cherry jam recipes

If you’ve already moved on to peaches, and plums are starting to turn your head, quick, before it’s too late, cash in on cherries. Pretty soon they’ll be gone and you’ll be sorry.

The quality and prices on cherries are still good, and it’s time to get jammin’. Cherries make beautiful, richly flavored jams, and Tri-Cherry Jam and Sweet Cherry/Berry Jam, both from the Farm Journal’s Freezing and Canning Cookbook, are all-time favorites.

If “more is better,” you might safely argue that Tri-Cherry Jam is easily the best of all. It includes dark cherries, light cherries and sour pie cherries. Redolent of the rich, deep flavors of sweet cherries and the distinctive underlying tang of pie cherries, it’s like the best-cherry-pie-ever in a jar. It can be hard to find fresh pie cherries (usually Morellos), so if you can’t get them at your local produce store, and you strike out at the local farmer’s market, canned pie cherries from the supermarket will do the job. Trader Joe’s canned Morellos are great because they have that classic Morello flavor, but if you use them, cut the sugar in the recipe back by one cup, because they’re already sweetened.

Sweet Cherry/Berry Jam has just about everything going for it. The tartness of the berries underscores the flavor of the cherries, and the cherries take the tart edge off the berries. The original recipe calls for raspberries, but you can swap out blackberries, blueberries or any combination of the three.

ATTENTION JAMMERS: Neither recipe calls for additional pectin, but I always use it: stir one box of powdered pectin into the prepared cherries BEFORE you add the sugar, and let it set for 15 minutes. Stir well, and proceed with the recipe as written. If you like a stiff jam, use two boxes of pectin.

Tri-Cherry Jam

* 2 cups light sweet cherries
* 2 cups dark sweet cherries
* 2 cups tart red cherries
* 6 cups sugar
* juice of one lemon
* powdered fruit pectin, as desired

Pit and measure cherries (6.5 ounces=1 cup). Grind coarsely. Place in large saucepan; simmer about 5 minuets to soften skins. Add sugar and lemon juice.
Cook until thickened, 15-20 minutes (218F). Do not cook more than 20 minutes.
Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/8 inch of jar top. Wipe jar rim; adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and complete seals unless closures are self-sealing type. Makes 8-9 half-pints.

Sweet Cherry/Berry Jam

* 4 cups pitted sweet red cherries (1 pound 10 ounces)
* 4 cups red or black raspberries (l pound)
* 8 cups sugar
* powdered fruit pectin, as desired

Cut cherries in halves or grind very coarsely. Place in large saucepan; cover, heat slowly. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until skins are slightly softened. Add raspberries and sugar; stir gently. Cook briskly to 218F, about 15 minutes. Do not cook more than 20 minutes.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, to within 1/8” of jar top. Wipe jar rim; adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Remove from canner and complete seals unless closures are self-sealing type. Makes 11 to 12 half-pints.

These recipes have been reprinted with the generous permission of the Farm Journal from Farm Journal’s Freezing and Canning Cookbook, edited by Nell B. Nichols and Kathryn Larson.As Seen On Tv - Official Secret Restaurant Recipes Click Here!