Eating watermelon

[The Mama Chicken]

We picked our first Sugar Baby watermelon yesterday. It was only about 2 pounds, but it was very sweet and had a great texture. Since hubby has hone hog wild with the watermelon this year (he planted nearly 100 hills!) I'm wondering if there's anything to do with watermelons besides eat them fresh. I've heard of pickled watermelon rinds, but are there any ways to preserve the actual flesh? I doubt that it would freeze well, or can well. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

Watermelon preserves:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/waterm...rmelon&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

Not sure how well this stores but sherbet:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/waterm...rmelon&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

This is easier to save:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-...rmelon&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

http://hipgirlshome.com/blog/2011/6/23/preserving-watermelon.html

http://www.sbcanning.com/2011/07/canning-and-preserving-watermelon-whole.html

 

[catjac1975]

I would think frozen juice would be the best option. I think I have seen frozen watermelon balls in the store.

We picked our first Sugar Baby watermelon yesterday. It was only about 2 pounds, but it was very sweet and had a great texture. Since hubby has hone hog wild with the watermelon this year (he planted nearly 100 hills!) I'm wondering if there's anything to do with watermelons besides eat them fresh. I've heard of pickled watermelon rinds, but are there any ways to preserve the actual flesh? I doubt that it would freeze well, or can well. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[digitS']

I was wondering if the watermelon that we can buy around here was coming from the states yet . . . now, I bet that's true.

Good for you, TMC! Good on your DH, too. I suspect you may have real problems making much use of so many plants without taking a load down to the feed store parking lot and setting out a sign.

One thing I wanted to do with surplus garden produce when I first realized how much waste there can be to a large garden, was to make wine. Melon wine was outta the question - since it is all I can do here to get a melon of any kind to ripen . Still, I had ideas about carrot, winter squash, tomato . . . yeah, ideas. I don't know why I hadn't learned my lesson from purchasing tree fruit and making wine. I just wasn't able to do better than, or even half-as-good, as store-bought grape. I mean, people go to college to learn what they need to know about grape wine. A bit of the old idea still lingers, however .

Back when I was a member of the "Wild Wines" forum, I learned about Jack Keller's winemaking website. I never used any of his recipes (maybe that was my mistake) but he had a good reputation even back 10 years ago.
winemaking.jackkeller.net/watermel.asp

Steve
edited to fix the link

 

[so lucky]

Send them up here and I'll take care of them for you!

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I've been cruising around the internet looking for recipes. So far, I want to try drying some for fruit leather, watermelon sorbet, and watermelon syrup. Hubby does plan to sell quite a few of them, the kids will help and earn themselves a little spending money.

 

[ninnymary]

I just LOVE watermelon! And around here, they don't seem to be very good. They are bland and mealy or mushy. I buy one every week, and each week I wished I lived in Texas where watermelons are really good.

You can make agua fresca with them.

Mary

 

[Carol Dee]

If all else fails the chickens will love them !!!!

 

[peteyfoozer]

ooohh I am thinking of watermelon margarita...watermelon daquiri...watermelon smoothies...I love watermelon!!