Russian Pickled Watermelon Image Used Under Creative Commons License From extraslaw.com
Citizens, the week of fermentation and pickling continues with this very unusual pickled watermelon recipe from Russia!
Unlike the southern United States watermelon rind pickle, this includes the fruit as well, transformed into spicy, herbal, sweet and garlicky goodness from a classic lactobacillus brine (i.e. no vinegar added).
This is a delicious and rare recipe, only occasionally found translated into English – I hope you enjoy my TFD-enhanced version of a Russian classic! I’ve added the spicy kick of jalapeño and even an eccentric touch of (optional) peppadew peppers for sweet heat!
2lb. watermelon, rind left on, cut into 1″-thick wedges
Instructions
The ideal watermelon for pickling is firm-fleshed and on the rising side of ripeness. In most watermelon varieties, a yellower belly means a riper melon, so go for the whiter end of the spectrum.
Prepare the watermelon. Cut pieces into the size and shape that are most appropriate to you and your container.
Make the brine. To figure how much salt you’ll need, fit the watermelon pieces into the non-reactive container (or containers) you’re using (preferably glass or ceramic).
Cover them with water, then transfer the water to a measuring cup. Add the appropriate amount of salt and stir to dissolve.
BRINE PROPORTION: 1 tablespoon Kosher salt per pint (2 cups) of water.
Return the salt water to the container of watermelon. Add all other ingredients you’re using and combine (don’t put your fingers in the brine!).
Use a plate or saucer that fits inside the container to weigh down the ingredients. Cover the container with a kitchen towel to keep out insects.
Let it ferment. By 24 hours you’ll likely see some bubbles and maybe some frothy foam. That’s good. In warm weather, it normally takes 2 or 4 days for the transformation to occur.
You can jump start the fermentation process by adding a spoonful of brine from a previous batch of fermented pickles. Using this method, the pickles should be ready for the fridge in 24 hours.
As soon as you detect a tinge of tangy of lacto-fermentation in the brine (think half-sour pickles) move the pickles into the fridge to stop fermentation.
Russian watermelon pickles should be served supremely cold. Serve them from a bowl along with some of their brine and vegetables/spices. The pickles will keep for a month or two.
After a week or 10 days, their crunch factor diminishes and the texture becomes softer and denser. At the same time, the flavor becomes more complex. Serve at the time you prefer.
Prep Time:0 hours
Cook Time:0 hours
Category:Recipes
Nutrition
Calories:119.57 kcal
Sugar:15.14 g
Sodium:49.82 mg
Fat:1.63 g
Saturated Fat:0.28 g
Trans Fat:0.0 g
Carbohydrates:28.27 g
Fiber:4.69 g
Protein:3.33 g
Cholesterol:0.0 mg
How useful was this post, Citizen?
Click to rate My Recipe, Citizen - 5 hearts are ALWAYS appreciated!
Average rating / 5. Vote count:
No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
As you found this post useful...
Follow us on social media, Citizen!
We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!
Внешний вид того, что получится, не соответствует фото. Обычно менее яркое. И брожение начинается дня через два. Температура брожения около 22 градусов.
Be advised that as an enlightened Dictatorship here at TFD, we are indeed on the side of right when it comes to protecting the privacy of TFD Nation!
We do use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access device information, solely to improve your browsing experience and to show personalized ads.
Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions - trust us, we really ARE on your side!
YOUR LOYALTY IS NOTED!
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Внешний вид того, что получится, не соответствует фото. Обычно менее яркое. И брожение начинается дня через два. Температура брожения около 22 градусов.
Но вкусно очень.