Pickling has been a method of preserving food for thousands of years, but pickled watermelon rind? That’s a twist that deserves a spotlight. This unique preserve takes what’s usually tossed out and transforms it into a crunchy, tangy, and slightly sweet concoction that’ll have you questioning why you ever threw away the rind in the first place. Recipe compliments of Safari Vinegar.
Preparation time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 10 mins | Serves: Makes two jars
Ingredients
- 1kg watermelon rind
- 250ml / 1 cup Safari Brown Spirit Vinegar
- 250ml / 1 cup water
- 150g sugar
- 1 Tbsp sea salt flakes
- 1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp mixed peppercorns
Method
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the hard green skin of the watermelon rind.
- You should now have a white rind, with a little bit of pinky red on one side. Cut into 2-3cm cubes.
- Add the Safari Brown Spirit Vinegar, water, sugar, salt, ginger and spices to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer. When the sugar has dissolved add the watermelon.
- Simmer for 5 minutes until the watermelon rind is just tender.
- Remove from the heat, cover and allow to cool.
- Transfer the watermelon rind and all the liquid to a large jar or two.
- Refrigerate overnight before tucking in! Use within one month.
- Enjoy the pickled rind in salads and on cheese platters or serve it diced up in tacos or with anything that would benefit from a crunchy acidic tang.
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