During the summertime we eat a lot of watermelon. It’s one fruit that the entire family enjoys, including the kids. My 6 year old grandson would eat it every day, 365 days a year if he could. He loves it! Sam and I enjoy it as a low-calorie treat. It’s great for those who are watching their weight.

Last month I tried my hand at making homemade watermelon pickles. Some people around here refer to it as pickled watermelon rinds. Regardless, I used the recipe found in my Ball Blue Book on home canning and they turned out great!

You’ll need a water bath canner, pint size mason jars, a funnel, jar lifter, lid grabber, bowls, ladel, spoons, and a few other things to make them. I recommend that you use old kitchen linens (I keep a pile of them that I only USE for canning) so that you don’t ruin any of your good stuff. Canning can be messy! The recipe makes approximately 6-pint size jars.

Looking for more home canning recipes? We have over 100+ Canning Recipes on the TwoClassyChics blog. Soups, stews, fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, marmalades, pickles, etc.

Watermelon Rind Pickles Recipe

4 quarts 1″ cubed watermelon rind
1 cup Ball Salt for Pickling & Preserving
8 quarts water, divided
3 sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
1 Tbsp. whole allspice
1/4 tsp. mustard seed
7 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup thinly sliced lemon
2 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity

Wash watermelon under running water, drain. Cut watermelon into quarters. Cut each section into 1″ slices. Remove the dark green peel from watermelon but don’t cut away the white rind. The dark green peel can be thick and tough. I had to use a very sharp knife and go slowly while removing it. Use caution. Discard the dark green peel.

Cut off the pink flesh for eating. Place it in a bowl or container. Cut white watermelon rind into 1″ cubes. Place into another bowl.

Put 4 quarts of hot water into a large bowl. Add salt, stirring until the salt dissolves. Add cubed watermelon rind. Stir to get the rind coated in the saltwater. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain water and rinse watermelon under cool running water in a colander. Shake off excess water.

Tie spices in a spice bag (see list above).

Combine watermelon rind and 1 gallon water in a large cooking pot. Cook over medium high heat until rind is tender. Drain and set aside. Combine spice bag, granulated sugar, lemon slices, and white vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Add watermelon rind. Simmer watermelon rind until it’s transparent. Remove spice bag.

Canning Instructions:

Pack hot watermelon rind into a hot jar, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid over the rind. Remove air bubbls. Clear jar rim. Center lid on jar, adjust the band until its fingertip tight. Place jar on the rack elevated over simmering water in your waterbath canner. Repeat process until all of the jars are filled.

Lower the rack into the simmering water. Water must cover the jars by at least 1″ in depth. Adjust heat to medium-high. Cover and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and remove cover.

Let jars cool in the hot water for 5 minutes. Use a jar lifter to remove hot jars from the canner. I like to place an old cotton towel on my kitchen counter and then place the hot jars on top. Let jars cool for 8-12 hours. Check to make sure that all jars properly sealed. Label and store.

Notes: If any of the jars didn’t seal properly…refrigerate the pickles and enjoy them now! Once you open a jar you’ll need to keep that opened jar stored in your refrigerator. Never store your jars stacked on top of one another. They should always be stored in a cool, dry place and in a single layer.

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During the late summer and early fall season I get busy canning apples. Every year I can at least 30 jars. Some will be canned in pints and some in quart sized jars. By the time late spring rolls around my entire stock of canned apples will be gone.

Canned apples are great to use in your fruit crisp, fruit cobblers, pies, cakes, breads, muffins, etc. type of recipes. There’s nothing like popping open a jar of apples and using them in your favorite recipe. You can even pop open one of these jars and toss them into your blender to make a quick batch of applesauce!

Looking for more home canning recipes? We have over 100+ right here on the blog!

Home Canning Apples Recipe

10 lbs. fresh apples
Ball Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Optional: You can add a 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into your syrup if you prefer cinnamon flavored apples.

Wash, peel, core and slice apples. Some people slice them into rings but I like to peel, core and cut into wedges. Treat with Fruit-Fresh to prevent apples from darkening.

Combine granulated sugar, water and lemon juice in a large stock pot. Bring mixture to a full boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Drain apples from water and then place them into the hot syrup and let stand for 10 minutes. Bring apples and syrup to a full boil over medium to high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove apples from syrup, keep hot. Return syrup to a boil.

Layer hot apples loosely into a hot canning jar. Ladle hot syrup into the jar leaving a 1/2? headspace. Wipe rim, add seal and add the band until it’s fingertip tight. Place jar on the rack elevated over simmering water of the canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Lower the rack into the simmering water. The water needs to cover the top of the jars by at least 1? in depth. Adjust heat to medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Process the jars for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove cover. Let jars sit in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars from the caner and place them on top of a towel on your counter to cool. If properly processed they should keep for up to 1 year. Store in a cool, dry place.

Purchasing Apples: I personally like to use a combination of apples when I do my home canning. I will use 1/2 sweet eating apples and 1/2 tart baking apples. I personally like the two type’s combined. Always purchase ripe apples that don’t have any damage, mold, or bruising. Quality counts!!!

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