Crispy Watermelon Rind Pickles: Sweet-Tart Refrigerator Recipe

Watermelon rind pickles are a timeless treat that deserves a spot in your pantry today.

Watermelon rind pickles have roots in pioneer kitchens, where nothing edible was wasted. While it’s easy to assume they were made only out of thrift, these pickles were valued for their flavor as much as for resourcefulness. In an era when sugar, spices, and vinegar were costly, people still reserved those ingredients for preserves and treats—because the results were worth it.

Pickled foods brightened plain, stored diets by adding bold, lasting flavor. Sugar, salt, and spices keep indefinitely and were practical investments to transform simple ingredients into something special. Watermelon rind, once peeled and prepared, becomes a crisp, slightly tender vehicle for sweet-and-spicy brine, absorbing flavor beautifully while retaining an appealing bite.

Even though produce from across the globe is available year-round now, handmade watermelon rind pickles still offer something different: a nostalgic, homemade condiment with complex, comforting flavors. They make an excellent addition to your pantry and pair well with many dishes.

What Are Watermelon Rind Pickles?

Watermelon rind pickles use the white pith and the thin, pale-pink layer just under the green exterior. The rinds are first soaked in a cold brine with ice, then briefly cooked until tender and finally simmered in a sweet, tangy syrup seasoned with warm spices and lemon. The result is a crunchy-sweet pickle with layers of flavor.

Ingredients for Watermelon Rind Pickles

If you’re making watermelon jelly or preparing a large watermelon, save the rinds for this recipe. You’ll need about 3 quarts (roughly 6 pounds) of unpared watermelon rind to yield 4–5 pints of pickles.

• Watermelon rind (3 quarts, about 6 lbs)
• 3/4 cup salt (Himalayan, kosher, or sea salt)
• 2 quarts ice cubes (about 2 trays)
• 9 cups sugar
• 3 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 3 cups water (plus additional for brine)
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 6 cinnamon sticks, broken into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed

How to Make Watermelon Rind Pickles

1. Prepare the rinds: With a sharp paring knife, remove the tough green outer skin and reserve the white pith and any pale pink flesh. Cut the rinds into roughly 1-inch squares.

2. Make the cold brine: Dissolve 3/4 cup salt in 3 quarts of cold water. Chill the brine thoroughly. If using very coarse salt that won’t dissolve in cold water, dissolve it in hot water first, then chill.

3. Soak the rinds: Submerge the rind pieces in the cold brine, cover with about 2 quarts of ice, stir, and refrigerate 3–4 hours.

4. Rinse and par-cook: Drain the rinds and rinse under cold water. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a rapid simmer, and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return the rinds to a large heatproof bowl or the saucepan.

5. Make the spiced syrup: Create a spice sachet by wrapping cinnamon pieces and whole cloves in a scrap of cheesecloth and tying it closed. In a large saucepan, combine 9 cups sugar, 3 cups white vinegar (5% acidity), 3 cups water, and the spice sachet. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes.

6. Marinate overnight: Pour the hot syrup over the prepared rinds, add the thin lemon slices (seeds removed), stir to combine, and refrigerate the mixture overnight to let the flavors meld.

7. Simmer the next day: Return the pan to the stove, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the rinds become slightly translucent and the syrup thickens to a candy-like consistency.

8. Pack jars: Remove the spice sachet and set it aside. Pack hot rinds into prepared pint jars, ladle over hot syrup, and leave 1/2-inch headspace. Place a broken cinnamon piece from the sachet into each jar. Eliminate air pockets with a wooden chopstick and top up syrup to maintain the headspace.

9. Seal jars: Wipe rims with a clean towel, apply two-piece canning lids fingertip-tight, and process in a hot water bath canner.

Canning Watermelon Rind Pickles

Place jars in a water bath canner so they are covered by at least 1 inch of hot water. Process pint jars for 10 minutes at sea level. If you live at 1,001–6,000 feet, process for 15 minutes. Above 6,000 feet, process for 20 minutes. Remove jars and transfer them to a clean towel with at least 1 inch between jars. Allow them to cool to room temperature (12–24 hours), then check seals. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal. Properly sealed jars store in a cool, dark place up to 18 months.

Ways to Use Watermelon Rind Pickles

Pickled watermelon rind is versatile. Use it as a cocktail garnish, a bright note on a charcuterie board, or a tangy contrast to roasted pork, duck, or other rich meats. Finely chop or slice the pickles into salads and slaws, or drizzle a little of the syrup into dressings for added sweetness and acidity. Of course, they’re also delightful eaten straight from the jar.

5 from 1 vote

Watermelon Rind Pickles

By Ashley Adamant

A sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced pickle made from watermelon rinds.

Prep: 4 hrs

Cook: 20 mins

Canning Time: 10 mins

Total: 4 hrs 30 mins

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

• 3 Quarts watermelon rind, about 6 lbs
• 3/4 cup salt, Himalayan, kosher, sea salt, etc.
• 3 Quart water
• 2 Quart ice cubes, about 2 trays
• 9 cups sugar
• 3 cups White vinegar, at 5% acidity
• 3 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. whole cloves
• 6 whole cinnamon sticks, broken or cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 whole lemon, thinly sliced with seeds removed

Instructions

• Remove the green outer rind and cut the remaining pith into 1-inch squares.
• Make a cold brine by dissolving salt into 3 quarts cold water.
• Cover the rind with the chilled brine and ice cubes, stir, and refrigerate 3–4 hours.
• Drain and rinse the rinds under cold water.
• Par-cook the rinds in boiling water until fork-tender (about 10 minutes), then drain and return to a heatproof bowl.
• In another pan, boil sugar, vinegar, 3 cups water, and the spice sachet for 5 minutes.
• Pour the hot syrup over the rinds, add lemon slices, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer slowly for 1 hour.
• Pack hot pickles into prepared pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace, remove air bubbles, and wipe rims clean.
• Apply two-piece lids fingertip-tight and process in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude).
• Cool jars on a towel for 12–24 hours, then check seals. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.

Notes

To make the spice sachet, wrap and secure cinnamon pieces and whole cloves in cheesecloth.

Altitude adjustments: process 15 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet; 20 minutes above 6,000 feet.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g

Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide.

Photography in this post by My Tiny Laguna Kitchen.

Summer Canning Recipes

Keep your canner active this season with other seasonal recipes.

• Canning Zucchini in Pineapple Juice
• Canning Raspberries
• Canning Rhubarb
• Nectarine Jam

Unique Pickling Recipes

Watermelon rind pickles are just one of many unique pickles you can make at home. Explore other pickling ideas for variety in your pantry.

• Pickled Figs
• Pickled Green Tomatoes
• Pickled Fiddleheads