Sunday, October 25, 2015

Cherries in syrup



Canning your fruits in a simple syrup makes it easy to do a pie or cobbler or use it for lots of other recipes.  Canning pie filling requires that you use Clear Jel, a modified corn starch as the thickener.  This is often hard to find in some areas unless you order it online.  So canning the fruit is a medium syrup is a good alternative.

If you want to make a Cherry Pie from this fruit, all you need to do is drain the syrup.  Add your spices and use a little corn starch to thicken it up.

Fold your cherries back into the glaze and fill you crust.  Bake as usual.

You can also use this to make a great "Dump Cake" or "Cobbler".  Want Cherry Jam...no problem there either.  Just open a jar and chop your cherries and proceed to make jam.  Many uses, one jar!!

I used approximately 15 pounds of cherries to yield 7 quarts

You need:
Cherries (Washed, Pitted and Drained)
Syrup (10 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar)



Put your water and sugar in a large stainless steel pot and heat to boiling.  Once sugar is melted add your cherries and bring back to a boil.  



Fill your jars with cherries and syrup leaving 1/2 inch head-space.  Remove air bubbles and adjust head-space as needed.


Wipe the rims of your jars with a paper towel dipped in vinegar.  Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight.  Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes for quarts.

Table 1. Recommended Process Time for Sweet or Sour Cherries, Whole in boiling-water canner.
 Process at Altitudes of:
Style of PackJar Size0 - 1,000 ft1,001 - 3,000 ft3,001 - 6,000 ftAbove 6,000 ft
HotPints15 min202025
Quarts20253035
RawPints or Quarts25303540

 Reference:  NCHFP.  Cherries can be "Hot" or "Raw" Packed.  For Raw Pack directions, Click on the link.  Raw Packed Cherries.

Let jars sit for 24 hours.  Remove rings.  Wash, Label and Store in a cool, dark place.