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    Some receipts from this era attempted to give medicinal advice. Many dangerous, and in some cases, deadly, "cures" were given, reflecting the primitive knowledge of that time period. Don't assume everything you read here is safe to try! Recipes and Receipts posted here are for Historic Research Purposes, enjoy them, learn from them, discuss them!

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Preservation Preserved Watermelon

preserved watermelon
(from A Collection of Tried Receipts, Both Foreign and Domestic by Chadwick, J., 1853)

Ingredients:

watermelon​
salt​
water​
after soaking... 1 lb. of sugar per lb. of watermelon​
ginger or lemon-peel​

Instructions:

Pare the melon and take out the inside. Soak in salt and water three days changing each day. Then scald in pure water. Drain it perfectly dry. Allow one pound of sugar to one pound of watermelon. Make a syrup of the sugar, and flavor with ginger or lemon-peel.​


While on vacation in southern Pennsylvania last week I stumbled on something I wasn't familiar with - preserved watermelon rind (also called pickled watermelon rind). The local farmers market I visited had a few varieties, so bought the smallest jar the 'original' flavor. While I was sort of skeptical about eating the rind as it's something I never dreamed of eating before, but I was surprised by the great cinnamon flavor coupled with a slight tangy taste as well.

When I got home I did a little digging about pickled/preserved watermelon and found its been around for well over a 150 years. Seems our ancestors were always of a waste-not-want-not kind of people!

preseve watermelon.JPG

If you want to give it a go there are dozens of recreated recipes online. I've never done any canning or pickling before so, I have no idea whether or not any of the below links to recipes are any good, but in case anyone wants to give this tasty use of the watermelon rind a try this summer instead of tossing it away give one these a try:

 
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My Granny made Watermelon Pickles, which is same as pickled watermelon.

Here is her recipe:

2 quarts prepared watermelon rind
1/2 cup salt
2 quarts water
2 cups vinegar
2 cups water
4 cups brown sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole clove
1 teaspoon whole allspice

Remove outer skin from rind and remove any pink portions. Cut into small pieces. Soak overnight in brine made of salt and 2 quarts water. Drain and wash with fresh water and drain again. Simmer in fresh water until tender. Make syrup of remaining ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Add rind and cook until clear. Pack into hot sterilized jars and fill with syrup. Seal immediately.

Makes 2 quarts.

Haven't had this in years but is very delicious.
 
My Granny made Watermelon Pickles, which is same as pickled watermelon.

Here is her recipe:

2 quarts prepared watermelon rind
1/2 cup salt
2 quarts water
2 cups vinegar
2 cups water
4 cups brown sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole clove
1 teaspoon whole allspice

Remove outer skin from rind and remove any pink portions. Cut into small pieces. Soak overnight in brine made of salt and 2 quarts water. Drain and wash with fresh water and drain again. Simmer in fresh water until tender. Make syrup of remaining ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Add rind and cook until clear. Pack into hot sterilized jars and fill with syrup. Seal immediately.

Makes 2 quarts.

Haven't had this in years but is very delicious.

Thanks so much for sharing your Granny's recipe! My dad told me he enjoyed watermelon pickles as a kid, as his grandmother used to make them.
 
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