Soak Watermelon In This Liquid Gold For A Tangy, Sour Snack

If you only know watermelon as a sweet treat, mixed into a fruit salad or eaten from the rind on a hot summer's day, you're missing a trick. Simply soaking watermelon in some pickle juice transforms this fruit altogether, taking it from a dessert-like snack to one that is tangy, salty, sour, and sweet all at the same time.

If we're losing you, stay with us, because this actually taps into a familiar flavor contrast and isn't as outlandish as it may seem. Many people grew up sprinkling salt over watermelon at family cookouts, or even pairing the fruit with salty, tangy varieties of cheese like feta. So pickle juice is a riff on the same concept, the salt- and vinegar-laden brine easily seeps into the watermelon (thanks to the watermelon being 92% water) to create a stunning and sharp sour-sweet contrast. 

It's also a clever trick for times when you've brought home a large melon from the store only to realize you won't get through it all quickly. Pickling will preserve its longevity a little more, keeping it fresh for two to three weeks in the fridge. And not only is it a creative way to use leftover watermelon, it's also a great trick for using up the pickle juice left at the end of the jar. The truth is, you can basically quick pickle anything and everything, so watermelon is just another example of how a good brine can work magic.

The simplest way to try out pickled watermelon is to simply let chunks of it sit in the leftover brine from a jar of dill pickles and watch it transform. No pickles in the house? No problem. A mixture of vinegar, water, salt, and a little sugar creates an easy homemade pickle brine that will recreate the same sweet-sour balance. In the South, it's common to pickle the watermelon rind too. In fact, pickled watermelon rind wrapped in bacon is an unexpectedly delicious combination that makes an incredible appetizer. But while the sturdy rind can withstand a long pickle (it can stay fresh for a month or so), the watermelon flesh shouldn't be soaked for that long as it may turn into mush instead of keeping its crunch.

Your new pickle-soaked watermelon pieces have an untold amount of uses in the kitchen, from snacking on them straight to chopping them into a salad, adding them to grain bowls, or serving them alongside grilled meat. They could even be used as an unusual cocktail garnish. You don't need to be a seasoned pickler to try this one out; just letting the watermelon soak in some existing brine is enough to transform it into something entirely new.