Life Is Just Like A Bowl Of Cherries!🍒🍒🍒
Don’t you think a bowl of cherries is a beautiful sight? I couldn’t resist getting some since their season is so short. I’m pretty sure they won’t grow around here and even if they did, trying to keep the birds away would be full-time job. But, it sure would be fun to grow my own! Cherry Jam is delicious just as is or as an ingredient in so many other amazing recipes.
I have a ton of ideas of things I plan to make and most are made with this basic cherry jam. Basically, I plan on jammin’ on cherries, for the next week! This is about the easiest thing you’ll ever make. It just takes a little time to pit the fresh cherries. I can think of much worse things to do! If you don’t have a cherry pitter (and either do I), it’s easy to just split the cherry with your finger and pull the pit out. The cherries are chopped in order to make the jam, so preserving their beauty for this recipe was not important. If you do want a pretty final result after pitting, just make a small cut in the bottom middle of the cherry and remove the pit carefully from the bottom.
Badda Bing, Badda Boom!
Cherries are a very easy fruit to use for jam. You can use pectin, which I did, or you can cook them slowly and just add a little lemon and sugar. Here’s how I made it
Pit Stop
Pit and chopped 3 cups of fresh Bing cherries. Put the cherries into a non re-active heavy bottomed sauce pan. On medium high heat, add 2 cups of sugar and let them come to a boil that does not stop when stirred. Remove from the heat and add on package, 6 ounces of liquid pectin. Wait a minute and skim off any foam and discard. Return to the simmer another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add to jars. This jam will keep in the fridge for at least a few weeks. If you want to preserve by canning or option to make jam without pectin, see the notes in the recipe below.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups pitted, chopped fresh cherries (Bing or Sour)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (add 1/2 cup more if using sour cherries)
- 6 ounces liquid pectin
- *juice of 1 lemon if not using pectin
Instructions
- In a medium size heavy bottom, non-reactive pot, bring sugar and cherries to a rolling boil that will not stir down. Let boil 1 minute. Take off heat and add liquid pectin, stir well. Wait a minute then skim off foam and discard. Return to heat and let simmer another 5 minutes.
- Cool then spoon into jars, cover and refrigerate up to 30 days
- *if preserving in canner - steralize jars and bands. Simmer lids. Fill canner as directed with water and boil. Fill jars to 1/4 inch head room and remove air bubbles by tamping with plastic tool or wooden spoon handle. Top with canning lids and bands. Process for 10 minutes covered. Remove lid and let them sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Remove from canner, cool. After 24 hours, check to see if the can is sealed. Push your finger down on the lid. It should not move up or down. If it does, refrigerate jam, do not store longer than 30 days in the refrigerator. Otherwise, If sealed properly, keep up to 1 year but refrigerate after opening. Once opened, discard after 30 days.
- *If you are not using pectin, follow directions above except instead of pectin, add lemon juice. Lower heat to medium low and let cook for 20 minutes. Continue with recipe.
