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Ingredients for BOTTLED
CHERRIES (WHOLE/HALVED)
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Yield: 4 cups
(1 Litre / Quart)
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Yield: 18 cups
(4.5 Litres / 9 Pints)
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Yield: 28 cups
(7 Litres / 7 Quarts)
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Cherries
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1.1kg
(2 1/2 pounds)
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5kg
(11 pounds)
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7.9kg
(17 1/2 pounds)
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Sugar Syrup
OR Water OR Juice
|
see Syrup Chart
below (choose very light, light
or medium syrup)
OR apple juice OR white grape
juice OR water
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Plus 3g (1 teaspoon) ascorbic acid powder (or crush 6 x 500-milligram pure vitamin c tablets) dissolved in 4 litres (1 gallon) of cold water
to soak pitted cherries during preparation
to prevent oxidation (discoloured fruit).
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METHOD:
1. Clean jars and equipment by washing in hot soapy water and rinsing
well before use.
2. Use firm, ripe, evenly coloured (and good tasting) cherries for preserving. Wash cherries and drain well. Remove
stems and discard blemished or damaged fruit.
WHOLE CHERRIES:
to prevent whole cherries from splitting, prick the skin of each cherry with a sterilized needle a couple of times. Set
whole cherries aside in a bowl and repeat with remaining fruit.
PITTED CHERRIES: remove cherry pits and place pitted cherries into ascorbic acid
solution to prevent discolouration. To make
the ascorbic acid solution, measure 3g (1 teaspoon)
of ascorbic acid powder
(or crush 6 x 500-milligram pure vitamin c tablets) and dissolve in 4 litres (1 gallon) of cold water. Repeat pitting and soaking of
remaining cherries.
3. Place lids into a bowl and cover lids with
boiling water. Remove the lids from the water when you are ready to place them
onto the jars to seal.
4. Prepare syrup (or fruit juice) by heating
sugar and water together in a pan, until the sugar is dissolved (or until the juice
is hot). Medium syrup is recommended but you can select from the
syrup chart below to choose syrup, juice or water with no sugar if preferred.
HOT PACK
(RECOMMENDED):
5. Remove jars from hot water and place onto a
heatproof surface i.e. tea towel.
TIP: use a
jar funnel to fill jars.
6. Drain cherries if required. Measure cherries into a
large pan. Add 1/2 cup of water, juice,
or syrup for each 4 cups (litre/quart) of drained fruit. Bring back
to a boil. Remove from heat and fill jars immediately with hot cherries, carefully
packing them down into each jar, to 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from the rim.
7. Add cooking liquid into each jar, adding extra
syrup/juice/water if required, to 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
RAW PACK:
5. Remove jars from hot water and place onto a
heatproof surface i.e. tea towel.
TIP: use a
jar funnel to fill jars.
6. Fill jars with prepared raw cherries, filling
to 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
7. Fill jars with hot syrup/juice/water, filling
to 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
8. Using a non-metal utensil, remove any bubbles and add more hot syrup/juice/water
if required to correct the headspace if it dropped below 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from
the jar rim.
Tip: excess
syrup can be frozen for later use.
9. Wipe jar rims with a damp paper towel to
remove any food residue.
10. Remove lids from hot water and seal jars i.e. twist to secure
“fingertip tight”.
11. Process jars in water bath or pressure canner
as per charts below:
BOILING WATER CANNER (WATER BATH):
12. Return jars of bottled cherries into the
pot of boiling water and boil for the processing time stated below. Start the
timer once the water comes back to a full boil.
13. Turn off the heat source once the time is up. Remove jars from hot
water after 5 more minutes. Cool jars overnight on a heatproof surface i.e.
wooden board or towel. Do not adjust lids during this time.
PRESSURE
CANNING (DIAL OR WEIGHTED GAUGE):
12. Place sealed jars into the
pressure canner and secure the pressure canner lid. Put onto heat and vent for
5 minutes (begin timing once the white steam is constant). Then add weights (or
cover) and bring to the required pressure level for your altitude (see charts
below). Once the pressure is reached, process for the time stated in the charts
below for your altitude. Reduce/increase the heat source to keep the pressure
at the constant level. 13. Turn off the heat source once the time is up.
Allow the pressure canner to return to zero and then remove the lid (be
careful, lid and canner will be very hot). After 5 more minutes, remove jars
from the pressure canner and place them onto a heatproof surface (i.e. wood
board or a towel). Do not adjust lids during this time.
14. After 12-24 hours: check jars have sealed
before labelling and dating clearly.
15. Store jars of bottled cherries in a cool, dark and dry place (i.e. pantry) for up to 12 months. Jar
lids should remain tightly sealed during storage, and not flex up or down when
pressed (which indicates jar seal failure, do not consume).
16. Refrigerate jars upon opening and consume contents within 5 days.
A reference
chart to assist
with syrup preparation. Fills 7 quarts (7 x 1L) of fruit.
HOT PACK: Heat
ingredients together to make syrup,
add fruit and bring to boil, simmer fruit until hot. Fill jars with
hot fruit and syrup.
RAW
PACK: Heat
ingredients together to make syrup,
pour hot syrup over raw fruit in
jar.
|
SYRUP CHART for approximately 7 litres (7 x quarts / 28 cups) of bottled
fruit
|
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SUGAR
%
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WATER
|
100% FRUIT JUICE
(i.e. APPLE OR
WHITE GRAPE)
|
SUGAR (RAW, WHITE OR BROWN)
|
STEVIA POWDER
|
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WATER
|
0%
|
10 cups
|
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STEVIA
|
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10 cups
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1/4 cup
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LOW-CAL FRUIT JUICE
|
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5 cups
|
5 cups
|
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|
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LOW SUGAR
FRUIT JUICE
|
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7 cups
|
3 cups
|
1/4 cup
|
1/4 cup
|
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100% FRUIT JUICE
(i.e.
APPLE OR
WHITE GRAPE
|
|
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10 cups
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SWEETENED FRUIT JUICE
|
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10 cups
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1/4 cup
|
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VERY LIGHT SYRUP
|
10%
|
10 1/2 cups
|
|
1 1/4 cups
|
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LIGHT SYRUP
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20%
|
9 cups
|
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2 1/4 cups
|
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MEDIUM SYRUP
|
30%
|
8 1/4 cups
|
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3 3/4 cups
|
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Processing Time
for BOTTLED CHERRIES (WHOLE/HALVED) in a Boiling Water Canner
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Jar Size
|
Altitude
≤ 1,000 feet
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Altitude 1,001 - 3,000
feet
|
Altitude 3,001
- 6,000
feet
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Altitude
≥ 6,000
feet
|
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Hot Pack
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≤ 500ml
(pints)
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15 minutes
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20 minutes
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20 minutes
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25 minutes
|
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≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
20 minutes
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25 minutes
|
30 minutes
|
35 minutes
|
|
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Raw Pack
|
≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
25 minutes
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30 minutes
|
35 minutes
|
40 minutes
|
|
Processing
Time for BOTTLED CHERRIES (WHOLE/HALVED) in a
Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner
|
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Altitude
Pressure Levels
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Packing Style
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Jar Size
|
Processing
Time
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0-1000ft
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>1000ft
|
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Hot Pack
|
≤ 500ml
(pints)
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8 minutes
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5 minutes
|
10 minutes
|
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≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
10 minutes
|
5 minutes
|
10 minutes
|
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Raw Pack
|
≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
10 minutes
|
5 minutes
|
35 minutes
|
|
Processing
Time for BOTTLED CHERRIES (WHOLE/HALVED) in a Dial
Gauge Pressure Canner
|
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Altitude
Pressure Levels
|
||||||
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Packing
Style
|
Jar Size
|
Processing
Time
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0-2000ft
|
2001-4000ft
|
4001-6000ft
|
6001-8000ft |
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Hot Pack
|
≤ 500ml
(pints)
|
8 minutes
|
6 minutes
|
7 minutes
|
8 minutes
|
9 minutes |
|
≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
10 minutes
|
6 minutes
|
7 minutes
|
8 minutes
|
9 minutes |
|
|
Raw Pack
|
≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
10 minutes
|
6 minutes
|
7 minutes
|
8 minutes
|
9 minutes |
NOTES:o
Did you know there are 40+ cherry varieties grown
in Australia – with a range of colours, flavours, textures and sweetness;
o
Sweet or sour cherries can be used in this
recipe;
o
Red, black or white cherries can be used in
this recipe;
o
Only bottle firm cherries – save overripe/soft
fruit for jam, juice/jelly etc;
o
Apple/grape juice (one or combination of these)
can be used instead of syrup/water;
o
Add other flavouring/s i.e. cinnamon, vanilla – a sprinkle per jar (a little goes a
long way);
o
Adults-only: add a teaspoon of amaretto, brandy
or grand marnier into each jar (before bottling);
o Take care when consuming bottled cherries, as an occasional pit may
remain, to avoid dental injury.
SERVING IDEAS:
o
Chilled from the jar!
o
Cake;
o
Crepes;
o
Fruit crumble/cobbler;
o
Ice-cream topping;
o
Muffins;
o
Pancakes;o
Porridge/oatmeal;
o
Rice pudding;
o
Salads;
o
Semolina pudding;
o
Smoothies;
o
Waffles;
o
Yoghurt topping.
Author:
Megan Radaich
Image Credit: Megan Radaich
Publication: Orchard Fresh Fruit Preserving
Guide