Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Watermelon Rind Preserves
Sweet, spiced, syrupy preserves made from leftover watermelon rinds.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Soak the cubed watermelon rind in salted water overnight, then drain and rinse thoroughly.
- 2
Blanch the rind in boiling water until just tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
- 3
Combine the sugar, water, lemon slices, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- 4
Add the blanched rind and simmer gently, uncovered, until the rind turns translucent and the syrup thickens, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- 5
Remove the cinnamon stick.
- 6
Ladle into sterilized jars while hot and seal, or store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving680
Calories
1 g
Protein
175 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Watermelon rind preserves are a thrifty Southern tradition that turns the part of the melon most people discard into a sweet, translucent, spice-scented preserve. Rooted in waste-not home canning, the candied rind reflects a frugal kitchen ethic and was once a common way to make the most of summer's watermelon.
Listahan note
This version soaks the rinds overnight before boiling them, which firms and partly cures the rind so it turns clear and stays pleasantly chewy rather than mushy in the syrup.
Technique cues
- The overnight soak, often in lime or salt water, firms the rind's pectin so it holds shape and turns glassy instead of falling apart in the syrup.
- Boiling the rinds until tender before they go into the syrup ensures they are cooked through, since sugar syrup toughens raw rind and stops it softening.
- Simmering low in the sugar syrup until translucent is the visual cue that the syrup has fully penetrated the rind and the preserves are set.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Start the rind soak the night before so it is firmed and ready to boil the next day.
- Make-ahead
- This is a make-ahead by design; sealed jars keep for months and improve as the flavor melds.
- Leftover move
- Spoon the preserves over biscuits, cream cheese, or vanilla ice cream, or chop them into a relish.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Rinse the sticky syrup pot with hot water while it is still warm before the sugar hardens.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Watermelon rinds
Main fruit
Purpose: The firm white rind is what candies into the chewy, translucent preserve.
Handling: Trim off all green skin and pink flesh, leaving only the firm white rind, then cut into pieces.
Adaptation: There is no real substitute; the dish exists to use this specific overlooked part.
Sugar
Preserving agent
Purpose: It draws out moisture, sweetens, and forms the syrup that candies and preserves the rind.
Handling: Dissolve it fully into the cooking water to build a clear syrup before adding rinds.
Adaptation: No clean swap; sugar's volume is what sets the preserve and its keeping quality.
Lemon
Acid
Purpose: Its acidity brightens the sweet syrup and helps the preserve set and keep.
Handling: Slice or juice it into the syrup; the rind can go in for extra perfume.
Adaptation: Lime gives a similar tartness with a different aroma.
Cinnamon sticks
Aromatic spice
Purpose: They infuse the syrup with warm spice that defines the preserve's flavor.
Handling: Simmer the whole sticks in the syrup and fish them out before jarring.
Adaptation: Ground cinnamon works but clouds the clear syrup.
Cloves
Aromatic spice
Purpose: They add the deep, warm pungency that rounds out the spiced syrup.
Handling: Use a few whole cloves so they are easy to remove and do not overpower.
Adaptation: Allspice berries give a milder version of the same warm note.
Technique notes
- Trim away every trace of green skin and pink flesh; only the firm white rind candies properly.
- Watch for the rind turning translucent as your doneness cue rather than relying on a fixed time.
- Pack into clean sterilized jars while hot and seal so the preserves keep on the shelf.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sugar direction
- Reduce the sugar somewhat for a lighter syrup, accepting a shorter shelf life and softer set.
- Spice variation
- Swap the cinnamon and cloves for fresh ginger and star anise for a brighter, more aromatic preserve.
Serve alongside
- Warm buttermilk biscuits
- Cream cheese on crackers
- Pound cake
- A cheese board
- Hot black tea
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate opened jars for up to 3 weeks.
- No reheating needed; serve the preserves cool or at room temperature.
- Properly water-bath canned and sealed jars keep in the pantry for up to a year.
Equipment
- Heavy preserving pot
- Sharp knife for trimming rind
- Sterilized canning jars
- Slotted spoon
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