Grandmother Stone's Watermelon Pickles

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Blanch two quarts of watermelon rind in boiling water for about seven minutes until tender but not soft.
  2. 2Remove the watermelon rind from the boiling water.
  3. 3To a separate pot, add one cup of vinegar and 3 1/2 cups of sugar.
  4. 4Stir the vinegar and sugar together and simmer until the sugar dissolves.
  5. 5Add cinnamon sticks and cloves to the vinegar and sugar mixture.
  6. 6Pour the blanched watermelon rind into a bigger bowl.
  7. 7Cover the rind with the sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, and clove mixture.
  8. 8Refrigerate the mixture overnight (Day one is complete).
  9. 9On Day two, drain the watermelon rind, reserving the liquid.
  10. 10Bring the reserved liquid to a boil.
  11. 11Pour the boiled liquid back over the watermelon rind.
  12. 12After it's cooled, put a lid back on it and refrigerate it (Day two is complete).
  13. 13On Day three, drain the liquid off of the watermelon pickles.
  14. 14In the same bowl with the watermelon, add the orange and lemon sections.
  15. 15Heat the pickle brine to a boil.
  16. 16Once the brine comes to a boil, pour it back over the mixture of watermelon, lemon, and orange.
  17. 17Put a lid on it and let it sit for another twenty-four hours.
  18. 18After that, you can put them in a container.

Ingredients

  • 3 quarts trimmed melon rind
  • 7 cups sugar
  • 2 cups vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon oil
  • 0.5 tsp clove oil
  • 1 unpeeled lemon sliced and quartered
  • 1 unpeeled orange sliced and quartered

Equipment

cutting boardpotbigger bowlfridgesterile jars

Tips

  • These pickles last for months.
  • They go great with ham.