WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES

WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES 

 1 ½ quarts prepared watermelon rind

4 tablespoons salt

2 quarts cold water

1 tablespoon ginger

4 cups sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

1 ½ quarts water

 ½ cup thinly sliced lemon

  To prepared watermelon rind: Trim green skin and pink flesh from rind; cut into 1-inch pieces. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over find.  Let stand 5-6 hours. Drain,rinse, and drain again. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, sprinkle ginger over rind, cover with water and cook until fork tender and then drain. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 1 ½ quarts water in a large sauce pot. Boil 5 minutes; add rind and boil gently for 30 minutes or until syrup thickens. Add sliced lemon and cook until the melon rind is transparent. Pack hot into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath. 

Yield: about 6 half pints

Best served over a hot homemade buttermilk biscuit :)

  Preparing jars 

Wash jars and closures in hot soapy water, rinse. Leave jars in the water until needed. Put lids in saucepan filled with water and place on stove to simmer … (180degrees).Remove saucepan from heat. Allow lids to remain in hot water until needed.

A few goloer's were talking about the old time watermelon rind pickles and preserves and how hard it was to find them. This was my Granny's recipe. I have yet to master the taste of Grannys preserves but it stills reminds me of her to try and recreate the flavor.