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Trim green peel and red flesh from watermelon. Cut rind into small cubes (14-16 cups).
- Place cubed rind into stainless steel pot (Dutch oven size) and add one part sugar to two parts rind (I use little less sugar in my recipe). Let sit until sugar dissolves, a couple or hours or overnight (preferably overnight). Rind and sugar should have made its own liquid.
- Start cooking on medium, checking and stirring until it starts to boil, about 20-30 minutes.
- Add thinly sliced lemon, juice and zest of the other lemon. Stir in ground or whole spices of your choice.
- Turn down heat to low and cook on low heat until rinds are translucent, checking and stirring often (don't want the sugar to burn). (Approximately 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours more or less, until rinds are translucent).
- If using red food coloring, add a few drops to desired color at this point, stir well.
- Seal in prepared jars, clean jars, lids and rings placed in boiling water until ready to fill. Approximately (8) 1/2 pint jars, (16) 1/4 pint jars, or (4) pint jars.
- Immediately after filling jars I like to turn them upside down for 5-10 minutes, supposedly to help them seal.
- Optional instead of ground spices add with lemons:
- Cinnamon sticks (eight short pieces, 1 for each jar).
- Whole cloves (16-32 cloves, 2-4 for each jar).
- Grated fresh ginger (1 tablespoon).
- Red food coloring.
WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES
I remember my mother making these as a child (She never wastes anything!) This is a way to make an otherwise "garbage" item very delicious.
Provided by Bertha C.
Categories Melons
Time 7h20m
Yield 6 half pints
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- To prepare watermelon rind: Trim green skin and pink flesh from thick watermelon rind.
- Cut into 1" pices.
- Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over rind.
- Let stand 5-6 hours.
- Drain; rinse and drain again.
- Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes.
- Drain.
- Sprinkle ginger over rind; cover with water and cook until fork-tender.
- Drain.
- Combine sugar, lemon juice and 7 cups water.
- Boil 5 minutes; add rind and boil gently for 30 minutes.
- Add sliced lemon and cook until the melon rind is clear.
- Pack hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4" head space.
- Remove air bubbles.
- Adjust caps.
- Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath.
Tips:
- Choose ripe and firm watermelons with deep red flesh and no blemishes. The rind should be dark green and firm to the touch.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the rind from the watermelon. Be careful not to cut too deeply into the flesh.
- Soak the rind in a salt water solution for several hours or overnight. This will help to remove the bitterness from the rind.
- Rinse the rind thoroughly and pat it dry before using.
- Cut the rind into small pieces or strips. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will cook.
- Use a variety of spices and flavorings to create different flavor combinations. Popular choices include ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- Cook the rind in a sugar syrup until it is tender and translucent. This may take several hours, depending on the thickness of the rind.
- Stir the rind occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the rind from the syrup and spread it out on a wire rack to cool. Once it is cool, store the rind in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Conclusion:
Watermelon rind preserves are a delicious and versatile treat that can be enjoyed in many different ways. They can be eaten on their own, used as a topping for desserts, or added to salads and other dishes. With their unique flavor and texture, watermelon rind preserves are a great way to use up leftover watermelon and add a touch of sweetness to your meals.
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