Watermelon Rind Preserves

Select melons that have thick rind. Trim off the outer green skin and the pink flesh, and use only the greenish-white parts of the rind. Cut the rind into small ( 1/2-inch or smaller ) cubes, they need to be same size. Weigh, you need one pound. Soak the cubes for 3 1/2 hours in lime water ( lime water- 2 quarts water and 2 tablespoons lime ). Next, drain and place cubes in clear water for 1 hour. Again, drain off the water and boil for 1 1/2 hour in fresh water, drain.

Make a syrup of 2 cups sugar and 1 quart water. Add rind and boil for 1 hour. As the syrup thickens, add 1/4 lemon and 1/4 orange, thinly sliced.

When the syrup thickens and the melon is clear, the preserves are ready for the jars.

* note *

This is a sunshine golden colored preserve.

I also use this in my fruit cakes.

I add red food coloring to one batch, green food coloring to another batch

You'll get beautiful colored fruit for your fruit cakes, have fun with your colors, I've used them all. Even green ( funny color to look at, but pretty in fruit cakes )

I won six Blue Ribbons, in the preserve category, and finally asked how, one year golden colored the next year red, even had a light orange color one year ( with added maraschino cherries )

Barbara