Preserve It . . . Canning Corner - Bottled Cherries!

It's Cherry Season!

The first year I did cherries I swore I'd never do them

again.  I didn't have a cherry pitter and TONS of cherries to do,

so I used the end of a potato peeler to get the pits out.

It took FOREVER to get one quart jar full!

I wouldn't even let anyone eat the cherries.

I just wanted them to sit on the shelf and look pretty!

I finally got a cherry pitter and cherries are back on my

list of things to can!

Here's the How To:

Wash the Cherries

Remove the Pits and Stems

Prepare the Syrup

(Recipe included below.)

Fill clean canning jars about 1/2 full of pitted cherries.

You can leave your cherries whole or you can cut them in half.

Add about 1 cup of syrup and tap the bottom of the

jar to settle the cherries.

Continue adding the cherries until you have about

1/2" headspace.

Add enough syrup to cover the cherries.

Add new lids and tighten finger tight with jar rings.

Lids need to be heated to a simmer.

Process pints and quarts for 25 minutes in a

waterbath canner.

Syrup Recipe:

Extra Light

1 cup sugar to 4 1/2 cups water

Light

2 cups sugar to 5 cups water

Medium

3 cups sugar to 5 1/2 cups water

Heavy

4 3/4 cups sugar to 6 1/2 cups water

Heat until sugar is dissolved.

Honey Syrup Recipe:

Light

1 1/2 cups honey to 4 cups water

Medium

2 cups honey to 4 cups water

Give it a try!

Nothing beats a Hot Cherry Pie on a cold winter day!!!