# How do I preserve watermelon?



## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Does anyone here preserve watermelons?

Some of the farmers here are growing them and they are the best watermelons I've ever eaten. These are small perfectly round seedless watermelons just a bit bigger than the size of a softball, very juicy and sweet but the flesh is firm enough that it crunches almost like an apple when you bite into it. They are bursting with juicy flavour. 

If I freeze it will it make it go all soft and mushy? Can it be pickled without having to put it in the boiling hot water bath? If I pickle them does the green outer rind have to be removed? I guess I could dehydrate it but I wonder if there's a way to preserve the juiciness and crunchiness.

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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

The Russians pickle them whole in a salt brine.

http://www.kcmeesha.com/2009/07/08/russian-gourmet-pickled-watermelon-a-40-value/


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Dehydrate it


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i would suggest dehydrating a litlle first--i dont like it dehdr. there are recipees for pickled watermelon rind and watermelon jelly, i dont have them but maybe google them. i froze some this year. good year for great tasting watermelons.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I wonder if you could can the juice??
Im sure it would be pressure canned


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## silverbackMP (Dec 4, 2005)

Koreans Kimche the rinds.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I have not done so; but seems to me you could can (water bath) the insides for juice later on and pickle the rines.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I'd try some jelly, but I've had it dehydrated, too and it was delicious. It was a sweet fruit leather and would keep very long.
Catherine


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Thanks for the responses. I did a bit more checking around, looks like dehydrating will have to be the way to go. Freezing is out, makes it go mushy, and it doesn't sound like pickling the flesh itself is very palatable and it still goes mushy if it gets hot water bathed. I guess I will dehydrate since I don't want to make jelly and add all that sugar or pectin.

.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

I tried a recipe for Watermelon Jelly this year, but I am not that pleased with the taste....nothing compares to that sweet, fresh watermelon taste. This is watermelon country here, and we are just plain spoiled....I love the yellow meated ones, so sweet, and Black Diamonds are tops for the red ones...


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I froze a melon trio I used cantaloupe, honey dew, and watermelon a very light sugar syrup but if they are that juicy just use that juice make melon balls put in container with juice freeze don't thaw completely to eat should be a little icy they are very good for breakfast or a snack


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## RWBlue01 (Aug 11, 2010)

Being single, when I buy a watermelon, I can never eat it all so it will go bad unless I do something. So I have dehydrated some in the past. It is ok, but it is not like fresh.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I have a juicer and turn extra vegs and fruits into juice then freeze in ice cube trays.
Makes a great addition to herbal teas drinks and fruit juice drinks, mixed alcohol drinks, etc.
Flavored ice cubes are much better than water ice cubes and they are good for you too. 

Left over pulp from juicing is great for an addition in baking and for chicken treats. 
I both dehydrate pulps and freeze some. 

Nothing gets wasted here.


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

We like to get the Mexican fruit popsicles called Paletas. 

They're pretty much just frozen pureed fruit. The watermelon ones are my favorite and they do taste like fresh watermelon. The only drawback is that it would have to be eaten frozen. No fruit salads or the like and maybe not what you had in mind in the dead of winter.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Frozen watermelon cubes (add a small skewer) .. yummmm


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

Wind in Her Hair,




I LOVE your signature!!! :rock:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Watermelon juice is a staple in China...DH loves to visit so he can drink it with his dinner. I plan to juice and can it for him sometime soon.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Heh. I figured out what to do. I can make *sorbet* from frozen watermelon! I went back to the farmers market and filled up a big sack of them all the size of a softball and put the whole sack full into the freezer. That will give me time later to dehydrate some and juice some but the bulk of them I can make sorbet from them combined with other fruits if I wish. :icecream:

.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

GrannyG said:


> I tried a recipe for Watermelon Jelly this year, but I am not that pleased with the taste....nothing compares to that sweet, fresh watermelon taste. This is watermelon country here, and we are just plain spoiled....I love the yellow meated ones, so sweet, and *Black Diamonds *are tops for the red ones...


Ohhhh, I wish you hadn't said that! lol I've been craving a Black Diamond ever since last summer. I used to be able to find them being sold on the roadsides in several places around here, but never found a single one last year and none so far this year. Waaahhh!! You're right though, they are THE very best watermelons ever! I used to like yellow-meated ones too, but haven't had one in a long, long time. 

Sorry, NL, I don't have any suggestions. The dehydrated is good, but like WIHH said it takes forever and a day, lol. And as Granny said, the jelly is not even close to the same. I think your sorbet idea is the best one I've heard yet. Good luck!


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