Best Cherry Preserves

MelinOhio's Note:

I made this a lot of years with fresh cherries from our tree. Cherries were very tart, but made the best preserves.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 60

Yield: 3.0 pints

• 2 lbs cherries, pitted (6 cups)
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box pectin
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 3 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Sterilize your jars and keep them hot while you're cooking the preserves.
2. Place cherries in a large, heavy duty dutch oven.
3. Combine pectin with 1/4 cup sugar; stir into cherries, Add butter.
4. Bring to a full boil, stirring, over high heat.
5. Add 3 more cups sugar and return to a boil , stirring constantly, boil 1 minutes.
6. Remove from heat; skim off foam.
7. Immediately spoon preserves into 3 one pint sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.
8. Wipe the sealing surface of the jars with a clean paper towel, dampened with hot water, to remove any preserves or sugar crystals.
9. Place lids and screw on bands fingertip tight.
10. Process in a boiling water bath for at least ten minutes, depending upon your altitude.
11. When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid; wait 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner using a jar lifter and keeping jars upright. Carefully place them directly onto a towel or cake cooling rack to protect your countertop, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.
12. After jars have cooled undisturbed for 24 hours, remove ring bands from sealed jars. Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.

Reviews

[Luv4food]

This was an easy recipie to follow, apart from pitting the cherries ;). I will be looking forward to enjoying them over a scoope of vanilla ice cream. Next time I'm going to try adding a tsp. Or two of ammerto or almond extract.

[Katavenger]

Great Recipe! I've made it twice now...the second time included 3 recipes! Since cherries are so plentiful (and cheap) this season, I couldn't resist making more! I did reduce the sugar by about a cup, and increased the cooking time to 4-5 minutes. Will make great Christmas gifts!

[Chef #192829]

I followed the recipe exactly and got wonderful, sweet-tart jam, very different from cloyingly sweet cherry jams I've had in the past. This is easy, delicious, and unusual--I'll make it every year!