Pickled Watermelon Rind
Pickled watermelon rind — the white inner rind of the watermelon (between the green skin and the red flesh) peeled, cubed, and pickled in a sweet-sour brine with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice — is the Southern preservation technique that most perfectly embodies the "waste nothing" philosophy. The red flesh is eaten; the rind is preserved. The finished pickle is sweet, spiced, and pleasantly crunchy — closer to a candied fruit than a cucumber pickle. The tradition connects to both the European pickling traditions brought by settlers and the African American provision-ground economy where every part of every food was used.
White watermelon rind (green outer skin removed, red flesh trimmed), cut into 2-3cm cubes, soaked overnight in salt water (to firm the texture), then simmered in a brine of sugar, white vinegar, and whole spices (cinnamon stick, whole cloves, whole allspice, sometimes star anise) until the rind is translucent and tender. Packed into sterilised jars with the hot brine and processed for shelf-stable storage.
1) Remove all green skin and all red flesh — only the white rind is used. 2) The overnight salt soak firms the rind and prevents mushiness during cooking. 3) The spice brine should be sweet-dominant (more sugar than vinegar) with warm spices — the pickle is closer to a preserved fruit than a vinegar pickle. 4) Cook until the rind is translucent — opaque rind indicates undercooking.
Pickled watermelon rind as a relish alongside country ham (AM5-07) — the sweet-spiced pickle against the salty, smoky ham is a pairing that the Southern table has understood for 200 years.
Not removing the green skin — it's tough and bitter. Skipping the salt soak — the rind will be mushy.
Ronni Lundy — Victuals; John Egerton — Southern Food
Common Questions
What are common mistakes when making Pickled Watermelon Rind?
Not removing the green skin — it's tough and bitter. Skipping the salt soak — the rind will be mushy.