Serves: 4
Total Calories: 2,005

1 watermelon medium
1/2 cup salt
2 quarts water cold
8 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground
1/2 teaspoon ginger ground
1/8 teaspoon clove oil (available at pharmacy)
1 lemon small, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunk drained
1 (10-ounce) jar red maraschino cherry drained

Day 1: Trim off all green skin and pink flesh from thick watermelon rind cut into 1-inch cubes (you will need 2 quarts of rind). Place in a 6-quart kettle. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over rind. Stir and place a heavy plate on top to keep watermelon rind covered with water. Let stand in a cool place for 5 to 6 hours drain. Rinse and drain again. Cover with water. Over high heat, bring to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until almost tender drain. Add 4 cups of the sugar, vinegar, 2 cups fresh water, cinnamon, ginger and clove oil. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Add lemon slices. Return to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until watermelon rind is clear and transparent, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cool. Transfer to a large bowl or crock. Stir in pineapple and cherries. Weight down with heavy plate let stand and cool overnight.

Day 2: Drain syrup from fruit mixture into a large saucepan. Add 2 cups of the sugar, and over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour over fruit, cook, weight down and let stand overnight.

Day 3: Drain syrup into large kettle. Add remaining 2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fruit and bring to a boil. Pack boiling fruit into hot sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 -inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims with a damp cloth. Process jars in a rapidly boiling water bath for 5 minutes.*

* Add 1 minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet above sea level.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 2,005
Calories from Fat: 6

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