Sweet Cherry Pie Filling for Canning

I'm pretty sure this is the last pie filling I'm going to can this summer.  Aside from running out of jars and space, this series has just run its course.  I bought a blueberry pie to get it out of my system, and because blueberries never got cheap.

Looks like the best I'm going to do for cherries this year is $1.99/lb.  As soon as I had my canning day planned, I flipped to the cherry filling page in the Ball book, only to realize the recipe is for frozen cherries that have been thawed 24 hours.  Whoops.  Off to the internet.

One advantage of making pie filling every other week is that I'm kind of good at it now.  Prep fruit, blanch fruit, wait an inordinate amount of time for 3+ gallons of water to boil, make Clearjel base, stir fruit into it, fill jars, process.  The ratio of ingredients changes slightly depending on the sweetness, natural pectin, and acid content of the fruit, but I can now look at a recipe and recognize if it's a good one.

The NCHFP chart came in handy again.  Love that they break it down by quart and canner-full.  The amounts also take headspace into account, which is why a "quart" is only 3-1/3 cups.  The cherries cook down in the 30 minutes of processing, but they cook into the Clearjel, which expands.  Like canning the apple filling, be generous with that inch of space, especially in regular-mouth jars.

I'm listing the amounts for a one-quart yield, which I doubled to make the day worthwhile.  The original recipe also lists the option of adding extract and/or cinnamon.  I'm trying not to add too many spices to this year's fillings, so they can be used in combination.  I'm also not adding food coloring to any of the goo, for the same reason.  If you're only planning to use this as cherry filling, feel free to add almond extract, a touch of spices, and a few drops of red coloring to the gel before it sets.

3-1/3 C fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 C sugar
1/4 C + 1 Tb Clearjel
1-1/3 C water
1 Tb + 1 tsp bottled lemon juice

1.  Prepare water-bath canner, jars, and lids for a one quart (2 pt) yield.

2.  Pit a lot of cherries.  It's going to take way more than you think it will, nearly the whole bag.  Put on a podcast, music, Dances With Wolves...something.  On the other hand, it's going to take the water 45 minutes to boil anyway.  Set the pitted cherries in a bowl of acidulated water so they maintain their color.  One lemon in 4 cups of cold water should do it.

3.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Blanch the cherries for 1 minute once the water returns to a boil.  This is to force out some of the air in the fruit and make it safe for canning.  Drain and keep warm until needed.

4.  Rinse out the pot.  Whisk together sugar and Clearjel.  Add water and stir until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Once the Clearjel starts to clump, stir constantly.  Add lemon juice, return to a boil, and cook one more minute.

5.  Remove pot from stove and stir in cherries until coated in goo and hot.  Ladle into prepared, hot jars, leaving a generous 1" headspace.  De-bubble and adjust headspace if necessary.  Wipe rims well.  I used water first, then again with vinegar.  Center warmed lids, screw bands on finger-tight.

6.  Process in the water bath canner for 30 minutes after the water returns to a boil.  Turn off heat and remove lid.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the canner, then place on a towel and wait for the ping.  Once cooled, remove bands, test seals, wipe clean, and store in a cool, dark place.

Makes 2 pints

Difficulty rating :)