Sour Cherry Preserves Recipes

SOUR-CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• In a nonreactive bowl, combine all ingredients. Let stand, stirring often, until fruit has begun to macerate, 1 hour. Place a parchment round directly over surface and refrigerate, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Remove from refrigerator and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Strain mixture through a medium-mesh sieve, reserving solids. Place juices in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any impurities from surface, reduce heat to medium, and cook, skimming occasionally, until reduced by half and very syrupy, 16 to 18 minutes. Stir in reserved cherry solids. Return to a simmer and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until fruit is plump and just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes more. Let cool slightly, then transfer to jars. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 1 month or try canning with our helpful instructions.

SOUR CHERRY JAM

Steps:

• Pit fresh 3 lbs sour cherries. If working with pitted fruit, the total weight should be about 2 1/2 lbs pitted, or roughly 5 cups pitted fruit.
• Place the fruit in a heavy-bottomed jam pot along with lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Cook the cherry mixture, stirring continuously to avoid boil-overs, for about 20 minutes until the fruit has completely fallen apart.
• Add sugar. (If adding pectin, now is the time, see notes).
• Continue cooking the jam until it reaches gel stage, about 25 to 30 more minutes.
• Test for gel stage on a plate that's been placed in the freezer, or with an instant-read thermometer (220 degrees F at sea level).
• Turn off heat and ladle jam into prepared jars. De-bubble, wipe rims and adjust headspace to 1/4 inch. Store in the refrigerator for immediate use (within 1 month), or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for a shelf-stable jam.

SOUR CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• 1. Drain juice from cherries; set cherries aside.
• 2. Add sugar to juice (if there is not enough juice to dissolve the sugar add a little water). cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
• 3. Add cherries; cook rapidly until cherries become glossy. Cover let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place.
• 4. Bring to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim the foam from the top if necessary. Ladle hot preserves into hot jars. Don't forget to leave 1/4 inch headspace. Place your lids on and then process in a hot water bath in a canner for 15 minutes.
• 5. Now remove jars and place on a towel to cool. Let sit for 6 hours or till next day. Twist your lids on tight one more time and then label your jars and put away.
• 6. In case you did't know: This is a preserve that does not jell up. It is a liquid inside.....there is no pectin in this recipe and so it is cherries in a sweet liquid.

PRESERVED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Inspect 8 half-pint jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water for 10 minutes to sterilize. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Fill sterilized jars with cherries up to the "neck" of the jar.
• Pour water into a large pan and bring to a boil. Add sugar and keep boiling until sugar dissolves. Pour hot simple syrup over cherries into the jars up to 1/8-inch from the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any spills. Top with lids and tightly screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 20 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart. Let rest for 24 hours without moving the jars. Gently press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.

SOUR CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Toss together cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
• Wrap cherry pits in a paper towel and crack them with a rolling pin or pestle just enough to extract inner white kernels. Discard outer shells and tie white kernels in a cheesecloth bag. Stir bag into cherry mixture and chill, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Sterilize jars and lids .
• Pour cherries with liquid and cheesecloth bag into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot (sugar will not be completely dissolved). Bring to a rolling boil over moderate heat, then boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer cherries with a slotted spoon to a sieve set over a bowl to catch juice. Drain cherries 5 minutes, then add juice from bowl to juice in pot.
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Divide cherries among jars using a slotted spoon.
• Return juice in pot to a rolling boil, skimming off any foam. Continue boiling until juice registers 220 to 224°F on thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes. Discard cheesecloth bag.
• Gradually add pectin, whisking constantly. Return juice to a rolling boil, then boil, skimming off any foam, 1 minute. Ladle juice into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between fruit and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
• Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling preserves in jars 10 minutes.
• Let preserves stand in jars at least 1 day for flavors to develop.

OVER-THE-TOP CHERRY JAM

Steps:

• In a food processor, cover and process cherries in batches until finely chopped. Transfer to a Dutch oven; stir in pectin and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. , Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into 6 hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.