Watermelon Rind Preserves

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Wash 5 half-pint jars in hot soapy water or the dishwasher and keep them hot; pre-boiling is not necessary since the process time below is 10 minutes or more.
2. 2Simmer the new lids in hot (not boiling) water per the manufacturer's directions and keep them warm.
3. 3Wash the screw bands in warm soapy water and set aside.
4. 4Trim the dark green outer skin and the pink flesh from watermelon rind, leaving only the firm, pale-green to white layer, and cut it into 1-inch cubes to yield about 6 cups.
5. 5Dissolve the 1/4 cup of salt in 8 cups of water in a large bowl, add the rind cubes, weight them down with a plate so they stay submerged, and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to firm the texture.
6. 6Drain and rinse the rind well under cool running water to remove excess salt, then place it in a large pot, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until just tender when pierced with a fork; drain again.
7. 7In the same pot, combine the 4 cups of sugar, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup bottled lemon juice, the cinnamon stick, and the bagged cloves; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
8. 8Add the drained rind to the syrup, return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rind turns translucent and the syrup thickens and reaches about 220°F on a candy thermometer (8°F above the boiling point of water at sea level).
9. 9Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and the bag of cloves.
10. 10Ladle the hot rind and syrup into the hot half-pint jars, distributing the pieces evenly, and leave 1/4 inch of headspace.
11. 11Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic spatula, wipe the rims clean, center a warm lid on each jar, and apply a band until fingertip tight.
12. 12Process in a boiling-water canner, jars covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, for 10 minutes for half-pints and 15 minutes for pints, timing from when the water returns to a full rolling boil.
13. 13Adjust for altitude: add 5 minutes at 1,001-3,000 feet, 10 minutes at 3,001-6,000 feet, 15 minutes at 6,001-8,000 feet, and 20 minutes above 8,000 feet.
14. 14Turn off the heat, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars to a towel-lined counter and let cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
15. 15Check each seal (concave, firm lid), remove the bands, wipe the jars, and label with contents and date.
16. 16Store in a cool, dark place up to 1 year for best quality; refrigerate after opening and use within about 3 weeks.
17. 17Do not reduce the sugar or the bottled lemon juice, since this ratio provides the acidity needed for safe boiling-water canning as well as the proper syrup consistency.