Watermelon is a wonderful, refreshing and hydrating fruit! The famous author Mark Twain once describes it as the food angels eat. It’s definitely one of my favourite fruits! And, although, we all enjoy its sweet juicy flesh mostly, the rind is also edible and makes a beautiful jam. This Best Balkan Watermelon Rind Jam is scrumptious and tastes wonderfully drizzled on a pancake or buttered toast. I promise you will enjoy it!

HISTORY OF THE WATERMELON.

The history of the watermelon can be traced back 5000 years ago to the region of the Kalahari desert in southern Africa. In the past, watermelons were praised by the indigenous people as a source of hydration. They also roasted and consumed the watermelon seeds. Unlike its cultivated cousin, the flesh of the desert watermelon is not suitable for eating because it’s bitter.

Archaeologists believe that in ancient times the watermelon found its way to Egypt where it was first improved and transformed from a source of hydration to enjoyable food. Watermelon seeds and paintings, dating over 4000 years, were discovered in Egyptian tombs.

By the 7th century, watermelon was cultivated in India. In the 10th century, it was introduced in China. The Moors brought the watermelon to the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century and, thereafter, the watermelon plant spread throughout southern Europe. In the 17th century, it became a popular food in most of Europe. In the Balkans, watermelons are a popular domesticated plant in the south, where the summers are very hot and dry.

Ancient Greeks and Romans considered watermelon to have medicinal properties. The Greek physicians Hippocrates and Dioscorides both praised it for its healing properties and used it as a diuretic.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE WATERMELON AND ITS RIND.

Due to its high water content, watermelon is hydrating. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamins and may help prevent cancer. 

Watermelon flesh contains potassium and magnesium, has a low-calorie count and is beneficial for the muscles. Consuming watermelon regularly may help lower blood pressure and keep the heart healthy.

Watermelon rind has similar properties as the watermelon flesh and can be used in pickles and chutneys and makes great candies.

HOW TO MAKE WATERMELON RIND JAM?

📋 INGREDIENTS IN THE WATERMELON RIND JAM

Watermelon rind jam is made with the white part of the watermelon, which, to many can come as a surprise, is edible. The word rind can be confusing to some because in British English rind includes the green skin of the watermelon. In this recipe, we need to remove the green watermelon skin. Keep the red sweet and juicy part of the watermelon to make a delicious Greek Watermelon Salad (Karpouzi Salad) with it, or enjoy it as a breakfast or a dessert.

With the rind of one small watermelon, you can make roughly about 490ml jam.

You will also need sugar. Traditionally, regular granulated white sugar is used, and if you decide on using a preservative, you can add citric acid. If available, you can substitute the regular sugar with jam sugar which contains citric acid.

Authentic Balkan recipes call for flavouring the jam with geranium green leaves or orange zest. Cinnamon sticks or lemon and honey are great for flavouring watermelon jam as well.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

It’s worth mentioning that this jam does not contain pectins what bonds the jam is the sugar syrup.

Step 1: Prepare the watermelon rind

Remove the pink flesh and leave it in the fridge to enjoy it later. Peel the green skin from the rind and cut it into medium size (2-3cm) cubes.

How to remove the bitterness from the watermelon rind?

To remove the bitterness from the rind, place the watermelon rind cubes in boiling water for 5 minutes, then sieve them out and transfer them immediately into ice-cold water. Repeat this step a few times. Change the water every time with clean boiled water from your kettle and bring it to the boil before placing the watermelon rind cubes inside.

Step 2: Prepare the sugar syrup

Place the sugar and the water in a jam pan or a heavy-based pan and heat them on moderate heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the par-cooked watermelon rind cubes and the orange zest to the syrup, or if you are adventurous substitute the orange zest with a leaf of geranium. This is how the jam is made traditionally in Bulgaria, but the specific geranium taste may not be to everyone’s taste. I personally prefer the Watermelon rind jam with orange zest.

Stir the jam from time to time and let it simmer until ready. Do a test to check if your jam has reached the right consistency.

How to make sure your jam is ready?

Place a drop of jam on a cold porcelain plate. If the jam drop stays intact and keeps its shape, your jam is ready.

Step 3: Add a preservative to your Jam

This recipe calls for citric acid to be used as a preservative. Citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits, especially in lemons. However, the citric acid normally sold in stores is not a natural product. It is manufactured chemically from the sugars in the Penicillium Mould and some people may be allergic to it.

If you are using citric acid, add it to the jam just a few minutes before your jam is ready.

If you do not want to use citric acid, it is good to know that the jam will be fine for a few weeks in your fridge without any preservatives or you can replace it with lemon juice.

There are around 3 grams of citric acid in one juiced lemon. The general rule of thumb is to use 4-5 tablespoons of lemon juice for every 1 tablespoon of citric acid. In this recipe, you will only need around 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Step 4: Sterilise the jars and lids

Always use freshly sterilised jars before packing the jam in them.

Start by washing the jars in warm soapy water, then rinse them well with warm water.

Pressure canners and multifunction cookers are commonly used for sterilising jars, but I use an old-fashioned deep stockpot and a gas or electric hob. This is the so-called water bath method for sterilising jars, traditionally used in the Balkans.

How sterilise empty jars using the water bath method?

Pour boiling water from your kitchen kettle into a deep pot. Using canning tongs, place carefully the jars in the pot of boiled water with their openings facing down. This will make it easier to take the jars out of the hot water later. Add more boiling water to the pot, if needed, to cover the jars with at least 1 inch (3cm) of water on top. Place the lids in the pot to sterilise them, too.

Bring the water in the pot to the boil. Cover the pot with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes, from the moment the water reaches a full boil. If the water is boiling too vigorously, reduce the heat until the water comes down to a more gentle but still full boil. After 10 minutes turn the heat off.

Take the sterilised jars and lids out of the hot water using your tongs. Place them on a clean tea towel and let them get cool and get dry.

Step 5: Pack the jam in the sterilised jars

It is important to leave the jam to cool completely before transferring it into the jars because this jam expands.

Use a pouring spoon or jam funnel to transfer the jam into the empty jars. Leave 1-inch (3 cm) headspace in each jar. Wipe the rim clean with a clean cloth and tighten the lids.

step 6: store Watermelon Rind Jam

Store the jam in the fridge for up to 1-2 months. If you intend to keep the jam longer than that process the jam in a water bath and store the processed jars of jam in a cool dark place.

🍲 HOW TO EAT WATERMELON RIND JAM

Watermelon rind jam is delicious spread on pancakes and it’s great to serve in a continental breakfast.

I highly recommend serving this jam with my Easy Waffles or my Breakfast Flatbreads too.

Enjoy!👨‍🍳👨‍🍳👨‍🍳