Quantity: 6 half-pints

Jar size: Half-pints or pints

Ingredients:

1½ quarts trimmed and cut watermelon rind pieces
4 tablespoons salt
2 quarts cold water
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 cups sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
7 cups water
1 thinly sliced lemon (optional)

Instructions:

To Prepare Watermelon Rind -

1. Trim green skin and pink flesh from thick watermelon rind; cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over rind; let stand for 5 to 6 hours in refrigerator.
3. Drain; rinse and drain again.
4. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain.
5. Sprinkle ginger over rind; cover with water and cook until fork tender. Drain.

 To Make Preserves -

1. Sterilize canning jars, keep hot until used; prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 7 cups water.
3. Boil 5 minutes; add prepared watermelon rind and boil gently for 30 minutes.
4. Add sliced lemon and cook until the melon rind is clear.
5. Pack hot preserves into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
6. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids.
7. Process jars immediately in a boiling water or steam canner according to the chart. Let cool, undisturbed, 12-24 hours and check for seals.

Processing time:

Processing Times for Boiling Water Canner or Steam Canner

Source:

So Easy to Preserve, 6th ed, 2020