Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash, stem, and pit cherries. Tart cherries may turn brown after pitting, so they can be temporarily put in a large bowl of water with a splash of lemon juice mixed in.
- Prepare syrup, as per your preference, dissolving sugar in water. This can be done on the stove, heating until fully dissolved.Very light syrup: ¾ cup sugar, 6½ cup waterLight syrup: 1½ cup sugar, 5¾ cup waterMedium syrup: 2¼ cup sugar, 5¼ cup waterHeavy syrup: 3¼ cup sugar, 5 cup waterVery heavy syrup: 4¼ cup sugar, 4¼ cup waterCherries can also be canned in water only. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends medium syrup for sweet cherries and heavy syrup for tart cherries.
- For raw pack canning:Fill jars with cherries and syrup, leaving half-inch headspace. Debubble and add syrup if needed. Wipe jar rims with a paper towel wetted with white vinegar. Put on lids and screw rings to fingertip tightness.For hot pack canning:Add cherries to pot of syrup and bring to a boil. As soon as mixture boils, fill jars with cherries and syrup, leaving half-inch headspace. Debubble and add syrup if needed. Wipe jar rims with a paper towel wetted with white vinegar. Put on lids and screw rings to fingertip tightness.
- Put jars in a water bath canner, fill with hot water until jars are submerged beneath 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, process for the indicated time below. If at any time the water stops boiling, bring to a boil again and restart the timer.For raw pack canning (quarts or smaller):0-1,000 ft: 25 minutes1,001-3,000 ft: 30 minutes3,001-6,000 ft: 35 minutes6,001+ ft: 40 minutesFor hot pack canning (quarts):0-1,000 ft: 20 minutes1,001-3,000 ft: 25 minutes3,001-6,000 ft: 30 minutes6,001+ ft: 35 minutesFor hot pack canning (pints or smaller):0-1,000 ft: 15 minutes1,001-6,000 ft: 20 minutes6,001+ ft: 25 minutes
- Remove canner from heat and let sit five minutes. Carefully using a jar lifter, remove jars from canner. Place jars on a thick towel on a counter or table overnight. In the morning, check that jars have sealed. If so, jars can be stored in a cool dark place for up to a year. If any jars have not sealed, place them in the fridge and consume promptly.