Watermelon Rind Quick Pickle
I love food and I dislike waste so whenever Stop Food Waste requests a recipe to minimize waste in the kitchen I am happy to lend a hand.
So often we only pay attention to the juicy and sweet interior of the watermelon and don’t give the rind any attention. Such a shame! The inner rind isn’t ideal for consuming raw but with just a little bit of cooking you can transform this devalued food into crisp and flavorful pickles that are wonderful additions to sandwiches, salads and cheese platters.
This recipe comes together easily and can be made with items that you likely already have in your pantry. Watermelon rind has a neutral flavor and takes on the taste of whatever you use to season it, making it an ideal pickling candidate. The recipe below can be used as a template and you should feel free to gussy it up further with additions like Szechwan chile peppers, lemons, garlic or ginger.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds watermelon rind
1 c water
1 c white or rice vinegar
¾ c granulated sugar
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black peppercorns, optional
¼ tsp red chile flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS
Remove the green outer rind from the watermelon using a paring knife. Cut the white interior into cubes that are approximately 1” each. You will have about 1 ¼ pounds of the white rind left.
Add water, vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon, peppercorns and chile flakes to a medium saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce to a simmer and carefully add the watermelon. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and remove from the heat. The rind should be translucent.
Transfer to a non-reactive, sterilized container (Mason jars work well) and let cool. Store in the refrigerator and consume within 3 weeks.
Yield: approximately 1 quart sized Mason jar