How to Make Homemade Canned Pickled Watermelon Rinds

You think making and canning your own pickled watermelon rinds is difficult or expensive?  Not at all!  You can do it with basic equipment already in your kitchen - you just need a canning pot.  And thanks to the vinegar in pickled watermelon rinds, you can use a plain open water bath pot (or a pressure canner, without the weight on)

So, here's how to can pickled watermelon rinds!  The directions are  complete with instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. In the winter when you open a jar, the pickled watermelon rinds will taste MUCH better than any store-bought Canned Pickled Watermelon Rinds!

The recipe is easy, but the you'll need to 2 days in total, as the rinds need to soak in brine for 3 to 4 hours, then are quickly cooked (10 minutes), then must rest in the fridge over night.

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of about 12 months, and aside from storing in a cool, dark place, require no special attention.

Directions for Making Canned Pickled Watermelon Rinds

Ingredients and Equipment

Yield: About 4 or 5 pints.

Watermelon Rind Pickles Recipe and Directions

Step 1 -Wash the watermelon!

I'm sure you can figure out how to scrub the watermelon in plain cold or lukewarm water using your hands or a vegetable brush.

Step 2 - Prepare the jars and canner

Wash the jars and lids

This is a good time to get the jars ready! The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sterilize" cycle - put the lids into a pan of boiling water for at least several minutes. I just put the lids in a small pot of almost boiling water for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" (available from WalMart, Target, and sometimes at grocery stores) to pull them out.

Get the canner heating up

Rinse out your canner, put the rack in the bottom, and fill it  with hot tap water. (Of course, follow the instruction that came with the canner, if they are different). Put it on the stove over low heat just to get it heating up for later on.

Step  3 - Make the brine solution

Make the brine by mixing the ¾ cup salt with 3 quarts cold water. Stir well.

Step 4 - Prepare the watermelon

Trim the pink flesh and outer green skin from thick watermelon rind. Cut into 1 inch squares or fancy shapes as desired.

Step  5 - Brine the watermelon

Cover with the brine solution from step 3. Add the  2 trays (2 quarts worth) of ice cubes.
Let stand 3 to 4 hours.

Step 6 - Prepare the seasoning mix

Combine

• 1 tablespoon (about 48) whole cloves
• 6 cinnamon sticks, 1 inch pieces

tied in a clean, thin, white cloth. I use a baby's ice lollipop bag (available at target, Wal-Mart, etc.) as it is reusable and easy to use (see the photo).

Step 7 - Drain and rinse

After the 3 to 4 hours has elapsed, drain and then rinse in cold water and drain again.

Step 8 - Cook the watermelon

Cover the watermelon with cold water and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes (do not overcook).

Step 9 - Cook the seasoned syrup mix

While the watermelon is cooking, combine

• 9 cups sugar
• 3 cups 5% vinegar, white
• 3 cups water

and the seasoning mix bag from step 6 in a large pot and boil for 5 minutes.

Step 10 - Drain the watermelon an add the to the seasoned syrup.

Drain the watermelon and add to the seasoned syrup solution from step 9 (remove the syrup from heat).

Step 11 - Chill overnight

Let the watermelon and seasoned syrup stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 12 - Heat and prepare to can!

Heat watermelon in syrup by bringing it to a boil.  As soon as a boil is reached, turn down the heat to cook slowly for 1 hour.

Step 13 - Packing the watermelon in the canning jars

This is called "hot packing"! Fill the jars loosely, but be sure to leave ½-inch of space at the TOP of the jar.  That is called "headspace" and is needed for expansion during heating in the water bath. To each jar add 1 piece of stick cinnamon from spice bag;

Step 14 - Pour boiling cooking liquid into each packed jar

Use a ladle or pyrex measuring cup to carefully fill each packed jar with the hot syrup solution, again allowing  ½-inch headspace. The watermelon should be covered and there should still be 1/2 inch of airspace left in the top of each jar. Be careful not to burn yourself, (or anyone else - children should be kept back during this step!)

Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids.

Step 14 - Put the lids and rings on

Put the lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and screwing it down snugly (but not with all your might, just "snug").

Step 15 - Put the jars in the canner and the lid on the canner

Using the jar tongs, put the jars on the rack in the canner.  Make sure the tops of the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.

Step 16 - Process for 10 minutes*

The chart below will help you determine the right processing time and pressure, if you have a different type of canner, or are above sea level. For most people, using a plain open water bath canner, the time will be 10 minutes.

Process according to the recommendations below. Let cool, undisturbed, 12-24 hours and check for seals.

Step 17 - Remove the jars

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool on a wooden cutting board or a towel,  without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight), here they won't be bumped. You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, the that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok. You're done!

Other Equipment:

From left to right:

1. Jar lifting tongs 
           helpful to pick up hot jars
2. Lid lifter 
           - to remove lids from the pot 
           of hot water 
3. Lid 
          - disposable - you may only 
          use them once
4. Ring 
         - holds the lids on the jar until after
         the jars cool - then you don't need them
5. Canning jar funnel
         - to fill the jars

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"Pressure canning is the only safe method for home canning vegetables. Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning in low-acid foods, such as vegetables. The bacterial spores are destroyed only when the vegetables are processed in a pressure canner at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the correct amount of time.

Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium commonly found in vegetables and meats. It is harmless until it finds itself in a moist, low-acid, oxygen-free environment or a partial vacuum. Under these conditions, the bacterium can grow and produce toxins dangerous to people and animals.

Do not process (low acid) vegetables using the boiling water bath because the botulinum bacteria can survive that method.

Can fruits and vegetables be canned without heating if aspirin is used? No. Aspirin should not be used in canning. It cannot be relied on to prevent spoilage or to give satisfactory products. Adequate heat treatment is the only safe procedure.

Is it safe to can watermelon in a boiling water bath if vinegar is used? No. Recommended processing methods must be used to assure safety. Recommended processing times cannot be shortened if vinegar is used in canning fresh vegetables. (This does not refer to pickled vegetables.)

Salt and sugar are not preservatives for vegetables: they are added to stabilize and improve flavor, but will not prevent spoilage.

Salicylic acid is also NOT a preservative. The University of Illinois reports:

Using Aspirin for Canning

Several years ago, a recipe circulated using aspirin to acidify tomatoes and watermelon for canning. Aspirin is not recommended for canning. While it contains salicylic acid, it does not sufficiently acidify tomatoes or watermelon for safe hot water bath canning. watermelon are low acid foods and may only be processed safely in a pressure canner. Lemon juice or vinegar is recommended to acidify tomato products for safe water bath processing.

Think of it like smoking.  We all know someone who smoke their entire life and lived to be 90.  But the cemeteries are filled with the vast majority who didn't.  You'll hear people say "my grandmother did it that way for 20 years".  But of course, the people who died from food poisoning aren't around and often didn't have descendents to tell their tale...

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This page was updated on 23-Jul-2008

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