Unsweetened watermelon jam recipe. Watermelon rind jam is the simplest recipe. Useful properties of watermelon

- an original delicacy that differs from classic berry preparations in its tenderness and rich aroma. Watermelon jam is quite easy to prepare, it stores well and is great both for winter tea parties and as a filling for sweet pastries.

Everyone knows about the benefits of sweet and juicy berries, but not many people know that they can be used to make tasty and equally healthy jam for the winter. Traditionally, several well-known and proven methods are used to make watermelon jam, but in cooking there is always room for experimentation, and every housewife can try to diversify the taste of the delicacy by using additional ingredients. The use of certain tricks will help preserve vitamins and other valuable substances that are necessary in winter.

Watermelon jam continues to be a rather rare delicacy only because not many people know how to prepare it correctly. There are several important recommendations that should be followed no matter what recipe you use.

• Selection of fruits.

The taste of the dessert largely depends on the correct one. They must be fully ripe, with preference given to late varieties. Late-ripening fruits have a slightly higher concentration of sucrose and glucose, due to which watermelon jam becomes thicker.

When preparing delicacies from pulp, you should choose the so-called “boys”: they have smaller seeds and there are not as many of them as in the “girls”.

• Dishes.

Before you cook a fragrant dessert, you should prepare all the necessary utensils. The cooking container should be one third larger than the planned initial volume of the fruit mass, since watermelon jam produces a large amount of foam during boiling. Use a wooden spatula or spoon to mix.

Watermelon jam is usually stored in glass jars. If the preparation is made for the winter, they must be sterilized with steam for 5-10 minutes. The lids are washed well and immersed in boiling water for a few minutes.

• Cooking process.

During boiling, the mass must be stirred periodically, not allowing it to burn, and remove all the foam that has formed on the surface. Watermelon jam from the pulp takes longer to prepare than from the rinds, as it must boil down well and thicken. The crusts should become soft during cooking.

Properly prepared watermelon jam should not only be tasty, but also beautiful. To do this, you should use the following tips:

From pulp

Both the rind and the pulp of watermelon are equally suitable for winter preparations. Many lovers of sweet berries prefer the second option, since properly cooked jam from the pulp resembles a very delicate jam with a fresh watermelon aroma. To enhance the taste and change the consistency, a variety of ingredients are added to the delicacy.

Recipe with citrus fruits

One of the most popular is the recipe with the addition of orange, lemon or lime.

With lemon

To prepare this jam you will need 1.5 kg of pulp from a fully ripened fruit, 800-900 grams of granulated sugar (the amount depends on the sweetness of the berry) and two lemons.

The step-by-step recipe looks like this:

• The inside of the berry is cut into slices no larger than 2 cm in size and all seeds are removed.
• The lemon is washed and also cut into small pieces directly with the zest.
• Watermelon with lemon is placed in a container and covered with sugar.
• After the fruits have released their juice, the mixture is carefully kneaded and placed on the fire, which is reduced after boiling.
• 15 minutes after the foam appears, set the pan aside.
• The cooled watermelon jam must be boiled again for at least 15 minutes and then taken to a cool place.
• After a few hours, the contents of the pan are boiled a third time and placed hot in a previously prepared container.

With orange

You can prepare watermelon and orange jam as described above. To enhance the aroma and give it a pleasant sourness, zest and finely chopped slices from three large fruits are added to the same volume of pulp and sugar. Watermelon and orange are boiled to the required thickness and rolled into jars.

Watermelon jam with citrus fruits is one of the best vitamin-rich desserts.

Recipe with pectin

We can recommend a recipe with the addition of a thickener to all lovers of thick jam. As an additive, it is better to use ready-made mixtures with pectin. Before you cook dessert for the winter, you should pay attention to the composition of the thickener: if it does not contain citric acid, you need to add it during the cooking process or replace it with juice from half a lemon. This will ensure long-term storage of the winter preparation and give it a richer taste.

To obtain thick watermelon jam, ripe but still quite dense pulp is best suited. It must be cut into slices with a side of 3-4 cm. For every 500 grams of pulp you will need the same amount of granulated sugar, 20 grams of thickener with pectin and a little vanilla.

Place the slices in a container along with sugar and leave for 1.5-2 hours. After this, the contents of the dishes are carefully kneaded and boiled over low heat. The first time, watermelon jam is boiled for 15 minutes. After cooling, add vanillin to the resulting mass, bring to a boil again and cook for 7-10 minutes. Before the third boiling, pectin is poured into the container. After 5 minutes, boiling watermelon jam is quickly poured into jars.

Recipe with spices

The result of a successful culinary experiment is a recipe using watermelon pulp and several aromatic spices: cinnamon, cloves and ginger. The basis of this watermelon jam will be the pulp cut into slices and mixed with sugar in a 1:1 ratio. As additional components, use citric acid and vanilla (a pinch each), a teaspoon of cinnamon, 2-3 clove flowers, and a piece of ginger root the size of a small plum.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• The pulp that has released the juice is boiled for 15 minutes over low heat.
• Place the soaked pieces from the syrup into a separate container.
• Add acid and vanillin to the bowl and boil for about half an hour. The amount of liquid should be reduced by half.
• Spices are crushed and tied in a piece of gauze folded in half. The resulting bag of spices is dipped into syrup and boiled for another 10 minutes. At this stage, you can add a few spoons of rum or liqueur.
• The previously drawn pieces are dipped into the prepared flavored syrup and kept on fire for another 5-7 minutes.

The recipe for watermelon jam can be varied with other spices and herbs: cardamom, mint, star anise.

Recipe with apples

Watermelon jam with apple slices has an unusual and refined taste. For such a delicacy, hard apples with sweet and sour pulp are best suited. Fruits should be taken in equal parts, peeled, seeds removed and chopped. The prepared slices are weighed, the same amount of granulated sugar is added, kept until the juice is released and boiled over low heat. During the cooking process, you need to add a third of a teaspoon of citric acid or the juice of half a lemon for every 2 liters of jam.

If you boil watermelon jam with apples in several stages, it will be perfectly preserved until next summer. Instead of apples, you can add melon to the recipe.

Quick recipe

For those who do not like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, we can recommend a quick and easy preparation of watermelon jam. The diced core is combined with sugar in equal proportions and left until the juice is released. Before cooking, mix the ingredients and add a pinch of citric acid.

Place the container on low heat, bring the contents to a boil and cook it, stirring occasionally, for 1-1.5 hours until thickened. It is recommended to store this watermelon jam only in the refrigerator and no longer than 2-3 months.

Despite the quick and fairly simple recipe, the resulting jam has a wonderful aroma and a pleasant, slightly sour taste.

From crusts

At the height of the season, watermelon appears on almost every table. From the crusts left over from the sweet berry you can make original watermelon jam. The crust dessert has a pleasant taste and resembles candied fruits in amber syrup.

First you need to remove the top layer from the watermelon rinds. Next, they are cut into neat pieces of the same size: this way the jam will look much more appetizing.

Simple recipe

The simplest delicacy can be prepared in this way:

• The cubes cut from the peels are covered with the same amount of sugar and left for 4 hours.
• After a sufficient amount of juice has been released from the peel, it is boiled over very low heat. This will give the remaining sugar time to dissolve and not burn.
• The contents of the container should boil for 5-7 minutes, then it is set aside and kept for 24 hours.
• The duration of boiling of fruit syrup on the second day is at least 10 minutes.
• On the third day, the syrup with already soaked and transparent cubes from the crusts is boiled for 10-15 minutes and poured into jars.

Despite the fact that this watermelon jam recipe is designed for three days, it is truly the simplest and most profitable.

Recipe with orange and lemon

Watermelon jam acquires a more refined taste and aroma thanks to the addition of citrus fruits. In addition to peels (1 kg) and sugar (1.2 kg), you will need one lemon and two large oranges.

The crusts are covered with sugar for 3-4 hours. The zest is removed from the fruit (when removing the top layer from oranges, you need to try not to cut off the white, bitter peel), the oranges are cut into slices.

Next, the sequence of actions will be the same as in the method of boiling watermelon jam described above. It is necessary to add zest and orange slices after the granulated sugar has completely dissolved during the first boiling.

On the third day, watermelon jam can be rolled up and stored. Using a recipe with orange and lemon, you can prepare a very aromatic delicacy with a slight sourness and a high content of vitamins.

Recipe with soda

With regular cooking in sugar syrup, the slices are quite dense. Using baking soda will help soften the fibers and make the cut pieces soft and pineapple-like in consistency.

First you need to prepare a kilogram of slices, as well as 1.2 kg of granulated sugar and a few grams of vanilla. Before cooking, the slices are placed in a bowl. Dissolve a dessert spoon of soda in a glass of boiling water, stir and pour over the crusts. Another 4-5 glasses of cold water are poured there. Soaking time is at least 5 hours. After this, the water and soda are drained and the slices are soaked for another half hour in clean water.

While the slices are in the water, you can cook the syrup. First, boil half the sugar with two glasses of water. When the liquid becomes clear, add the remaining granulated sugar and soaked pieces into it.

After 10-15 minutes of boiling, the dishes are set aside. The crusts should be soaked in syrup for 10-12 hours. Vanillin is added before boiling the watermelon jam again. The boiled syrup with slices is placed in sterilized jars.

Using this recipe you can prepare very delicate transparent watermelon jam.

In a slow cooker

The only drawback of watermelon jam is that the juicy core requires long-term boiling to the required thickness. Preparing dessert in a slow cooker will help reduce the time it takes to bring it to the desired consistency and will significantly simplify the process itself.

You can prepare a delicacy in a slow cooker in the same way as in a regular container, but you should adhere to several rules:

• The ingredients are added taking into account the fact that during boiling, abundant foam forms on the surface. Therefore, you should not fill the cup to the maximum level. To prevent watermelon jam from running away, it is worth filling the container no more than two-thirds of the total volume.
• For boiling, use the “stew” mode. The time is set depending on the cooking method. If it is necessary to add thickeners, spices or fruits to watermelon jam, the process can be carried out in two stages: first, the pulp or crusts with sugar are boiled for half an hour, then the remaining products are added, and the cooking time in the stewing mode is extended for another 20-30 minutes .
• A wooden spatula is used to periodically stir the contents of the bowl.
• The finished watermelon jam is placed in jars and rolled up. To maintain the temperature in the bowl until the moment of twisting, you can set the heating mode.

The only disadvantage of making jam in a slow cooker is the relatively small size of the bowl. To make watermelon jam for a large family, you will need to repeat the process several times.

For the winter

A sweet dessert with a pleasant fresh aroma can be eaten immediately after preparation, but it is best to save a few jars for the winter. Many vitamins contained in the fruit are not destroyed even after heat treatment.

That is why watermelon jam is rightfully called watermelon honey and is used to treat colds and strengthen the immune system in winter. In addition to vitamins, it contains a large amount of micro and macroelements, the natural antidepressant thiamine, and folic acid. Sweets made from striped berries are also rich in antioxidants, which slow down cell aging and reduce the impact of negative factors on the body.

A few spoons of watermelon jam as an addition to herbal tea, cottage cheese dessert or sweet pastries will help replenish vitamin reserves and protect against colds during the cold season.

From an unripe fruit

Even at the height of the season, it is possible to buy an unripe berry with a slightly pink center. Don't be upset about a bad purchase, as it can be used for preservation. To make jam from unripe watermelon you will need sugar (0.5 kg for the same amount of pulp), a third of a tablespoon of citric acid, 15 grams of thickener and a teaspoon of rosemary.

The step-by-step recipe is:

• The center of the seedless berry is cut into cubes and blended with a blender until smooth.
• Pour sugar and acid into the mass prepared in this way, mix well and put on fire.
• Pectin is poured into the boiling mass, and rosemary leaves are also placed in a gauze bag.
• 10 minutes after boiling, you need to extract the seasoning and pour the hot watermelon jam into jars.

This method is also suitable for those who grow watermelons on their own plot. The berries that have not had time to ripen will make a delicious vitamin-rich treat.

How long is it stored?

The shelf life depends on the container in which the finished dessert was placed. Watermelon jam rolled into sterilized jars with airtight lids will retain its taste and beneficial properties until the next season. It is better if it is stored in a cool, dark place. The use of pectin as a thickener reduces the permissible storage time to 6-7 months.

If a recipe for watermelon jam with the addition of sour fruits or lemon juice was used for preparation, the jars can be closed with ordinary plastic lids and placed in the refrigerator. How long will it be suitable for consumption? For several months. To prevent the contents of the jar from becoming moldy and spoiled, it is recommended to sprinkle it with a thin layer of powdered sugar.

The refreshing taste of watermelon is familiar to everyone, and everyone is looking forward to the ripening season of this berry, but not many melon lovers have tried watermelon jam. This delicacy is prepared in two ways. In the first, the pulp of the berry is used, resulting in a homogeneous and tender product. In the second, the raw material is watermelon rinds. In the finished jam, they turn into aromatic candied fruits or candied slices.

To prepare classic thick jam from watermelon pulp, which can even become a filling for pies and buns, you need to maintain the following proportions of ingredients:

• 1000 g of ripe (but not overripe) watermelon pulp, without seeds or peel;
• 800 g sugar;
• 3 g citric acid or 15 ml lemon juice;
• 3-4 g vanilla powder or equivalent vanilla sugar.

Cooking recipe step by step:

1. Cut the washed watermelon into slices, cut off the peel and remove the seeds. Cut the pulp into arbitrary medium-sized pieces. Add ½ part of sugar and leave for a couple of hours so that the watermelon releases its juice.
2. Strain the released liquid into another vessel and put on fire. After bringing to a boil, add the remaining sugar and cook until it is completely dissolved.
3. Pour the hot syrup over the pulp and boil it for five minutes after boiling. Next, remove from heat and soak overnight in syrup. Although watermelon has juicy pulp, it has veins that can only be softened by keeping it in syrup for a certain number of hours.
4. Add citric acid (juice) and vanillin to the cooled jam, then boil it to the desired consistency and roll up the lids, pouring into sterile jars.

With added spices and liqueur

From juicy watermelon you can prepare aromatic and thick jam with the addition of spices and liqueur, for which you use:

• 1000 g watermelon pulp;
• 1000 g crystal sugar;
• ½ medium lemon (juice);
• 2 clove inflorescences;
• 10-12 g ginger;
• 3 g vanilla;
• 20-30 ml of light liqueur or rum.

Cooking sequence:

1. Allow the chopped watermelon pulp to release its juice. To do this, cut it into pieces, cover it with sugar and leave for 60 minutes.
2. After this, boil the watermelon in its own juice for 15 minutes after boiling. Remove the pulp slices and continue cooking the syrup. It needs to be boiled down to 1/3 of the original volume.
3. After boiling the syrup for 20 minutes, squeeze lemon juice into it, and after another 10 minutes, add a gauze bag with spices.
4. Return the watermelon to the thick boiled syrup and pour in the liqueur. Boil the preparation for 10 minutes, remove the spices and you can start canning in prepared sterile jars.

Simple recipe with lemon juice

For a refreshing watermelon jam with lemon juice you need:

• 400 g diced watermelon pulp;
• 400 g sugar;
• 250 ml of drinking water;
• 1 lemon.

Cooking steps:

1. Pour 50 ml of water into a saucepan with watermelon pulp and boil the mixture for approximately thirty minutes after boiling until the pulp becomes soft.
2. Mix lemon juice with 200 ml of remaining water, 200 g of sugar and cook a thick syrup that should stretch into threads.
3. Add sugar to the already soft watermelon pulp and continue cooking, stirring. When all the crystals have dissolved, pour in the prepared syrup and add chopped lemon zest.
4. Cook the jam for another 40 minutes, and then pack it hot into clean and sterile jars.

Watermelon rind marmalade

This delicacy is not suitable for long-term storage for the winter, but with this marmalade recipe you can deliciously “recycle” the watermelon rinds that remain after making jam.

For one serving of dessert you will need:

• 500 g prepared watermelon rinds;
• 600 g granulated sugar;
• 300 ml of drinking water;
• ½ medium lemon (juice and zest);
• 5-7 g baking soda.

Progress:

1. Cut the rinds, cleared of juicy pulp and hard green shell, into small pieces. You can do this beautifully using a figured knife.
2. Soak the raw materials for 5-6 hours in a solution of a liter of water and baking soda. After soaking, rinse thoroughly, placing the colander with the crusts under running water.
3. Place the crusts in a thick-walled pan, add half the recipe amount of sugar and pour in water. The liquid should only slightly cover the crusts. Boil the contents of the pan for 15 minutes, then soak the crusts in the syrup for 12 hours.
4. Repeat boiling and soaking in syrup again. Cook for the third time, adding the remaining sugar, juice and lemon zest. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, then remove it from the sieve, and when the syrup has completely drained and the marmalade has dried a little, roll it in sugar.

Watermelon rinds are able to absorb taste, color and aroma like a sponge, so during the last boiling you can add food coloring and flavorings (vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, orange zest and others) to the syrup.

With pectin for the winter

Pectin is a thickener of plant origin that makes berries and fruits sticky and dense, turning them into jams and marmalade. But watermelon cannot boast of a high pectin content, so you can make thick jam by adding the component during cooking.

To make thick jam from watermelon pulp for the winter with pectin, you need to prepare:

• 500 g pulp without seeds and peel;
• 500 g sugar;
• 3 g vanilla;
• juice of half a lemon;
• 20 g of pectin-based jam thickener.

Cooking method:

1. After the watermelon pulp mixed with sugar releases juice (this will take one to two hours), you can begin the actual preparation.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and simmer for five to seven minutes. Then cool completely. Repeat the procedure again.
3. Add vanilla and lemon juice as a pectin thickener to the chilled jam. Stir everything well with a wooden spatula and bring to a boil again. Cook for another five minutes and seal in sterile jars.

Watermelon jam with orange

Orange is often added to various berries, fruits and even vegetables when making jam. The orange fruit is used, usually with the peel. To make it soft in jam, you need to choose fresh fruits with a thick crust.

For watermelon-orange jam you will need:

• 1500 g watermelon pulp without seeds and peel;
• 1000 g sugar;
• 3 oranges.

Cook the jam in the following sequence:

1. Place the prepared watermelon pulp, cut into small cubes, into a saucepan. Send crushed oranges to it. They are cut into cubes along with the peel. In the finished jam it will look like candied fruit.
2. Cover the berries and fruits with sugar and leave for a while (half an hour is enough). After this, boil the mixture, let it simmer for a quarter of an hour and cool.
3. Repeat the boiling procedure a total of three times and roll the jam into prepared sterile jars for long-term storage.

In a slow cooker

In just a few hours you can make watermelon jam in every housewife’s modern assistant – a multicooker. It is worth noting that this preparation is quite liquid (more like pulp in syrup) and can be stored for several months.

Product proportions:

• 500 g watermelon pulp;
• 500 g granulated sugar;
• 3-4 g of citric acid.

Cooking in a slow cooker:

1. Place pieces of watermelon pulp in a multi-pan and cover with sugar. Leave for two hours to release the juice.
2. Next, cook using the “Stew” option for 60 minutes. 5-10 minutes before the signal about the end of the process, add citric acid.
3. Transfer the finished hot jam into sterile jars, roll up with iron lids and cool, placing them upside down.

Watermelon rind jam

Having bought a thick-skinned watermelon at the market, most are disappointed, but this is not a reason to be upset.

The thick rind of watermelon can become a delicious jam, for which you need to take:

• 1 kg watermelon rinds;
• 1 kg sugar;
• 7 g citric acid;
• 540 ml water for syrup.

Cooking technology:

1. Prepare watermelon rinds. Since only their white part will go into jam, the pulp and green crust must be trimmed off. Cut the white part of the peel into small cubes and rinse under running water.
2. Boil two liters of water and dissolve 4 g of citric acid in them. Blanch the peels in the resulting solution for 5-6 minutes, then immediately immerse them in ice water for 2-3 minutes and drain in a colander.
3. Make syrup from water and sugar. While it is hot, transfer the blanched peels into it and leave for 6-8 hours. After this exposure, bring the jam to a boil, boil for 3-4 minutes and leave it alone again for 6-8 hours.
4. Return the jam to the heat and boil for another 3-4 minutes, but with 3 g of citric acid. This should be followed by a third exposure (again 6-8 hours). After this, the crusts are cooked for 10-15 minutes and sealed in sterile jars. Watermelon rind jam is ready.

Whatever recipe for watermelon jam the housewife decides to prepare, you need to remember Its essential ingredient is citric acid or lemon juice. These products act as natural preservatives and will add a pleasant sourness to the preparation, removing excess cloying.

If the same story happened to you as it did to me: you brought a watermelon from the market, cut it, and it was... unsweetened, then this does not mean that you are unlucky. You now have an excellent opportunity to learn how to make watermelon jam; a step-by-step recipe with pictures is included to help you. The main thing is to look into the supermarket and buy a couple of lemons and a couple of bags of Zhelfix or Jelly. Without them, alas, the jam will not work. Without pectin-containing additives, you will end up with either fruit juice or, if you don’t break the pieces with a blender, sweet watermelon soup. Our plans do not include such results. We will make sweet and sour coral-colored jam with a very noticeable watermelon aroma.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 liters of watermelon juice
• 1 liter of sugar
• 150 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 sachets of zhelfix 2:1

I intentionally gave the quantity of products in volumes, because by the weight of a watermelon with rind and seeds it is difficult to estimate how much pulp it will produce. But measuring the volume of already squeezed juice is more than easy. You just need to take a glass container of the appropriate size.

How to make watermelon jam

I started by hanging the remaining half of the watermelon. It turned out 3.5 kilos.

Next, it was necessary to scrape the pulp out of it. I read somewhere that you need to cut a watermelon for jam in a special way - along the line of the seeds. And then carefully remove these bones. But I couldn’t find these lines on my watermelon. Either the variety is not classic, or I have some problems with my eye. So I handed the children spoons and they cheerfully took out all the pulp and seeds from the watermelon.

And then I realized that the main question is how to separate these seeds now? First, I tried rubbing pieces of watermelon through a sieve. This turned out to be a very tedious and unproductive task. Attempts to grate the pulp also did not yield results - the bones fell into the basin along with the pulp. And then I decided to do it the old fashioned way. She stood over the basin and stupidly sorted through the watermelon pulp with her hands, separating the seeds. I measured the time. It took exactly 15 minutes. There were a lot of seeds, they were small and half were white. In general, an activity for the strong-willed. Gradually, I sorted out all the large pieces and the juice mixed with bones remained at the bottom of the pan, so I strained it through a sieve. This is what happened.

Take a blender and turn the watermelon mass into juice. The whipping process produces a lot of pink foam - enough for two full cups for the children.

Strain the juice through a sieve again. Throw away the incomprehensible shaky mass that remains after straining. And we measure the juice by volume. I got a jar of one and a half liters (during the preparation of the juice, some of it was drunk, otherwise more would have come out). Measure sugar into a liter jar.

Squeeze juice from lemons. I had two lemons of gigantic size - they made exactly half a glass of juice.

Pour lemon juice into a saucepan with watermelon. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. We take two bags of zhelfix 2:1. Pour it into a bowl. Mix with 4 tablespoons of sugar. Pour into boiled watermelon juice and stir quickly. It’s best to stir with a broom – it spreads evenly.

Bring watermelon juice with pectin to a boil, pour sugar into it and boil intensively for 5-7 minutes. Carefully! Do not leave the pan unattended! The juice may begin to rise when boiling to escape. And you need to have time to either reduce the heat on the stove or raise the pan above the burner.

The finished jam turns out to be a fairly rich coral color. Deep, slightly transparent. When hot it is liquid. You can check how well pectin has reacted with watermelon juice: take a flat plate and pour a little jam on it. It should gel fairly quickly. This means you can pour the jam into jars.

I got one and a half liters of jam. The next day it was already set and held on the spoon in a heap.

What kind of jam did we not make when we lived in Uzbekistan? And from berries, and from fruits, and even from vegetables. Yes, yes, don’t be surprised, they made it from tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant. And of course, melons and melons were not ignored. It was prepared from melon and watermelon.

Melon was used when they bought it not too sweet. No one wanted to eat such a melon, and this is not surprising in a land where the most delicious vegetables and fruits in the world are. And it was also a pity to throw it away. And then such a melon was used for harvesting, or it was dried.

And they cooked from watermelon when they bought thick-skinned watermelon. Then they cut off the thick crusts from it and did not throw them away. I had to cook it, and for good reason – it turned out very tasty.

Now the watermelon season is in full swing. And most likely, many people come across watermelons with thick rinds. So why throw them away? Why waste it? Let's cook. There will be something to drink tea with on long winter evenings. How delicious to serve such jam with, or.

Prepared according to this recipe, it turns out not only tasty, but also beautiful. It is completely transparent, golden, as if filled with solar warmth and light. What does it come from, white watermelon rinds and sugar... and the color turns out simply amazing!

I suggest you buy a watermelon as soon as possible and prepare this delicacy for everyone! Well, at least a few jars.

We will need:

• watermelon rinds from one watermelon
• sugar at the rate of 1 kg of sugar per 1 kg of peeled rinds

Preparation:

1. Before you cut the watermelon, wash it thoroughly with warm water and soap. Then let the water drain. and cut as you usually cut. Cut off the peels. Cut the pulp into pieces and eat, and cut off the green part from the crusts. We won't need it, so throw it away immediately.

When you cut off the rinds, leave just a little of the red part of the watermelon on them. In this case, the delicacy will be both tastier and more beautiful.

2. Cut the white part into cubes. The sizes can be arbitrary. Some people prefer large pieces, others smaller ones. I cut the peels approximately 2x2 cm in size. When all the peels are cut and cut, they need to be weighed. We need this in order to know how much sugar to add.

For 1 kg of peeled watermelon rinds you will need 1 kg of sugar.

If it is not possible to weigh, then add approximately, that is, “by eye.” Previously, no one had any scales, and sugar was always added “by eye.” And the jam did not become any less tasty. But try to add sugar in this case rather than not add it.

3. Pour sugar over the chopped pieces, shake the bowl slightly from side to side so that the crusts mix with the sugar. This way they will release the juice faster. Place them in a cool place so that the crusts release juice and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Some people add water, or make syrup from sugar and water. I think this is unnecessary. Watermelon is 90 percent water. So why do we need to add it further? In addition, I personally prefer the finished product, which contains more solid components than liquid. Watermelon rinds will already release quite a lot of juice, and this will result in a lot of syrup.

In addition, without adding water, the jam will be thicker and more viscous. And with water - liquid. Yes, and it will take longer to cook. Therefore, decide for yourself whether you need to add water. But I’ll say right away that I wouldn’t recommend it.

4. Let the crusts with sugar sit for four hours. During this time, they will already release enough juice to start cooking.

5. Gently mix the contents. When stirring during the entire cooking process, try not to damage the crusts. The jam will be beautiful when they remain whole.

6. Place on low heat until the sugar gradually dissolves. If the fire is high, the sugar may burn. Don’t forget to gently stir the chopped pieces from time to time.

7. When the syrup begins to boil, and this will happen when all the sugar has dissolved, the heat can be increased to medium. Foam will begin to appear; it must be removed carefully.

The foam should be skimmed off when preparing any jam. If left, it may ferment during storage. And all our efforts will be in vain.

8. Once the syrup boils over the entire surface, allow it to simmer for only 5 minutes. Then turn it off immediately. Let cool at room temperature. Once it cools down, cover it with a towel to prevent dust and insects from getting into it. Flies and midges immediately sense where the food is tasty.

It will remain there until the next day. To prevent the towel from falling into the bowl with the contents, you can first cover it with an oven rack, and only then cover it with a towel.

9. The next day, that is, after 24 hours, we repeat the procedure. That is, bring it to a boil again, skimming off the foam, and cook for 5 minutes. Don't forget to mix the contents. We make sure nothing burns. Sugar, it’s so... sticky, you can hardly notice it, it’s already trying to stick somewhere.

We remove the basin with its contents again for 24 hours.

10. In the evening of this day, wash the jars and lids. We sterilize them. You can see how to do this in the recipe. Turn the jars over so that all the water drains out.

11. On the third day, cook again for another 5 minutes. This time it's ready. The contents should become thick and viscous.

If the liquid component has not become viscous, then the jam must be cooled and allowed to boil again for 5-10 minutes; there is no need to wait 24 hours. Sometimes heating three times is not enough; after all, do not forget that watermelon consists of 90 percent water. Therefore, we need to achieve the desired state of ductility, sometimes 3 times is enough, and sometimes 5.

12. When we have achieved this state, immediately place the tasty delicacy in sterilized jars, right under the neck, right under the neck and screw the lids on.

13. Store it in a cool place. It is not necessary to store in the refrigerator.

For flavor during cooking, you can optionally add 4-5 sprigs of cloves. Or add citrus fruits - oranges or lemons. Or both together. And if there is a vanilla pod, then just put it in the basin. It will fill all its contents with a simply divine aroma.

Watermelon rind jam with lemon or orange

We will need:

• watermelon rinds - 1 kg
• sugar -1.2 kg
• orange - 2 pcs
• lemon - 1 pc.

Preparation:

This cooking method completely repeats the first one, described in great detail. Therefore, I will not dwell on the details, but will only describe the main points.

1. Peel the watermelon rinds and cut them.

2. Add sugar. Leave to release the juice in a cool place for 3-4 hours.

4. Grate the lemon zest on a fine grater, or cut it off using a special knife.

5. Grate the zest of two oranges on a fine grater. We rub only the crust itself, without touching the white pulp. It is bitter, and if it gets into the syrup, it will taste bitter.

6. When the crusts have released the juice, put the contents on low heat and heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

7. Meanwhile, peel the oranges from the remaining peel, separate them into slices and cut each bottom into halves.

8. Add chopped oranges, zest from them and lemon, and also squeeze the juice from the lemon directly into a bowl with peels and sugar.

9. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

10. The next day cook for another 5 minutes, and the next day for another 5 minutes.

11. If the syrup has not thickened, then next time we prepare it immediately after it has cooled, maybe until it’s ready. And the cooking time can be increased to 10 minutes.

12. Place the finished treat into sterilized jars and screw on the lids.

13. Store in a cool place.

Jam with the addition of citrus fruits is slightly sour and has a very tasty aroma. Every piece of watermelon rind is soaked in citrus juice and becomes very tasty.

Usually, I always prepare this delicacy with watermelon rinds in this way. It is the most delicious, in my opinion. We cooked according to the first option when we lived in Uzbekistan. There were no oranges or lemons there in the summer. And in general it was a luxury.

In a very simple way, you can prepare a delicious delicacy in a slow cooker.

Watermelon rind jam in a slow cooker

We will need:

• watermelon rinds - 0.5 kg
• sugar -0.5 kg
• water -0.5 l

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut the watermelon rinds into cubes of the desired size.

2. Place them in the multicooker bowl.

3. Boil water and pour it over the crusts, add 300 grams of sugar.

4. Set the “Stew” mode and let the contents cook for 1.5 hours. After an hour, add the remaining sugar.

5. When the time is up, we need to check what we have prepared. If the syrup is not thick enough, you can set the “Steam” mode. We maintain this mode for 15 minutes.

6. Place hot in sterilized jars.

In this recipe you can also add orange or lemon, or both. Or just zest or sprigs of cloves.

You can make jam without water. Here is another video recipe on how to do this.

There is another way to prepare watermelon delicacy without adding water. For this recipe, you will need to purchase pectin powder at the store. In this case, cook it in the “Soup” mode until done, just with the addition of pectin. You can read how to use it on the packaging. To thicken the jam, we also turn on the “Steam” mode for the last 15 minutes.

Features of making jam from watermelon rinds

• Sometimes people are afraid to make jam from watermelon rinds because they allegedly contain nitrates. Let's figure this out together.

In fact, nitrates accumulate in the peel. But we just throw away this very green peel, and make jam from the white and pink parts.

In addition, watermelons are “fed” with nitrates when they are very early. This is done to shorten the ripening period. We prepare it in the midst, or at the end of the watermelon season. By this time, there is no longer a need to “feed” watermelons with nitrates. They ripen naturally.

There is a way by which all nitrates, if any, are washed off. How to do it.

The crusts are poured with cold water with chalk dissolved in it. Leave for 2-3 hours, then drain the water and rinse the crusts. Nitrates are “washed off” with water.

There is another simpler method, in which the crusts are simply filled with cold water and placed in the refrigerator overnight. Then the water is drained and the crusts are washed.

Whether you resort to this method or not, decide for yourself.

• The amount of sugar added to the crusts may vary. It all depends on taste preferences. Add from 600 g to 1.5 kg of sugar per 1 kg of crusts. Some people like it very sweet, some less sweet. I consider the proportion of 1 kg of watermelon rinds per 1 kg of sugar to be the most optimal.
• This watermelon delicacy is also prepared in different ways. The method I suggest is also used, but it is prepared three times for 5 minutes each during one day.
• They cook it for 20 minutes, for example, for 2 days. Every housewife who cooks always has her own recipe.

I like to cook “five-minute meals” at 24-hour intervals. So that the berries or fruits have time to be saturated with sugar syrup until the very middle. This is what allows us to achieve such transparency and taste. In addition, the liquid component, also saturated with juice from berries and fruits, becomes thick, viscous and also tasty.

Therefore, I take my time and cook at 24 hour intervals. We have already prepared both , and .

In this article, I tried to show you the simplest ways to make jam from watermelon rinds. I hope that you can easily choose the most suitable one for yourself. And you will get a tasty and aromatic delicacy that will delight you during the long winter, remembering the warm summer.

Bon appetit!

The most common berry to buy in late summer and early fall is watermelon. Watermelon contains all useful substances, such as: B vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and the daily requirement of folic acid.

Accordingly, watermelon jam made from watermelon pulp will retain all the beneficial substances that are so necessary on cold winter days. If you want to make watermelon jam, then my simple recipe with step-by-step photos will help you make such a preparation.

In order to prepare 1 jar of this preparation at home, you need the following ingredients:

• 500 grams of watermelon pulp;
• 500 grams of sugar.

How to make watermelon jam for the winter

Before you start cooking, remove the seeds and rough green peel from the watermelon pulp.

Cut into small squares and place in a saucepan.

Sprinkle sugar on top. Leave for 2 hours. If you started cooking in the evening, you can leave it in the refrigerator until the morning.

Place watermelon jam on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Let it cool. Put it on the fire again for 15 minutes. Let it cool and do the same manipulation one last time.

Fill a pre-washed jar with watermelon jam and place in the oven or microwave for 5 minutes. We close the lid with scalded boiling water, place a manual seamer on top and screw the lid clockwise until it stops.

It is better to store watermelon jam in a cool place, protected from light. Shelf life 3 years. After opening, the jam should be consumed within 2 weeks.

Beautiful and tasty homemade watermelon jam is ideal for eating with green tea or coffee without sugar.