Preserving watermelon

In our household quest to preserve interesting foods, we came across a recipe for watermelon jelly, which will complement our batches of watermelon rind pickles. Knowing that this recipe is considered a hand-me-down, it hasn’t been fully lab tested. It does have the same quantities of sugar and acid as other safe recipes, so I’m feeling okay about it, but again, it is not lab tested, so conduct yourself accordingly.

WATERMELON JELLY

12 cups pureed watermelon (remove any seeds prior to pureeing)

10 cups white sugar (I think next time I’d add 4 or less)

1 cup lemon juice

2 containers liquid pectin

Combine watermelon puree, sugar and lemon juice in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and let it boil vigorously until the temperature of mixture reaches 215 degrees. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning on the bottom. Add the pectin and boil for another five minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into clean, sterilized jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. When time is up, remove from canner and let jars cool overnight. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals.

PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

Watermelon rind, 4 quarts of 1-inch chunks

3 quarts water

3/4 cup salt

1 quart cider vinegar

8 cups sugar

1 tablespoon whole cloves

10 to 12 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into 1-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

Remove green skin and remaining pink from watermelon rind, then cut into 1-inch chunks to measure 4 quarts. Place rinds in a non-metal bowl and add the water and salt. You may need to add more water in order to completely cover the rinds. Cover and soak overnight in refrigerator. Drain and cover with clear water, then transfer to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 30 minutes; drain and set aside. In the same large saucepan, pour vinegar; add sugar. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to vinegar mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Add the drained watermelon rind. Boil gently until rind is transparent and syrup is slightly thickened, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove spices and spoon into hot sterilized 1-pint jars, leaving about 1/2-inch head space, and seal. Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.