Rosy Watermelon Rind Preserves

Total Time: 12 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 12 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 large firm watermelon
• 1 cup pickling salt
• 4 cups vinegar
• 2 cups strained red cherry juice (from fresh cooked or canned cherries)
• 12 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 -5 cinnamon sticks, broken into 8 to 10 pieces
• 2 tablespoons whole cloves

Recipe

• 1 remove rind from watermelon.
• 2 peel off outside skin.
• 3 cut rinds into three inch strips (about 12 cups).
• 4 place strips in large jar and cover with cold water.
• 5 add the cup of salt.
• 6 let stand overnight.
• 7 drain off all the water.
• 8 place watermelon rind in 2 quarts of fresh water in a large sauce pan.
• 9 boil 10 minutes and then strain.
• 10 in a 6 quart kettle bring vinegar, cherry juice and sugar to a boil.
• 11 add ground cloves and ground cinnamon.
• 12 spiced cooked rind with cloves.
• 13 drop cooked rind into hot syrup and cook until syrup is thickened.
• 14 add a piece of cinnamon stick into hot pint jars.
• 15 fill with boiling hot preserves and syrup.
• 16 adjust lids.
• 17 process in a boiling hot water bath (212f) for 15 minutes.
• 18 remove jars and let cool in a draft free area.
• 19 makes 8-10 pints.