Nanking Cherry Jam/Jelly

Scutch's Note:

I came up with this recipe after making Nanking Cherry Jelly from a different recipe. This one is a little bit more tart and not as stiff as the other recipe. I used a whole apple (core and peel included) for a little extra pectin. First you have to make the juice from the cherries, then you can make jelly by straining through a cheesecloth or make jam by squeezing the pulp through a colander to get rid of the seeds.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0 cups

• 16 cups nanking cherries
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 cups cherry juice or 4 cups cherry pulp
• 1 apple, chopped with peel and core
• 3 1/2-4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 (85 ml) envelope liquid pectin

Directions:

1. To make Juice.
2. Combine cherries, apple and water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes. Mash mixture occasionally while cooking.
3. Strain through a cheesecloth for 8 hours for jelly, or squeeze through a colander to remove the seeds for jam.
4. Bring 4 cups of juice/pulp to full rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes.
5. Add 3 1/2 - 4 cups of sugar, mix well.
6. Bring back to a full rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes.
7. Add 1 pouch of liquid pectin and lemon juice.
8. Stir for 5 minutes.
9. Pour into hot sterile jars, process for 5 minutes or put into freezer when cool. This may take up to 24 hours to set.