canning cherries

Summer is quickly coming to a close and I'm feeling all soft and sentimental about summer fruits. While I aim to pretty much eat what's local and in season, come around December, I know I'll get a hankering for something... inaccessible. Which is where canning comes in.

Canned Cherries:

Equipment: canning pot with jar rack or large stock pot with pasta insert, canning funnel, sterilized, sterilized canning jars, jar lifter, cherry pitter (optional), large saucepan for heating cherries in sugar syrup


Ingredients:

• cherries
• sugar (3/4 c. per half pound cherries)
• water

For pre-soak, salt-vinegar solution (optional; done to retain color. Mostly unnecessary, especially for unpitted cherries):

• 2 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 gallon water

Directions:

• Pit and stem cherries, optional
• Soak cherries in the salt vinegar solution, optional
• Put cherries in saucepan with enough water to cover. Add 3/4 cup sugar for each half pound cherries. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, Bring your large pot or canning pot of water to a boil. Place jars in using jar lifter to heat them up (there are other options, I wash and sanitize mine in the dishwasher and take them out for this step while still piping hot.)
• Pour cherries into jars using canning funnel, leaving 1/2 in. head space and wipe rims clean
• Seal jars with lids
• Place in the boiling water using jar rack or pasta insert until covered by at least 1/2 in. water. Add more water if necessary to cover.
• Boil 15-20 minutes, remove with jar lifter and place on towel where they will not be disturbed to cool. 
• Check for a proper seal 12-24 hours later by lightly pressing on center of lid. It should be concave and have no give. Label with contents and date.

                                                   

Enjoy!

XO, Debbie