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Title: Uncommonly Good Cantaloupe Pickles
Categories: Canning Pickle Check
Yield: 4 Servings
| 1 | md | Not quite ripe cantaloupe |
| 1 | qt | Vinegar |
| 2 | c | Water |
| 2 | Sticks cinnamon | |
| 1 | tb | Whole cloves |
| 1 | ts | Ground mace |
| 4 | c | Brown sugar |
These are extraordinarily good pickles to serve at parties or company dinners. The recipe makes four 1/2 pint jars. You will need all the basic equipment plus a large saucepan and mixing bowl and a cheesecloth spice bag.
1. Peel and seed the cantaloupe, cut it into 1 inch chunks and put in large mixing bowl.
2. In a saucepan, combine vinegar and water. Tie whole spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to the saucepan along with mace. Heat to boiling.
3. Pour boiling, spiced vinegar over cantaloupe in mixing bowl. Set the bowl aside and let it stand overnight.
4. Organize ingredients, equipment, and work space.
5. Drain vinegar into saucepan and heat to boiling. Add cantaloupe and sugar; heat to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer about 1 hour, or until transparent.
6. Meanwhile, wash and rinse jars; keep them hot in a low oven or pan of hot water.
7. Pack hot cantaloupe into the hot jars to within 1/2 inch of tops.
8. Boil the vinegar sugar mixture about 5 minutes or until syrupy.
9. Pour the syrup into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of tops. Run a slim, non metal tool down along the insides of jars to release any air bubbles. Add additional syrup, if necessary, to within 1/2 inch of tops.
10. Wipe tops and threads of jars with a damp clean cloth.
11. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.
12. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Follow the basic steps for boiling water bath canning, 10 through 18.
Source: Vegetable Gardening Encyclopedia Typos by Dorothy Flatman 1995
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