Instant Watermelon Rind Pickle
Pickled watermelon rind is a classic summer condiment when the melons are in abundance. Here we’ve added our twist by using Japanese yuzu juice and rice wine vinegar to give the pickles a kick.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 quart
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Mix the vinegar, yuzu juice, honey, juniper berries, and salt until the honey is dissolved. If you have a vacuum sealer, pour the pickling solution into a vacuum bag, add the watermelon rind, and seal on high pressure. (This can also be done in Mason jars in a chamber vacuum machine.) The watermelon rind will go from opaque to translucent and is ready to eat instantly, though it will mature over a few days.
Step 2
Alternatively, you can combine the vinegar, yuzu juice, honey, juniper berries, and salt in a lidded jar, refrigerate, and age the rind for 3 days before using. The pickles will not be as bright and translucent as the vacuum-sealed pickles, but they will still taste delicious. The flavor will continue to improve over time.
