Watermelon rind pickles...any ideas for use?
While visiting my 96 year old great-grandmother (go grandma!) in the heart of Tennessee, I hit up the local farmer's market and picked up a jar of watermelon rind pickles.
I'm not sure if there are better things to do with them other than eat them straight out of the jar.
Anyone have any alternative applications for watermelon rind pickles? They really are delicious, and I would love to bake or cook with them. They have a spiced, pear-like flavor and texture.
Has anyone else had any other experience with these pickles? My grandma said she never made them very often because they took too long to make compared to her other 20+ pickle recipes...
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
10 Comments:
I adore watermelon pickles and make them about every other year. It's never occured to me to use them for anything other than as a condiment (or, in truth, eating them out of the jar.) But how about filling phyllo cups with lemon pudding or lemon curd and adding a piece. Or a shortbread thumb cookie with a thin slice on top (after baking) Or mixed with crystallized ginger in a cupcake frosting. hmmmm
lemonfair at 8:17AM on 07/27/09
ooh, this brings back memories of pickled watermelon my grandparents used to make..haven't had them in ages.
You could add them to salads instead of pickles? Like tuna or chicken salad maybe?
orchidgirl at 10:31AM on 07/27/09
I went to a resteraunt a few months ago that had chopped up watermelong pickle rind in their salad, along with argula, goat cheese and blackberry vinnagrette.
missjess at 12:06PM on 07/27/09
I make them annually; in fact I just finished my annal supply of sweet pickle relish and have a watermelon waiting to give up its rind. Personally I've never done anything other than use them like a chutney accompaniment to roasted meats much like you would dress roasted turkey with cranberry sauce. The salad application sounds awesome.My father used to use something called "brandied fruit" to spoon over pound cake and/or vanilla ice cream. I'd be willing to try some watermelon pickles that way too. I think mine, at least, are too sweet/spicy to add to a tuna salad; IMHO...
Grandma is right, they are work to put up but worth every bit of it later in the year.
czken at 3:03PM on 07/27/09
I've never had watermelon pickles but I have enjoyed citron pickles and preserves. The citron looks just like a watermelon but it's hard fleshed and uneatable raw.
When I was a kid I stole what I thought was a juicy watermelon only to discover to my dismay that it was a citron. When I threw it on the ground to break it open it only bounced. Served me right.
Poultrygeist at 4:07PM on 07/27/09
czken - I like the idea of this over pound cake.
The brandied fruit is a "friendship" fruit usually - that is, you get a starter from somebody with instructions for a schedule for adding fruits (canned, even) and sugar, and subtracting a certain amount to give away, or make a friendship fruit cake with, or put over your ice cream. I bet you can find instructions online for capturing a starter
lemonfair at 5:25PM on 07/27/09
@missjess - they would be awesome in a salad with goat cheese and walnuts or something else crunchy.
Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! I think there is salad, vanilla ice cream, and perhaps some other goodies in our future!
omnomnom at 7:19PM on 07/27/09
They are delicious wrapped in bacon as an hors d'oeuvre. (wrap w/1/2 slice of bacon & pop into 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until bacon crisps)
SSMom at 1:27PM on 07/28/09
@SSMom, you just won my heart. What a brilliant idea..!
czken at 4:45PM on 07/28/09
My mom used to make pickled watermelon rinds. I seem to recall that she put them on ice cream, but I might be misremembering. I know we ate them right out of the jar.
RegrettableFoodie at 5:21PM on 07/29/09