Watermelon Rind

[chefdavid321]

I love watermelon, and this time of year I seem to always have one in my fridge. The rind always goes in the trash and although I've had pickled watermelon rind, and have prepared it myself a couple of times, it seems as though the only way it's prepared is super sweet and sticky. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but I see more potential for this often discarded part. I could see it being prepared as a mostarda or as part of a braise.

Have any of you had watermelon rind in restaurants or have you prepared it in ways different from the usual sweet pickle?

[Vicious Wadd]

I love watermelon, and this time of year I seem to always have one in my fridge.  The rind always goes in the trash and although I've had pickled watermelon rind, and have prepared it myself a couple of times, it seems as though the only way it's prepared is super sweet and sticky.  Don't get me wrong, it's good, but I see more potential for this often discarded part.  I could see it being prepared as a mostarda or as part of a braise.  

Have any of you had watermelon rind in restaurants or have you prepared it in ways different from the usual sweet pickle?

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One of the most horrific food memories from my youth was eating my Aunt Florences' pickled watermelon rind. Second only to eating another one of her conconctions, called "pickled chow chow."

Likely not the response you were looking for, but airing that dirty laundry with my fellow eGulleters felt pretty cathartic.

Edited June 16, 2008 by Vicious Wadd (log)

[chefdavid321]

I love watermelon, and this time of year I seem to always have one in my fridge.  The rind always goes in the trash and although I've had pickled watermelon rind, and have prepared it myself a couple of times, it seems as though the only way it's prepared is super sweet and sticky.  Don't get me wrong, it's good, but I see more potential for this often discarded part.  I could see it being prepared as a mostarda or as part of a braise.  

Have any of you had watermelon rind in restaurants or have you prepared it in ways different from the usual sweet pickle?

←

One of the most horrific food memories from my youth was eating my Aunt Florences' pickled watermelon rind. Second only to eating another one of her conconctions, called "pickled chow chow."

Likely not the response you were looking for, but airing that dirty laundry with my fellow eGulleters felt pretty cathartic.

←

I never really cared for it either, and chow chow I know of and similarly despise but the texture of watermelon rind and the fact that its kind of bland makes me think there's potential there.

[Pam R]

What about a simple pickle? Not sweet, just salt, herbs/spices and water. I've never had the sweet pickled rind, but if it works texture-wise, then it might be just fine.

[FastTalkingHighTrousers]

1 Tb pink peppercorns

1Tb black peppercorns

1Tb mustard seed

1 Tb coriander seed

1 Tb fennel seed

1 Tb cardamom seed

¼ cup sugar

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups white wine vinegar

Rind from watermelon, cut into chunks, fleshy pink part removed

1. Combine all ingredients except for watermelon rinds in a nonreactive saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

2. Place the rinds in a large plastic container.

3. Pour the boiling liquid over the rinds. Refrigerate and wait 2 weeks before serving.

4. Eat that deliciousness

[heidih]

1 Tb pink peppercorns

1Tb black peppercorns

1Tb mustard seed

1 Tb coriander seed

1 Tb fennel seed

1 Tb cardamom seed

¼ cup sugar

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups white wine vinegar

Rind from watermelon, cut into chunks, fleshy pink part removed

1. Combine all ingredients except for watermelon rinds in a nonreactive saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. 

2. Place the rinds in a large plastic container.

3. Pour the boiling liquid over the rinds.  Refrigerate and wait 2 weeks before serving.

4. Eat that deliciousness

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Sounds good and easy. Is the green part removed or just scrubbed?

[Badiane]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...-CHUTNEY-109655

Fantastic!!

[FastTalkingHighTrousers]

heidih: I always remove the green part ... don't know if that's a non-traditional move or not.

Enjoy!

[chiantiglace]

in africa it is very common for the rind to eaten like a vegetable. I am kind of surprised people dont ever use it in anything, but then again we have a lot of food in this country, and if you have a choice between grilled watermelon rind or a hamburger, well, you get it.

[chefdavid321]

in africa it is very common for the rind to eaten like a vegetable.  I am kind of surprised people dont ever use it in anything, but then again we have a lot of food in this country, and if you have a choice between grilled watermelon rind or a hamburger, well, you get it.

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Thats what I'm talking about. Thats where I want to go with this. It takes a while to get tender, so maybe add it to a braise? Too hot to braise though. Maybe blanch it first or roast it? I'm going to play with the rind I have.

[chiantiglace]

in africa it is very common for the rind to eaten like a vegetable.  I am kind of surprised people dont ever use it in anything, but then again we have a lot of food in this country, and if you have a choice between grilled watermelon rind or a hamburger, well, you get it.

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Thats what I'm talking about. Thats where I want to go with this. It takes a while to get tender, so maybe add it to a braise? Too hot to braise though. Maybe blanch it first or roast it? I'm going to play with the rind I have.

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Well there are ways to break it down. Depending on how you want to do that I am not sure. I guess it really depends on what your are going to put it with.

Why not try shaving the very outter peel of the watermelon. Then cut it how you want, cubes, slices, shavings, grated, whatever. Then marinate it in alchohol (vodka, bourbon, brandy), salt, sugar, citrus or whatever combination of those things. Put it in your refrigerator overnight. Then the next night freeze it. Then thaw it and cook it.

[helenjp]

You can certainly simmer it in soup - I sometimes use it as a substitute for winter melon in Chinese soups (I even have a recipe for the fluffy stuff that surrounds the seeds in winter melon), but melon rind takes a bit longer to absorb the flavor - make today, eat tomorrow is the way to go.

[nakji]

Do you think the rind or peel could be prepared as a kinpira - like daikon peel kinpira? I've never tried to eat watermelon rind or peel, but I'm all for the frugal use of vegetables and fruits.

Here is the kinpira thread.

[Fugu]

We had a melon plantation a long time ago and I remember eating baby watermelons cooked like ratatouille or a vegetable stew. I think the baby watermelons were harvested to allow the selected few to get to be market size faster, before the monsoons? Maybe the rind can be cooked in the same manner?

[Vicious Wadd]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...-CHUTNEY-109655

Fantastic!!

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Now that looks pretty interesting.

Maybe this is the next big food trend: sous vide pickled watermelon rind spherification foam.

[Badiane]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...-CHUTNEY-109655

Fantastic!!

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Now that looks pretty interesting.

Maybe this is the next big food trend: sous vide pickled watermelon rind spherification foam.

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I made a double batch of that chutney and jarred it - it's beautiful, looks like jewels in a jar. Just did it the same way I do jam - into a sterile jar with a sterile lid and it sealed itself, no need to process.

[Fugu]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...-CHUTNEY-109655

Fantastic!!

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The recipe looks more like an achar or Indian pickle rather than a chutney. Green papaya is also good for this particular recipe.

[Dakki]

Okay guys, I got a whole, 5.5 kg watermelon (and I don't even like watermelon) because I saw someone use the rind in a stir-fry in the Dinner thread. How do you prepare the rind for that? I assume there's going to be too much rind, would you suggest I pickle the rest?

And what the heck do I do with all the pulp? In retrospect I don't really know what I was thinking. A 5.5 kilo watermelon for one person is absurd!

[rarerollingobject]

Okay guys, I got a whole, 5.5 kg watermelon (and I don't even like watermelon) because I saw someone use the rind in a stir-fry in the Dinner thread. How do you prepare the rind for that? I assume there's going to be too much rind, would you suggest I pickle the rest?

And what the heck do I do with all the pulp? In retrospect I don't really know what I was thinking. A 5.5 kilo watermelon for one person is absurd!

I don't like watermelon either, but I DO like watermelon agua fresca, esp. boozed up with vodka or tequila. And dipping watermelon flesh in ground chilli and salt makes it quite bearable.

As for stir frying the rind, I think dcarch suggest microwaving it briefly to soften it up somewhere in that Dinner thread..

[Dakki]

Thanks, RRO. I assume I should take all the pulp and the green outer rind off?

Do you think it would be OK to blanch in boiling water instead of microwaving?