Try Preserving Some Cherries

In Pennsylvania, a variety of sweet cherries are grown including Hedelfingen, Black Pearl, Ulster, and Emperor Frances. Rainier and Regina (which are similar to Bing) are grown in high tunnels. If you prefer a more tart taste, sometimes described as sour, give Montmorency or Balaton cherries a try.

Washing Cherries

All produce should be properly washed before it is consumed or preserved. Rinse cherries under running water in a colander. Toss or agitate the fruit while rinsing. Do not soak produce in water. Remember to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before you prepare or consume produce.

Pitting Cherries

There are many styles of cherry pitting machines on the market. You want to use a method that minimizes damage to the fruit. If you don't want to commit to purchasing a pitting gadget, you can pit cherries by bending out the arm of a paper clip and using it to pierce the top and create a slit down the side of the cherry in which to pop out the pit. Hand pitting involves placing the cherry between the thumb and first two fingers with the stem end down and squeezing the pit out. Do this in a deep dish or pan to prevent squirting surroundings.

Treatment Against Discoloration

Cherries, like many other fruits (e.g. apples) contain enzymes that cause discoloration when the fruit is cut, or in this case, when the pits are removed. To preserve quality, place pitted cherries into a solution containing 1 teaspoon of powdered ascorbic acid or six finely crushed 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon of cold water. Drain the cherries, but do not rinse before preparing or processing.

Freezing Cherries

Cherries can be frozen to be eaten as snacks, mixed into oatmeal, or used in desserts.

• To preserve texture, freeze cherries in a syrup solution. Mix and dissolve 2½ cups of sugar in 4 cups of water for sour cherries, or mix 1¼ cups of sugar in 4 cups of water for sweet cherries.
• Add 1 cup of syrup to each quart of prepared cherries.
• You can also prepare a dry sugar pack. Mix ⅔ cup of dry sugar per quart of sour cherries or ⅓ cup of sugar per quart of sweet cherries. Mix until sugar dissolves.
• When freezing any kind of food, be sure to use containers that were designed for freezing (e.g., plastic freezer containers, freezer-style zip-top bags, wide-mouth freezer jars). Be sure to leave space for the food to expand. Allow ½ inch of headspace for a dry sugar pack. Allow 1 inch of headspace for syrup pack in quarts and ½ inch in pints.

Cherries can also be frozen without sugar, but the texture will be softer when thawed. Freeze prepared cherries on a single layer on a tray. Once firm, remove the cherries and pack them into a container or freezer-style zip-top plastic bag. Since they are individu­ally frozen, you can remove small amounts of cherries to serve frozen as a snack or thaw them and use them as a topping for salads and desserts.

Canning Cherries

Cherries can be canned with or without sugar and maybe canned with or without pits. Refer to Let's Preserve: Basics of Home Canning and Let's Preserve: Cherries for more information. An interesting recipe is Cherry (Sweet) Topping from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Cherry Pie Filling

Cherries can also be made into pie filling that is canned or frozen. As with any canning recipe, it is important to follow the directions exactly. In the case of canned pie filling, a modified food starch, ClearJel®, must be used. Other thickeners like flour and corn starch cannot be used in home canned products because they interfere with heat transfer, which can result in an unsafe product. For instructions on canning or freezing cherry pie filling, reference Let's Preserve: Fruit Pie Fillings. 

References

LaBorde, L.; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A. (2023, March 1). "Let's Preserve: Basics of Home Canning". Penn State University.

LaBorde, L.; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A. (2023, April 13). "Let's Preserve: Cherries". Penn State University.

LaBorde, L.; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A. (2023, August 2). "Let's Preserve: Fruit Pie Fillings". Penn State University.

National Center for Home Food Preservation. (2008, July). Cherry (Sweet) Topping. University of Georgia.