Someone once left a karaoke microphone behind at our place (if I were to hazard a guess when it was probably one of our theme nights) but since it doesn’t connect to anything I use it to annoy Mr NQN by pretending to interview him and sing to him. I think he has hearing like a dog because his face cringes whenever anyone but certain people with perfect pitch sing. And that means that whenever I emerge from the study bedroom ready to sing at him he looks as though in pain.
That’s because I cannot sing.
Sometimes he puts up with it for longer but sometimes he gives me a look that says “enough!” One evening I was making a jam and waiting for it to boil and I was killing time while waiting for it to finish. A recent trip was postponed due to a cyclone so I found myself at home alone for most of the day. I tend to get so excited when there’s an actual human in front of me so I talk a million miles an hour. So I combined the two and interviewed Mr NQN on my karaoke microphone about the jam.
Let me tell you about this jam or really, a preserve. From Macedonia, slatko as it is known, is a jam made up of the white part of the watermelon that we usually discard. I first tried it at an Elliott gathering. Our brother in law Laporello is Croatian and his parents came over to cook for their wedding. One day when we dropped something off, his mum was making this with the summer fruit that we had a glut of and I was fascinated by how unusual and delicious it was.
He tells us that you have a tablespoon of it first thing in the morning with a glass of water or very bitter coffee. It is extremely sweet (the name slatko translates into sweet) and it is also made with cherries and apricots but since we have so much watermelon at the moment I wanted to try it with that.
There was the bonus of making something out of something that would have been discarded. I hate to waste food (see banana skin cake) and if it is perfectly edible I’m willing to try and see what it tastes like. The sample that Laporello’s mum gave me was so delicious I wanted to make it again. So one hot summer’s day I sliced up the watermelon separating the white (pith) and green (rind) from the red part (best to slice it before teeth get into it for sanitary reasons) and then cut it up.
You then leave the pith and sugar for a few hours til it forms a syrup and then you boil it down with vanilla, cinnamon, lemon and cloves or whatever flavours you like. The pieces turn into sticky, translucent golden cubes bathed in a lovely honeyed liquid. The key to a good slatko is to have the pieces with some texture so that it isn’t mushy. I made mine less sweet than usual halving the sugar quantity (it is usually one part sugar to one part fruit). We had this on top of natural yogurt, on top of oatmeal, in place of other jams and even, in times of morning haste, with a cup of coffee.
Holding my microphone I brought some over to Mr NQN to pretend to interview him about it.
Me: So how are you this evening honey?
Mr NQN: Fine (eyeing me suspiciously thinking “not that bloody microphone again…”)
Me: Would you like to try some slatko?
Mr NQN: Whatko? *raising an eyebrow*
Me: Cut!
So tell me Dear Reader, can you sing and do you do karaoke? And do you like to make preserves or jams?
Watermelon Rind Jam
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 30 minutes prep and 2-3 hours or overnight resting
Cooking time: 2 hours cooking
- 3 cups watermelon rind
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 4-5 strips of lemon peel
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
1. Remove the green skin from the watermelon and the red part of the watermelon leaving only the white part. Cut into 1cm/half inch cubes. Measure how much this makes and place this in a saucepan. Then measure half of that amount of sugar and add this to the pan (it is basically 2 parts fruit to 1 part sugar). Without turning on the stove, leave this to stew for a few hours or overnight at room temperature – the watermelon and sugar will develop a liquidy syrup and mine took about 2-3 hours to do so.
To this a few hours later as the watermelon rind releases juice
Adding the aromatics
2. Set to simmer, stirring to dissolve all of the sugar and then add the remaining ingredients, the lemon juice and peel, the vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and cloves. Simmer for 2 hours covered and then for the last 15 minutes take the cover off to reduce the syrup. It is done when the cubes are translucent. While still hot, ladle into sterilised jars* and then tighten lid (using a teatowel as the jar will be hot). Turn upside down for a minute to create a seal and then place right side up.
It becomes a golden honey colour
*To sterilise jars, heat glass jars and metal lids in a 180C/350F oven for 10 minutes and allow to cool ensuring that you don’t touch inside the jars or lids.
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101 Comments | Add your own
This is so so so unique and creative Lorraine
I love how you always share these recipes with us!
I’ve never thought about eating the rind of a watermelon~ I was a bit apprehensive at first but hahaha as soon as I saw the word ‘sweet’ i was sold
I’d LOVE to try some!!!
As for kareoki, being kinda Honkie and being with a Honkie boyfriend (Mr Bao) we definitely go Kareoke but hahaha I wouldn’t say I’m very good
but who care ~
Unusual recipe! I’ve sent it towards my grandfather, our family’s resident Jam maker to check it out for himself. Thanks!
That sounds so interesting! I’d saved a bunch of watermelon rind last year to make pickle but by the time I got around to it they’d gone slimy. I’m kind of weird about singing. I did choir for years and I’ve been told I have a good voice, but I always use this bad singing voice when I’m in the car with people because I get self-conscious about how much better I sound than them. And I hate doing solos.
Very clever!
I love this jam, which is very traditional in Greece. It looks amazing, Lorraine!
How I wish it was summer… it’s -10 Celsius here…
Magda
How interesting, I have seen a watermelon rind chutney before but I am pretty sure it was not an overly sweet one. I hate the whole sterilizing bit so I never make my own.
A great way of using the rind. That jam looks intriguing and really amazing.
Cheers,
Rosa
what an interesting jam!!!
I love singing, but not in public hehehe! I haven’t made jam before but it looks fun!
What a fascinating idea. Of course I am loving the idea also that the jam uses something we so readily discard. We are surrounded by orchards where we are so get boxes of really great just picked fruit which we can never eat or give away fast enough. So making jams out of what’s left has become second nature.
This looks so much nicer than a watermelon rind relish I made just before Christmas! I will have to try this, I throw away so many watermelon skins!
I hardly make jams as I don’t eat them much but it’s great to use in bakes. I was really intrigued by the title of this post and the banana skin cake (definitely trying that one. I can’t sing either!
What an interesting recipe! Have just spent weekend making 2 batches of Blackberry jam.
Will buy a watermelon, make your Melon,feta and Mint Salad and use skin for the jam. Chickens will eat seeds in middle, so no waste at all!!
Thanks for sharing this.
Wow Lorraine I have never heard of this before! Now I will think twice before throwing out the rind on watermelon
Intriguing!
No I can’t sing. Even my two year old tells me to stop
My husband, whose first language was Macedonian, said his family served slatko with water (as you mentioned) especially for Saint/Name days. He loved it that you posted this!
I love to sing–when alone! And I love to make jams and preserves as well. Yours looks great!
Who knew you could make jam from watermelon rind? Sounds interesting. I do like making jam although I am not good at telling the setting point.
Hi Lorraine
This is my first comment! I once knew a boy called Slatko – he played a psycho who killed me in one of the worst horror films ever made! Funny thing was, even though he looked more that a little menacing, he was a real sweetie!I will make your slatko this weekend – I have made watermelon rind pickle which is delicious with Xmas meats (and any other time of the year meats for that matter)
Keep up the good work, Julie
Wonderful recipe! I will have to try next summer!
Wow, and I always thought that white part of watermelon skin was poisonous or toxic or something nasty!
How wasteful have I been with watermelons all these years. Who knew you could create something so beautiful out of the white pith. Well done Lorraine! Apparently I sing in tune but Carl says I have a voice that is horrible to listen to.
What a great idea! Always great seeing recipes for things we don’t use. Still have to try the banana skin cake.
P.S I think you haven’t included the sugar in the list of ingredients.
it’s true that this is summer for you and here in Paris we are freezing to death with snow !!!Cheers
Pierre
I will be making this one this week. I made three day strawberry jam several times and I also have a fondness for using things that might be discarded. Can’t wait
That is so amazing!! I can’t wait to try it, I too hate wasting food, even the scraps!
Now I can have my watermelon cocktails and use the rind for jam.
What a fab way to use up all that pith that would end up in the compost. One question though – is the watermelon to sugar ratio by weight or volume? I’m thinking there’s a big difference with a cup of melon weighing very little. I’m going to give it a try – some summer in a bottle for winter. Thanks.
V.interesting…. We make a similar dish in Cyprus but do not cut it up in such small pieces and serve it as an afternoon sweet.
As to my karaoke skills…, well my dear husband has the same reaction as yous.,.cringes when he hears me sing ( says the girl who always tried to get in the school choir but never made it… !!)
I am like you and hate waste, we even have a worm farm for all the vegie scraps.
I love making preserves and jams.
Didn’t you have another warermelon preserve not so long ago !
I love this jam. We used to have it as kids in South Africa. The chunks were huge, and sometimes you ate it without any bread. Another favourite was whole green fig jam. I am buying a watermelon today so that I can make this wonderful treat. Thank you so much for all your lovely recipes and photos.
Let’s just say my singing wouldn’t win me any awards. I do love a good sing-along though!
As for a jam that uses something we’d usually throw out… fantastic.
Poppy is watermelon mad at the moment so we have loads of watermelon rinds going in the bin – not any more! Thanks Lorraine
Like Christiana, I was going to say that Greek Cypriots make a very similar sweet to this. I’ve never tried it myself. I’m sure I’d enjoy it
I have heard of this in an American pioneering cookbook too. It looks a bit like preserved ginger.
I love to crank up the ipod with Glee tunes and belt them out…. But in private
NQN, this is awesome!
As a kid I always used to keep eating away at my watermelon slices till all the white was gone too, I always thought it was wasteful to not eat it…now I have this awesome jam to try out!
Yum! I love to sing but am too scared to do so hehe
Looks great – I love the taste of watermelon rind actually. It can be julienned and tossed into a salad too if you like some extra crunch – it’s crunchier than cucumber :>
Yes I have made watermelon jam a couple of years back, but for me I found it didnt gell properly so I did add a bit of gelatine in the finish. I havent ever had a pickle recipe , please some put one up here and I would make it. I did make a cherry (fresh ones) pickle at xmas, but found it terribly expensive, even tinned ones here at $4,. a tin. hanks all, dont comment very often but do read all every day. No I cant sing either…
Ravel-that’s a great idea to put it in a salad too! Thanks!
I hate wasting food too, because of this I recently found myself making this Watermelon Rind Pickle http://mygardenfeast.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/one-thing-leads-to-another-leads-to.html
It was amazing! Now I can’t wait to try your jam!
You come up with the most unique ideas, Lorraine! Using every part of the watermelon. no waste at all!
Lol at your interviewing. It’s never a dull moment with you – I love it!!
This jam sounds so interesting. I cant even imagine how it would taste. Must try!
Wow – waste not, want not hey? I recently had candided watermelon rind with a meal; was quite surprising actually.
Extremely interesting, I’ve heard of the rind being used for something else, haven’t heard of jam though. Now I am very curious to try, gotta wait many months for summer to arrive.
Sugar can make anything taste nice
I’ve never heard nor tasted this type of jam.How clever of someone to think up the idea of making watermelon rind into jam, probably happened post-war/famine when food was scarce and every last bit was used perhaps? Kind of nose-to-tail but not the animal kind 
I’ve made jam before and it’s so satisfying, you feel a real sense of achievement once all the jars are labelled.
Yesterday, I made up my very first batch of Elderflower cordial, it has to sit for 48-72 hours, then it’s strained rest/brew for another 48 hours and then bottled. I can’t wait for the taste test
Sing, Yes I can and love to sing. My older brother had a rock band in High School and I used to harass him until he would let me get up and sing. School dances, parties , outside venues. When I sing I’m transported to another place. As you can gather Lorraine, I’m not shy lol
I’ve heard of this before, but never has it been so evocaatively-deliciously described. Bravo, Lorraine! Yet another thing to add to my list of what I want to make once I actually have, you know, pots and pans again.
Also, singing? Well, yes, but you knew that already
Here in the US, we pickle the rind of watermelons. I remember my mother, grandmother and aunt making watermelon pickles when I was a young child when my mom’s younger brother brought home a carload of watermelons.Later when I met my husband, I found out where and how my uncle ended up with a carload of watermelons.
I hate wasting food too so this sounds perfect to me! And since I’ve just started liking watermelon I think I might have to give this one a go…I love making jams and spreads and things like that. I get it from my mum, she’s great at making all those sorts of things and always saves a jar for me, so she’s definitely my inspiration!
I have seen watermelon rind pickle before but never a jam. Love the idea as I don’t like waste either.
I usually have the white part as well. According to Trad chinese medicine therapy, the white part is good for sore throats and heatiness.
I threw out a whole lots of watermelon skin yesterday and it seemed such a waste so this is great!
re your karaoke microphone – I think you should be out on the street like I have seen Poh do giving people a sample and doing a vox pop with them
The only time I’ve ever made jam it has failed. And this has been on several occasions. My family has begged me to never try it again. They cannot bear the mess and the tears (from me), not being asked to try it anyway.
Truly it was worth sitting nearly two hours in the dentist’s this morning having ruddy crowns fitted to come back to this
! Eat a lot of watermelon and have oft thought whether there would be a way . . . well, now I know and shall try within the week, and since healthwise the best things always sit just below the ‘rind’ or whatever, shall pat myslf on the shoulder 
! Singing: don’t talk about it!! Used to sing solo even in church and then, that oh-not-so-great soprano was gone, and I refused to sing alto and that is the very end of the story 
!
I can’t carry a tune in a bucket so no, karaoke wouldn’t be anything you’d want me involved with.
I grew up eating watermelon rind pickles that are so sweet it has to be the same stuff. My grandmother made it every year.
Other than a very small amount, it’s too sweet for me.
Maybe this stuff would be much better than what my grandmother made.
I’ve had watermelon pickles plenty of times and loved ‘em, but have never seen watermelon preserves with a sweet side like this. Bet it would be fabulous topping yogurt or rice pudding.
Can i sing? No. Do I love a good karaoke session? You betcha!
I’ve seen a few recipes using the whites of the watermelon before but not as a jam. I love the idea of it though and your pictures for this post are beautiful Lorraine.
In South Africa this is very popular with the Afrikaans poeople. My mother made this melon preserve with pieces of ginger – a favorite of mine
)
You certainly find some unique recipes! As you say, this appeals to the part of me that dislikes throwing away food.
I can’t really sing – I can kind of carry a tune, but perfect pitch? No.
I don’t do a lot of preserving, but we have a date with stonefruit and the varcola this weekend so we shall see!
I also loved to sing but singing hate me even i always practice that much
Btw nice idea of making your melon into a melon jam. Another knowledge i learned every time i got here
I am lost of words — like, literally!
Off to check out your banana skin cake recipe.
Shocker
What a unique and fabulous recipe!!!
I am so trying this in summers, in our home we eat watermelon like crazy.
Beautiful!!!
This is nothing new to us South Africans, this must be one of the oldest recipes of our time, it is part of our heritage. My great great grandmother used to make this preserve (it is not called a jam) on a regular basis. Traditionally eaten with toast or on a cheese platter served with a variety of cheeses, absolutely divine!! This PRESERVE keeps for ages.
Happy eating!!!
Lorraine… in the instructions you say “Then measure half of that amount of water and add this to the pan” is this a typo? did you mean “half the amount of sugar” or do you put water too ?
Really want to make this. Looks scrumptious. thanks
Very interesting, when I saw the post I thought of a Chinese style soup my dad use to make which used watermelon rind that had been dried out in the sun. Sounds odd but I have fond memories of eating it.
I’ve never seen or heard of watermelon jam before. I can’t believe this recipe requires watermelon rind! So eco-friendly recipe and I love it! Must be delicious as well.
Hi Lyn-I meant sugar, sorry. I corrected it early this morning but perhaps the site is showing a cached version but it’s definitely sugar instead of water
It is also made in South Africa A typical Afrikaans dish Called
Waatlemoenkonfyt (Watermelon Preserve Had plenty of it as kid here in SA
How your post takes me back! I remember reading about “watermelon-rind preserves” in one of those Laura Ingalls-Wilder books I borrowed from the school library as a kid and I also remember reading about “watermelon spoonsweets” – chunky jam made with watermelon rind and served with tea – in one of my mother’s cookbooks.
(Karaoke, though; no. I’d rather not inflict my voice on anyone. It’d be too cruel!)
Hahaha nice story about the microphone. Scary thing is I can picture you interviewing Mr NQN!! I’ve never actually made jam or marmalade, I find that one jar is too much let alone several jars. I guess i could share it.. yes sharing is meant to be caring, right? Anyhow, watermelon rind sounds horrid but it LOOKS good!
What a heavenly combination of flavours, this is definitely on the To Be Cooked List!
Certainly a novel use of the traditionally neglected part of watermelon. I used to make necklaces from the seeds when i was a kid …
that’s a pretty cool recipe if it tastes good. there’s so much waste in the watermelon but this would really reduce the wastage to pretty much nothing except the seeds unless you have a recipe to cook them too like pumpkin seeds?
I love your blog and regularly give recipes a go! So good to see Watermelon Jam on your website. Its common in South Africa and ginger is often added to transform it into Melong and Ginger preserve or “konfyt”. Its delicious served with cheese and crackers and specially good with a ripe brie. Never thought of it for breakfast but will give it a try. In South Africa preserves like this are also made with marrows with cinnamon or ginger added too.
Yum!
Sounds so interesting! I would imagine it would make a lovely stand in for quince paste or the like on a cheese platter – yum.
hi there – I’m curious to know if this recipe would work using stevia sweetener instead of sugar?
This is such an interesting idea! I’d never have thought to use watermelon rind to make jam but can absolutely see how it works. What a great (and frugal!) recipe.
This sounds delicious! As a vacation homeowner with properties on sites like HereStay and HomeAway, I’m seriously considering whipping up a batch and canning them as complimentary gifts for my renters…thanks!
Lorraine, this isn’t weird to me at all, because in Cyprus (Where my parents are from, we have watermelon spoon sweets, they’re my favourite!)
What a fabulous and unusual jam, and it sounds so deliciously refreshing too. Thank you for sharing.
What an interesting jam, I have never heard of using this part of the fruit. It looks beautiful, though. I also liked your post on the banana skin cake. I’d try it, but don’t think I’ll make it.
I have to admit, I’ve stopped buying products that have too much packaging.
Wow this surely is using every bit of the watermelon which is my favourite fruit! Oh I am a hugeeeeeeeeee fan of karaoke. I love singing with all my heart and soul (not that I can really sing) but I never sing in the mic. Hehe
I’ve never made jam with watermelon rind, but I frequently make pickle with it. It looks similar to your jam, but has vinegar, sugar and spices. This looks like a lovely recipe to keep for our summer, when there are plenty of watermelon rinds just going to waste.
This post is timely! I have a 6kg watermelon in the kitchen! will eat it this weekend..and keep the rind for this jam! Was originally intending to pickle it.
I don’t do karaoke, I do sing when alone with the ipod on cooking and I love preserves especially made with left overs….. I was just thinking about that banana skin cake yesterday when I threw out some banana skins,….. dam I said wish I had Lorraine s recipe!
NQN was kind enough to give me a jar of this heavenly jam – so delicious I ate it as a dessert! I recommend teaming it with coconut icecream: fragrant syrupy cubes that still capture the taste of the tropics.
What an unusual recipe!! I love how some cultures put to great use the things we discard!
I asked my fiance if he’d heard of this (his Grandmother is Croation) but he hadn’t. I’m intrigued enough to give this a try though because it just sounds so unusual.
For some reason, this reminds me of caramelised ginger. It looks great and so intriguing. Who would’ve thought you can make a jam from watermelon pith?! I would love to make jams and preserves but I’m so paranid about sterilisation and growth of mould (that’s the scientist in me)
I LOVE this idea, Lorraine! How marvelously clever.
I have watermelons coming out the ying-yang in my garden, so I will definitely be able to try this. 
I love the look of these golden cubes of watermelon preserve. I imagine the texture to be somewhat like boiled candied wintermelon…or something…I have some watermelon in the fridge waiting to be turned into sorbet. Perhaps the rind would come in useful after all…:)
I don’t sing and I don’t like karaoke. And I like to make jam, it’s something that reminds me when I lived with wy mother, she loved to make jams.
This sounds amazing! You have a beautiful blog, with amazing pictures!
Oh that’s a lovely idea. I think I’ll try it too.
Be very careful halving sugar in preserve and jam recipes though. You DO need a certain amount of sugar/fruit ratio to actually keep the preserve, well, preserved. Botulism poisoning is not fun.
Hi, I might give this a good in the summer, and this year i am urging myself to make more preserves.
Can you tell me how long do these jams store for? And do I store them in the fridge or cupboard?
i think this settles it–i would love any type of jam, ever.
Hi Wotlk-Good question! I would just keep it in the fridge just in case. I’d say perhaps a month or two because it does have less sugar in it than some jams and just use a clean spoon every time you take some out
haha too cute, you live in bizarro world! watermelon rind, very different – i like how they look like jelly cubes
I just tried making this – the house smells wonderful! However….it went from simmering away nicely to a black, sticky, burnt mess in 2 minutes. It had been simmering for less than an hour, too! Will try it again but keep a closer eye on it.
Hi Rachel-Yes I definitely recommend keeping an eye on it as things with that much sugar in them do tend to burn really easily. I once walked away from caramel-it wasn’t pretty! :S
This is an awesome website! I’m gonna try the bacon jam recipe too! Thanks!
Hi! I just discovered your beautiful blog and love it! I tried this recipe today but with a South African twist, so instead of the aromatics you suggested I added a big stick of ginger. I also used equal quantities of sugar and melon rind as per the Greek variation. I cooked it for 2 hours until the melon was eventually translucent and had absorbed the syrup – I checked it repeatedly throughout and kept finding that the melon was still “raw” inside. When the melon was cooked through I immediately took it off the stove and bottled it, but now that it has cooled, the syrup is crystallising and has become quite granular rather than syrupy. Can you suggest what I might have done wrong or what I should do differently next time?
Thanks! I am planning on trying your banana peel cake recipe next, by the way
Hi Taryn! Thanks so much!
Mmm adding ginger sounds gorgeous 
I don’t know, perhaps the higher amount of sugar affected it as it sounds like crystallisation is taking place. There is still a bit of a bite to the melon I’ve found which I quite like but I’m not sure how it is raw and then transculent. Perhaps give it a go with a lower quantity of sugar? 
Good luck with the banana peel cake-that’s so delicious!
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