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Spicy Pickled Watermelon Rind

Source of Recipe

From "Acadiana Table" by George Graham


Recipe Introduction

"Pickled watermelon rind is seen throughout the Deep South, but leave it to Cajun cooks to introduce a fiery kick of heat to the mix. You can slice the rinds down to the white or leave a little of the pink melon for contrast. Some add green food coloring, but I prefer it au naturel. You really can't mess this up."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 5 cups watermelon rinds, cut into strips and cubes
â—¦ 1 cup salt
â—¦ 2 quarts apple cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
â—¦ 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
â—¦ 4 star anise
â—¦ 3 tablespoons dill seeds
â—¦ 3 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
â—¦ 3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
â—¦ 3 tablespoons ground allspice
â—¦ 4 bay leaves
â—¦ 3 tablespoons white peppercorns
â—¦ 2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
â—¦ 2 tablespoons whole cloves
â—¦ 2 cinnamon sticks
â—¦ 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
â—¦ Dash of hot sauce


Recipe

Place the watermelon rinds and salt in a large container with a lid. Add enough water to just cover the rinds. Stir until the salt has dissolved. Cover the container and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the rinds from the refrigerator. Pour the rinds into a colander and rinse with cold water until all the salt is removed. Put the rinds in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Turn off the heat, drain the rinds, and transfer them to a container. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Put the vinegar and sugar in a large pot over high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and add the rinds. Once the water comes to a boil again, lower the heat to a simmer and add all of the spices, along with a dash of hot sauce. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour over low heat.

After an hour, the liquid should have reduced slightly and begun to thicken. The rinds should have a translucent pickle-like look. Pour the rinds, along with the pickling liquid, into a tightly lidded container and let come to room temperature.

At this point, you have two options: You can place the lidded container in the refrigerator and store your pickled rinds for a couple of months. If you want to keep them longer, I recommend you follow safe canning instructions for sterilizing in canning jars. Serve these pickles with sandwiches or just for snacking. I like to make them a center of attraction on a well-stocked charcuterie board with various meats and sausages.

Makes 2 quarts