Too many cherries!

[pear-shaped]

Some of you may be wondering, "is there any such thing?" We have this "problem" every year, as our tree provides us with more than we can eat before they start to go bad. I've already made a clafoutis and some muffins, and we've been eating a lot of cherries (it's a good thing dd loves them!) In the past I've made cobblers and crisps too. But I feel like there's a limit to the amount of cherry desserts we can/should eat.

I've tried freezing them, both pitted and whole, other years, but I didn't like the result when I thawed them.

I don't have much experience with making preserves (I've only done figs, and it was just jam to keep in the fridge for a couple of months,) but I think I might like to try it with the cherries, because it seems kind of sad overdosing on them for one or two weeks and then not having any for the rest of the year. I'd like to find a recipe that doesn't have so much sugar. Looking around here, I found this thread that has a simple recipe for strawberry jam...would it possible to make a cherry jam adding just apple and water?

Advice? Suggestions? Thanks!

[lil_earthmomma]

How to make cherry jam:

Slice 8 cups of cherries in half. (So they don't roll off your toast )
Cook in a big non reactive stock pot. The juices will bubble up. Add two lemons worth of juice and some zest (optional.) The lemon juice adds pectin which will help your jam gel. Now add 3/4 cup apple juice and allow mixture to come to a boil. Add 1 cup + 2 tbsp. honey. Cook the cherries till they are wilted and completely soft and syrupy. 25 min ish after the mixture comes to a full boil.

Pour your jam into glass bottles that have been washed in scalding water, and seal with the lid. Allow the jam to sit out for several hours until the jar is cool to the touch; then refrigerate it.

This jam is great because it doesn't require a $%&# load of sugar!

Other ideas:

Freeze some cherries and eat them frozen. (So yummy) Add to smoothies, and make compotes etc. Muffins, quick breads etc. Yes they are weird when defrosted, but if you're cooking with them, it doesn't really matter!

Dry them!!! So great for a kid friendly snack, or for cooking with.

Juice them?

[CookiePie]

I love frozen cherries in my smoothies!!!

[cristeen]

I like frozen cherries in my smoothies, too. They're also good in pancakes, or cooked down to make syrup for pancakes/waffles/french toast.

But also, rather than just jamming them, you can can them in juice/syrup/water. Which makes a lovely summery ice cream topping in the dead of winter. Good over cottage cheese, or you can even then jam them later if you've run out of jam.

Personally, I pitted about 6 quarts of cherries the other night. We went to see my grandma who told us to take as much as we wanted. So I have roughly 1 1/2 gallons pitted waiting to be turned into jam and another flat sitting here that we're eating out of. And I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't make DH go back up the ladder a few more times (he spent 90 minutes picking as it was). But then if I were to buy unsprayed cherries, I'd be spending $6/lb, so you can't beat free.

[treemom2]

I'm not sure if you drink, but DH filled a large jar with pitted fresh cherries, some rock sugar, and enough vodka (or other higher alcohol liquor--we have some ume going now in Japanese shochu--making umechu) to fill the jar then put it in a dark, dry place for about 4 months--yum!! Awesome cherry vodka (or other clear liquor) to mix with soda or drink straight!!

[pear-shaped]

Wow, all great ideas!

I hadn't thought of using them frozen- whenever I froze them, I thawed them out and they just turned really mushy and lost so much of their juice. I love the smoothie and pancakes ideas!

lil earthmomma, I don't think I'll be able to find any apple juice (the supermarket here doesn't usually have it,) could I use water instead? (Please say yes, I love that recipe!)

We may have even more cherries soon- one of dh's relatives has offered some of her cherries (I'd have to pick them) and if I find the time this week, I will.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by pear-shaped

Wow, all great ideas!

I hadn't thought of using them frozen- whenever I froze them, I thawed them out and they just turned really mushy and lost so much of their juice. I love the smoothie and pancakes ideas!

lil earthmomma, I don't think I'll be able to find any apple juice (the supermarket here doesn't usually have it,) could I use water instead? (Please say yes, I love that recipe!)

We may have even more cherries soon- one of dh's relatives has offered some of her cherries (I'd have to pick them) and if I find the time this week, I will.

If you use water you need to add sugar, so I would do any other juice. Any juice you can find will work. Pineapple juice works really well, so buy some cans of pineapple and use the juice.

If you can't find any juice (even orange juice would work great) measure the cherries after they have cooked till soft and juicy. Then use 3/4 that measurement for sugar. This is a more traditional jam technique. The juice just saves you from having to use SO much sugar kwim? Obviously you don't need honey if you use sugar. If I had to do it this way I might try it with 1/2 the measurement for sugar instead of 3/4 but apparently you need the sugar to keep nasty things from growing in your jam...

I am so going to try making cherry vodka this summer!!! I get free cherries all summer, and I'm so excited!

[pear-shaped]

Thanks so much for the quick response. Now I can do it this morning! I can get pineapple juice here, it's actually one of very few 100% juices available here. (Which is why I wondered about using water, it's not easy to find good juice where I live.)

[Llyra]

If you sprinkle them with just a bit of sugar, before you freeze, they will hold their shape and color much better in the freezer, especially if you can get most of the air out of the container before freezing.