Canning Sweet (bing) Cherries- Need Recipe

Somehow the family talked me into getting back into the produce business, but I'm too sick to supervise so now I am looking at 150# of bings they can't sell.

My niche was everything sold was <7 days harvested and here in Alaska that's not only expensive but something of a treat for my fellow Alaskans.

I have actually never canned cherries in spite of moving 4 tons/week back in my heyday! (was pretty busy back then) I have lupus and crohn's plus pulmonary hypertension so I can't even lift a canner - but I can sit on my stool in the kitchen!

Here's my conundrum - I would prefer the firmest cherries post canning (plan to pit) but want to not use a super sweet solution. I have read the more the sugar in the syrup the firmer the canned cherry. :-/

So now that I've shared my life story I come here, to the true experts.

Here are my two main questions:

- water bath or pressure - does that effect the firmness? I'm in AK so water bath wouldn't be too obscenely hot. My canner is the 21.5 qt All American so I have a pretty big capacity.

- a recipe for the syrup that will yield a firm cherry. Any recipes with honey would be awesome for a single batch for my dad (he's on an anti sugar thing) would be a great bonus.

I remember growing up and sneaking jars of my Grandma's Queen Ann's and hiding behind the shed eating them all up. She's not reliable for her memory anymore :*( so I am alone in this venture.

I plan to do mostly pints with a round or two of quart size. Any advice in addition to my question is totally welcome. Maybe an awesome jam recipe even. I've read the cherry threads and not found these questions addressed (probably because the answer's pretty obvious).

Thank you everyone!

Ali

I was looking for that answer a few weeks ago as well! I pressure canned mine following the USDA site instructions as I hate cauldrons of boiling water. But I haven't eaten any yet as I read to wait at least 2 weeks for the flavor to develop. Mine might be to sweet as I used a medium syrup as I wanted to mix them in yogurt. Maybe I'll open a jar this weekend and let you know!

I pit and half my cherries, then use the extra light syrup from the ball book and water bath process. Always do it that way and mine are fine. Also if you can get some clear jel, bing cherries make a great canned pie filling!

fellow ak'er
I reg can 80 pounds a year.

YOU have to pit them-- taste is bitter if you do not.

Freddiy has a clamp on pitter.
the rubber gasket tab the size of a store bread tab wears out at 35 pounds but punch a hold thur a real bread tab with a hole puncher and trim it a bit and you are good to go.

I set up dish pan (cheap at walmart) son sort out the bad ones and tosses the stems and loads in to a next dish pan.

I load the ones from that dish pan into the hopper of the pitter with the shoot for the pits with a short flat bowl. Another shallower dish pan like deal is at the end of the shoot for the cherries.

1. You can can them right now but that volum is almost twice what I have done so warning --pit and freeez vs just freeze. you can use quart size bags that with defrost fast and can them latter.

Oh-- I drain the pit bowl and save (via freezing the cherry juice) the liquid from the pit .==Call me if you are close I would help.

I pressure-- most with a very lite sugar --some even with oj and some with left over half pints of blueberry from last year that I did not get to-- *or I hide well enough.

This is our winter cheap fruit. --where are you at?

__________________
I'll keep my guns, ammo, and second admendment--You can keep the CHANGE.

I make maraschinos from scratch. It is simple now and can sit in it's brine for 6 months until you have time to finish it up. However there is nothing at all "organic" about it - strong chemicals - so it isn't for everyone. However it makes absolutely great maraschinos. You can search for "bumper crop of cherries" from July, 2011 and the recipe will come up, or let me know and I'll copy it to you.
Kit

I am too far. Used to live on the Peninsula, now up closer to the hospitals. I am in Peters Creek, 1/2 way btwn the Valley & Anchorage hospitals. (Dr said I couldn't leave Seattle and come back home... pfffft on them!)

Sadly I lost those cherries I first posted about. I just wasn't physically able to do anything and I couldn't get any help.

Looks like softball season is ending early (apparently they're not making state) ... I might just load up cases of cherries and have my hubby drive me to you and swap out some cherries for help ;-) I need to drop off a rifle down in Sterling for carakoting (sp?) anyway.

I am wondering... making jelly out of the juice left over from pitting cherries to can or for chutney or jam? My daughter (12 yo) wants to go Outside to softball camp and is looking for ways to raise money. I am thinking she can make & sell jelly maybe? I personally don't care for jelly, I like the chunks!

I managed to find about 50# of pie cherries to order! Woot! Woot! Those will be here Tuesday so I am ordering clear jel to make quarts of pie filling.

After our freezer got unplugged over the winter I am very gun shy about freezing anything I care about (read: salmon). Could try cherries - it seems if you dip them in sugar prior to freezing they're supposedly super yummy and that's something the kids can handle without me. (Save the juice!!!)

Thanks for the offer!

Ali

Got one of those sing like a fool place around here --I never have been there but sterling is just a bit away.

MP 111 and just 7.3 more and the your here.

I have canners and pitters --give a call. pm'ing-- warning I cook, can and heat with. It is basic but it hold up to four pressure pots. --Trustworth has jars --a pie is a quart so to cut cost I do pie in quart and fruit for yogert or such go into pints.

__________________
I'll keep my guns, ammo, and second admendment--You can keep the CHANGE.