Slatko Watermelon Rind Jam

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

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Step 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.

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Step 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.

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*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.