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Watermelon Rind Jam (Candied Watermelon Rind)

What to do with watermelon rind or peel? The only answe is this aromatic and sweet watermelon rind jam or candied watermelon rind.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 2 -3 small jars
Calories: 747 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Romanian

Ingredients

  • 750-850 g watermelon rind 1.7 – 2 lbs , weighed after preparing it, Note 2
  • 500 g granulated sugar 1.1 lbs; depending on how much cooked rind you have
  • water
  • 150 ml white wine vinegar ⅔ cup
  • 1 lemon the juice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare watermelon rind: Remove the red flesh of the watermelon, leaving only one very thin layer of red flesh attached to the rind, about 2 mm/ 0.08 inches. Remove the green skin of the watermelon completely.750-850 g watermelon rind/ 1.7-2 lbs
  2. Chop the watermelon rind into even pieces of about 3-4 cm/ 1.2-1.6 inches. You should weigh the watermelon rind now and prepare more if necessary.
  3. Boil rind: Place 1 liter/ 4.2 cups water and the vinegar in the pot. Bring to a boil, add the watermelon rind and let cook for about an hour or a bit more until the rind pieces are glossy and somehow transparent. It is a necessary step, the vinegar will help the watermelon rind pieces hold their shape and not get soggy.1 liter water/ 4.2 cups + 150 ml white wine vinegar/ ⅔ cup
  4. Drain in a sieve, refresh with cold water and, when cool enough to handle, press with your hand to remove more of the excess water.
  5. Measure: Weigh the watermelon rind again. You should have more or less 500 g/ 1.1 lbs cooked rind. Set aside. Measure the sugar, you should use the same amount of sugar as you have of cooked watermelon rind, so about 500 g/ 1.1 lbs.500 g granulated sugar/ 1.1 lbs
  6. Dissolve sugar: Place the sugar in the rinsed pot you used before. Add 250 ml/ 1 cup water to the sugar and turn on the heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, add the watermelon rind and the lemon juice.250 ml/ 1 cup water + 1 lemon
  7. Make the sugar syrup: Cook until a light syrup forms, it took me exactly 38 minutes, but the cooking time depends on the size of the pot. If your pot has a similar size the time should be OK, if your pot is wider the cooking time will probably be shorter, if your pot is narrower the cooking time will probably be a bit longer. The finished syrup should be light in color and have more or less the consistency of clear honey.
  8. Place the jam into the sterilized jars and seal well. Keep in a dark cool place. If the jars are sterilized and well-sealed the jam should be good for a very long time.

Notes

  • Pot size: I used a soup pot with a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches; a similar sized one will help you with keeping the indicated cooking time better. If your pot is wider, start checking if the syrup is formed before the indicated time is over, if your pot is narrower it might take a bit longer. The syrup should have more or less the consistency of runny clear honey.
  • Measurements: I strongly recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) for this recipe. You'll need to have the same amount of sugar as cooked watermelon rind, and measuring with a cup won't give the best results.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1small jar Calories 747kcal (37%) Carbohydrates 191g (64%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 1g (2%) Sodium 6mg (0%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 185g (370%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2-3 small jars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 747

% Daily Value*

Serving 1small jar
Calories 747kcal 37%
Carbohydrates 191g 64%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 1g 2%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 185g 370%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.