Instructions: Day No. 1: Cut the watermelon rind into manageable chunks. Scrape all the remaining red watermelon meat from the inside of the rind. Peel off the hard green skin of the outer rind with a small knife. (Its not difficult, but it takes a while.) Cube rind into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, dissolve salt in the water. Transfer cubes to the salted water. Find an out-of-the-way corner of your kitchen for the bowl and then weight the rind down with a plate to keep it submerged. Soak the cubes for about 24 hours.

Day No. 2: Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to a boil, simmering the syrup for about 5 minutes. While the syrup simmers, drain the cubes, rinse and drain again. Rinse the bowl the cubes were soaking in and return the cubes to the bowl. Pour the hot syrup over the rind, return the bowl to its original resting place, cover it lightly and let rind soak for another 24 hours.

Day No. 3: Sterilize canning jars according to manufacturers directions. Pour the cubes and syrup into a large pan and bring the mixture to a boil. With a slotted spoon, pack the cubes lightly into the prepared jars, dividing the lemon slices and spices equally among the jars. Pour the syrup over the cubes, covering them but leaving about 1/2-inch head space. Seal. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Allow the pickles to sit for at least 1 week (preferably several) before serving.

This recipe yields about 8 pints.

Yield: 8 pints

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