Recipe: Watermelon Rind Pickles

WATERMELON RIND PICKLES

7 lb thick watermelon rind
1/4 cup pickling salt
1 quart cold water
7 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 tsp oil of cinnamon*
1/2 tsp oil of cloves*

Trim pink flesh and outer green from melon rind so you have white pulp. Cut pulp to 1-inch cubes.

Dissolve pickling salt in cold water and soak melon-rind cubes overnight. Make more brine as needed to keep rind covered.

Combine sugar, vinegar, oil of cinnamon, oil of cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over rind. Cover and let stand overnight.

In morning, sterilize canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's directions.

Drain off syrup into a saucepan. Pack the rind into sterilized canning jars. Bring syrup to a boil and pour over rind in jars; leaving 1/2-inch head space. Seal with sterilized lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

*You can substitute two sticks of cinnamon and about 12 cloves in a spice bag for the oils.

This is like a recipe I used in the past that turned out very good. Hope this helps.