In a Jam

Last week, on the most perfect, sunny, breezy, low humidity day of the year so far, the kids and I headed to a nearby orchard to pick some sour cherries.  We go here every year, sometimes for strawberries, black raspberries, or apples.

We only picked raspberries once.  The bees were buzzing wildly around the raspberries, and the kids stood petrified and whiny while I picked all the raspberries.

We have a lot of fun picking the cherries.  No bending, no bees.  And the orchard doesn’t mind if you eat cherries as you pick, so we really enjoy the fruits of our labor, though no one enjoyed the frequent trips to the bathroom later, ahem.

Once we get them home, we work quickly to pit them.

This job is the pits!

When they’re all pitted, I chop them, then mix them with sugar, then start boiling the fruit pectin and water.  Here is our jam mixed up then ready to be covered:

 

It must sit on the counter for 24 hours, then can be put in the freezer for up to one year. 

What I like about this recipe is that the jam doesn’t freeze solid, therefore you can use the jam as needed, directly from the freezer onto the bread.  I think other freezer jam recipes may be easier (no need to heat the fruit pectin) but you must pull a jar from the freezer and keep the jam in the fridge then use within two weeks.

My kitchen is now one sticky, sticky mess.

Here’s the recipe!

Sour Cherry Freezer Jam

1 1/2 lbs sour cherries, pitted/chopped to make 2 cups.

4 c. sugar (do not use less than this or jam will not set)

1- 1.75 oz. pkg. of Sure Jell fruit pectin

Mix pitted, chopped (not pureed) cherries with sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, stir one box of Sure Jell fruit pectin with 3/4 c. water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil one minute (keep stirring!)  

Stir pectin mixture into fruit mixture.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. 

Pour into small, clean containers (I use plastic jars from Ball, but any small glass or Tupperware-like container with a screw on lid is fine), leaving a half inch space at the top. 

Cover, and keep on countertop for 24 hours, then store in freezer for up to one year.

Makes about 5 cups.

By the way, this recipe and alternate recipes using different fruit, can all be found inside the Sure Jell package.  Different fruits require different amounts of sugar, and aren’t interchangeable with this recipe.

I am linking this post with many other yummy recipes at Foodie Friday!