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Award-Winning Pickled Watermelon Rinds

Pickled Watermelon Rind. marinated watermelon. recipes from watermelon. concept of nutrition without waste. conservation and stocks for the winter. american kitchen.
Image Credit:
Lyudmila Mikhailovskaya/Shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
2 pints
Category
Pickles and Preserves
Course
Side Dishes
Credit
Shirley Barnes, Puyallup, Washington Western Washington Fair
Sources
Blue Ribbon Recipes

This vintage recipe harkens back to yesteryear, but it still tastes delicious! Pickled watermelon rinds make great use of a typically discarded piece of the fruit and turn them into a delightful sweet pickle. These watermelon pickles were a top pick at the Western Washington Fair, and we know they will be a top pick at your house as well!

Ingredients
9 cups water
1/2 cup salt
11 cups watermelon pieces (cut from rind, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, stir the water and salt together. Add the watermelon and let stand overnight.
  2. Drain the watermelon, rinse, and drain again.
  3. In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and add the watermelon. Return to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the cinnamon stick.
  5. Loosely pack the watermelon into jars. Return the syrup to a boil and boil for 30 minutes. Pour over the fruit in the jars and seal—process in a boiling-water bath.

About The Author

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

We love introducing fun new recipes as well as time-tested recipes, straight from the archives!

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Comments

<span>Karen Lucas</span> Thu, 07/16/2026 - 15:29
How long do you process?
<span>Samantha</span> Thu, 08/03/2017 - 21:58
I came in to read my mail, having just put up some watermelon rind pickle! Nice surprise to see this article and read others' comments on their recipes. My grandmother used no specific measurements, just proportions. If she couldn't get Lilly Lime, she'd used 1/3 cup of salt in 3 cups of water to soak the pealed and diced rind for 10 hours to break down the harder plant fibers. Then It goes into a water bath for several hours - 3 or 4 -to leech out the extra saltiness. Rinse well with clear water and place in a saucepan with water to cover an inch or two above the rind. Start with a cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 cups granulated sugar. Toss in a tablespoon of cloves, a couple of cinnamon sticks and a bit of allspice - maybe a teasp. of the whole berries. Let it come to a boil and add the rinsed rind. Bring to a boil again and then decrease heat to simmer. Keep an eye on this - it cooks down fast. When the melon pieces are fork tender and translucent you can can and water-bath the whole shebang or put it into a clean jar, cool and store int he refrigerator. We eat it year round, and every couple of months I make a new large batch.
<span>E Coot</span> Wed, 06/10/2015 - 14:36
i pickled the rine, pealed, in lime water vernight; then cooked in bvinagar and sugar. hot packed them; did not looe any.
<span>Richard Crabsalad</span> Thu, 06/05/2014 - 18:14
This looks like it will produce a mushy pickle. My grandmother's recipe is this: peel and trim rind, cut into cubes. Put into deep acid resistant pot and add the pickling brine of 1/2 cider vinegar and 1/2 white sugar (better color). Add to brine cinnamon stick, slices of fresh ginger, cloves, red pepper flakes and quickly bring all to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and remove lid to quick cool. Put in fridge overnight. Do same next two days. Cubes should be a greenish translucent color, very crunchy, ready to eat. To process, skip last day of boiling. These are not the velvety soft pickles many people love, but more like crunchy bread and butter pickles.
<span>Bruce Hahn</span> Sat, 07/05/2025 - 18:56
My mom used to make the best( I thought) always crisp. I’ve been looking for a recipe for ever. I will try yours Thank you