Watermelon rind the white part right underneath the dark skin of the watermelon once pickled is a sweet, crunchy, and very healthy snack or side. your whole family will be blown away by how tasty Pickled Watermelon Rind is and how economical it will be to your snack budget!
How to make this Southern favorite in three easy steps!
Rinds are low in sugar and higher in fiber than the flesh of a watermelon, when eaten with the rest of the melon, it slows sugar absorption in the gut and balances the rise in blood sugar.”
Step 1. Using a sharp peeler, remove and discard the exterior green portion of the watermelon rind. You should now have rind that is mostly white, with a little bit of pink and/or red on one side. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Step 2. Add the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, ginger, salt, and spices to a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and hold for 1 minute, then carefully add the watermelon. Return to a boil and turn off the heat. Remove the pan from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Move the pickles to a 2-quart jar using a canning funnel and ladle. Pour on as much of the pickling juice as possible. Cover the jar and leave at room temperature for another 1 1/2 hours. Refrigerate overnight and consume within a month. These pickles must be refrigerated.
Add pickled watermelon rind to your summer relish tray, slide it next to a platter of deviled eggs at the cookout, or throw it on a crisp summer salad with crumbled, bacon or roasted almonds. Great as an accompaniment to grilled trout or fried catfish Sweet and spicy, pickled watermelon rind is one of the summertime delicacies a legacy of African American and Russo-German culture Southerners hold dear, and this is a great pickled watermelon rind recipe to try.
Mic Theory's Pickled Watermelon Recipe
Pickled watermelon is also truly mouth wateringly delicious and not just watermelon rind pickle, but the whole thing! The truly "epicurious" can pickle the rind and the flesh of the watermelon. Simply sliced and put in a jar for pickling. It can be served with almost anything apart from soups and desserts. Makes a great picnic side dish with you will definitely enjoy any potato salad, greens, pilaf, cold fried chicken or BBQ.
With a low calorie count and filled with vitamin’s and minerals, especially Vitamin C, this fruit that has been a favorite of humanity for a very long time. The watermelon originated in southern Africa about 5,000 years ago. The wild African melons have flavors that vary from sweet to bitter. Watermelons are a part of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes cucumbers, as well as squash and pumpkins. Some varieties of this melon can weigh almost 70 pounds.
Egyptians (the African people of Ancient Kemet) grew watermelon in the Nile Valley beginning about 2,500 years ago. Watermelon seeds were found as early as the Twelfth Dynasty sites and also during ancient Egypt's 18th Dynasty—which lasted from 1550 B.C. to 1295 B.C. watermelon seeds were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.
For Black Coral Inc's Blogger Mic Theory's Pickled Watermelon Recipe will only need 8 main ingredients apart from salt and Apple Cider Vinegar and water. Here is the list of what you need:
Red and/or Yellow Watermelon - the best ones are the smaller ones and particularly the ones that are not overripe or the ones that you buy and aren't the sweetest/tastiest
Carrots - it is a must to add carrots they add color and a subtle flavor to your side dish. Pickled carrots look appetizing too!
Dill Seeds - these are great flavor enhancers first used by ancient Egyptians in bread and then as an added spice for pickled veggies! Use seeds or dried dill branches instead of fresh Dill which tends to get soggy and pasty.
Celery - Chopped Celery is an important ingredient for flavor but it also helps pickles remain firm. You can substitute with sprigs of mint.
Garlic - use fresh peeled organic garlic - no need to even crush it.
Horseradish root - not only adds a little heat but helps pickles stay firm,2 tbsp Crushed Ginger ,Black Radish, or 2 tbsp Brown Mustard can be substituted.
Sliced Red Onion - One large red onion or two small red onions, Mic recommends slicing vertically as thinly as possible by just thinly slicing the onions with a chef’s knife they are sure to deliver flavor nothing fancy.
Pink or any Sea salt - the salt type you add to pickles is crucial. It must be untreated salt type - cave or kosher salt is also a good choice. In some places, it is known as pickling salt.
Equal parts Water and sweetened of Apple Cider vinegar - add two tablespoons of sugar to cider vinegar measure it before hand before so you are not left with an overly salty water brine that you may have to throw away. Measure the water/cider mixture for pickles correctly by arranging the ingredients in the jars. Add the water/cider to each jar and then pour it all out in a measuring jug so you add the correct amount of salt. More salt will mean your pickles will end up too salty.
DIRECTIONS
Gather all the ingredients and prepare them by washing, chopping, cutting, peeling etc. Have the jars ready and sterilized by boiling a few minutes in barely boiling water let cool. Place a few celery stalks with leaves (or a sprig of mint if you chose to add these) at the bottom of each jar. Arrange the best you can the melon slices into the prepared jars, and push in between the melon slices some red onions, carrot chunks or sticks. Do this until all melon has been jarred.
Fill up all jars with water and then pour the water back out in a measuring jug. Hold the top watermelon pieces so that they do not fall out. We do this to know exactly how much water is needed for your batch and the amount of salt to add. Make the brine. Make the brine by Placing the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the veggies and melons, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. You might not use all the brine.
Add the remaining ingredients into each jar place the lid, and give each jar a little shake.
Cover the warm jars with a dish towel and place into a shadowy corner so they will get to pickle while cooling for about two hours. After they cool place them in the refrigerator overnight making sure the lid is nice and tight After 24 hours take the jars and place in a cool dark place again and check every three days to see when you like them - the longer they stay the more fermented and sour they will be. When it reaches the desired level of sourness and sweetness balance, refrigerate and serve with your favorite dishes!