By Francesca Patterson
It’s the peak season for tart cherries right now! This season is bursting with sweet and sour flavors but is such a swift one. One of the best ways to preserve this local gem is by cooking the cherries down into a homemade jam! This recipe is so easy to do. With some fresh fruit, sugar, and lemon juice, you have all you need to make this for yourself.
ingredients:
- 1 lb of tart cherries (2-3 cups of pitted cherries, chopped)
- 1.5-2 cups of granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
- Juice from 1 lemon (or 3 tbsp)
Directions:
- In a medium-sized, heavy pot, start cooking your cherries, sugar, and lemon juice on medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil and reduce heat slightly. Continue this on a steady simmer for about 20 minutes.
- While simmering, put a pyrex dish in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This cold plate will be used for testing your jam.
- After 20 minutes, pull the dish out of the freezer pour a spoonful on of jam on it. If it becomes thick immediately and has a wrinkled texture to it, that means it is ready and at the best consistency.
- Allow the jam to cool to for about 15-20 minutes before jarring it. In a clean glass jar, pour in your cherry jam. Seal tightly with a lid. This can saves in the fridge for up to a month.
