Watermelon Rind Preserves
Has anyone heard of these? My mom told me she remembered her mom making watermelon rind preserves after she and her six siblings had eaten all the pink off of their slices. They wasted nothing back then. She didn't remember the recipe, which was rare for my mom! Our recipes are our family heirlooms. I tried to find it for her, but only found preserves using the pink flesh, often saying to discard the rind. Sadly, my mother passed away and I can't even ask her tell me about it again. Now I find myself with a successful crop of watermelons this year and would still like to see if I can revive this family recipe. Anyone heard of a rind only recipe, or did my grandmother invent something out of necessity?
Tags: preserves, watermelon
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Amy Dolan on -
I have a recipe from my husbands grandmother for Watermelon Rind Pickles. I've never tried it but I would be happy to send it on if you'd like.
-
Permalink Reply by Mary worton on -
I have a recipe for watermelon rind pickles. It is in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I'll look it up for you, if you like.
-
Permalink Reply by L. J. Snyder on -
I have the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and the pickle recipe. This was a sweet recipe like a Jam. She'd peel the outer skin off the watermelon rinds and cut up the rind and add sugar and ultimately can it in jars. That's all I know.
-
Permalink Reply by Patricia Burton on -
My daughter put up a few jar today. I used to make them, when I was able. My family loves this pickle very much. Sometimes it's had to find a melon that has a rind thick enough.
-
Permalink Reply by Patricia Burton on
-
I added a pic of some Watermelon Rind Pickles and other canning my daughter has done this year.
-
Permalink Reply by James T. McBride on -
Hello, New here but an oldtimer to forums and gardening, and you are correct, trhere is definatly a watermelon rine preserve and it is definatly different than watermelon rine pickles. It is simular to making any preserve but takes more sugar and cooking down time. After peeling the hard outer rine away the white and some of the pink flesh are cut into long slivers like but I havent the foggiest idea of what happens next. As someone usually says after this is"Google is your best friend. (smile)
Jim
-
Permalink Reply by Maya on -
I checked my failsafe jams book and the closest I could find was a watermelon marmalade that involves watermelon rinds, apples, and oranges with lemon juice and sugar. Let me know if this does anything for you and I'll post the recipe.
-
Permalink Reply by Maya on
-
WATERMELON MARMALADE
(from The Forgotten Arts: Jellies, Jams, Preserves…, 1977 Yankee Publishing Inc.)
4 cups chopped watermelon rind juice of 3 lemons
4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 4 cups sugar
2 oranges, chopped without peeling, and 2 ½ cups water
seeded
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and boil until thick, or about 2 ½ hours. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking. Pour into sterilized jars while hot. Seal. Makes six 6-ounce jars.
Hope this helps. Let us all know how it turns out.
Maya
-
Permalink Reply by melenda on -
have you had any luck, I too am looking for the recipe. My grandmother and my mother in law made this and we also have a good watermelon crop this year. I know that you add lemon or an orange sugar and that is about it. Please help if you can.
Melenda
-
Permalink Reply by L. J. Snyder on
-
I talked to my aunt, my mother's younger sister, and she remembers her mom putting in sugar and pectin, but that's all. She said my grandmonther never had it written down. I've Googled, but not found anything like it. It's probably a simple jam-type recipe. Now I'm thinking she made it up or someone taught her back in the day. It's interesting to see my grandmother wasn't the only one to do this, even if there are some varitations. Maybe I'll experiment and see how it works.
© 2008 Created by Kitchen Gardeners International
