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Watermelon Rind Pickles

Ingredients:

4 quarts 1-inch cubed watermelon rind (white portion only)
1 cup Ball Salt
2 gallons water, divided
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon black pepper corns
1 tablespoon whole all spice
¼ teaspoon pickling spice
1-inch piece ginger root
7 cups sugar
½ cup thinly sliced lemon (about 1 medium)
2 cups apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Peel the green skin from the rind and scrape off all the red pulp till the rind is firm and hard.
2. Cover watermelon rind with salt and 1 gallon water, stirring to dissolve salt.
3. Let stand 12 hours or overnight. Drain; rinse.
4. Cover rind with 1 gallon water in a large sauce pot and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Drain; set aside. Tie spices in a spice bag, leaving out the cinnamon and ginger.
7. Combine spice bag, sugar, lemon, cinnamon, ginger and vinegar in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add rind, simmer until translucent.
10. Remove spice bag, cinnamon and ginger.
11. Pack hot rind and liquid into hot sanitized pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space.
12. Remove air bubbles.
13. Adjust two-piece caps.
14. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Adapted from Ball Blue Book