Goodness I’m beginning to feel like a food blogger instead of a home decor and lifestyle account. But, lifestyle to me is part what you put in your mouth, and this is canning season ya’ll. This cherry pie filling is going to be a perfect addition to your pantry.
Cherry pie filling goes great in pies, of course, but you could also use it for cherry cobbler or whip up cherry hand pies, (that recipe is coming soon!) and there’s always the “eat the pie filling straight out of the jar with no shame” method. Been there, done that.
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When the Northwest Cherry Growers reached out a few weeks ago wanting to partner together to share how those in the PNW could use fresh cherries, I was on board! Side story, my extended family owns cherry fields in the Tonasket area, and when I was little, my cousin and I loved to “paint” ourselves with cherries for the pure fun of turning ourselves red. Good times growing up I tell you. My love for cherries runs deep!
I decided on two recipes, the one I’m sharing today, which is a traditional cherry pie filling, and also the one I’ll be sharing a week from now: cherry hand pies. Guys, the hand pies are beyond life changing. I don’t know if I can top them in the dessert category. Ever. But then, my love for cherries is a bit intense. Here’s a sneak peek of that upcoming post.
I mean, right?!?
For traditional cherry pie filling I’ve listed out what items you’ll need to water bath can below, as well as the ingredients for the filling.
ClearJel (not available in most stores, I got mine off Amazon)
6 quarts Fresh cherries
Organic sugar (I get mine from Costco)
Lemon juice
Almond extract (or vanilla)
Cinnamon (if desired)
When I was looking at recipes, there were so many requiring water as an ingredient, but I did without just fine. Fresh cherries reduce and give off so much juice I didn’t see why most recipes called for it. Runny cherry pies are the worst!
A cherry pitter miracle
Maybe I’m late to the boat on this one, but I’ve never had a cherry pitter before. They are so darn cool.
This was an absolute life saver and there was literally no waist when using it. Removed the pit, and that’s it.
The fact that I get so much pleasure from things like cherry pitters make me laugh. At least I’m easily impressed and amused right? 😉
Recipe:
Print Recipe
Cherry Pie Filling
This is a traditional water bath canned cherry pie filling.
2tspalmond extractOptional. Could also use vanilla
Instructions
Makes 4 quarts of filling.
Fill water bath canner and turn on med-high heat. Place jars in simmering water until ready to use.
Measire out 6 quarts pitted cherries using a quart jar and place in large saucepan with lemon juice. Set on low and let cherries reduce, releasing all that amazing cherry juice.
Bring mixture to a rolling boil and add in sugar. Remove 2 cups of cherry liqued into a glass bowl and add the ClearJel to it. Stir until all lumps are removed and then slowly add back into large saucepan of cherries. (This helps so much to make sure you don't get lumps and clumps of ClearJel in your filling.)
Boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle hot filling into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is tight.
Process in boiling water hot water canner for 30 minutes. Remove jars and cool on counter for 12-24 hours. Lids should "pop" as they seal. They should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
Yes!Because cherries are a high-acid food (with a pH of around 3.2 to 4.5), they can safely be water-bath canned. You can also safely hot pack or raw pack cherries. Many people don't like the added step of hot packing cherries (boiling the cherries first).
Fill sterilized jars with cherries up to the "neck" of the jar. Pour water into a large pan and bring to a boil. Add sugar and keep boiling until sugar dissolves. Pour hot simple syrup over cherries into the jars up to 1/8-inch from the top.
Taste of Home suggests supplementing your pre-made filling with fresh, canned, or frozen fruit to create a better syrup to fruit ratio and make the filling heartier. (Another easy way to thicken your pie is with tapioca, but you won't get the added textural and flavor benefits fruit can offer.)
Place drained cherries in boiling syrup, juice, or water and bring to a boil. Fill clean jars with hot cherries and cooking liquid, leaving ½ inch (13 mm) of headspace. Fill jars with drained cherries and cover with your choice of boiling liquid, leaving ½ inch (13 mm) of headspace. Remove air bubbles.
Pit and stem all the cherries. Stuff as many cherries as you can into a warm, quart sized mason jar, leaving about an half-inch of room at the top of the jar (cherries/water will expand once frozen.)
Remove any stems and pit the cherries. It's easier to remove cherry pits when they're fresh, so save yourself the hassle and pit them before freezing. You can cut the cherries if desired, but they can also be frozen whole. Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Wash and sterilize your quart (1L) jars. Fill a large water bath canner with water and begin heating it over high heat. Meanwhile, wash and pit fresh cherries. They can be left whole or halved, depending on your desired outcome.
Usually, when you wash and cut your produce, their shelf life is limited to a couple of days. But, when I put them in mason jars after prepping them, they last a week to a week and a half. Because mason jars are air tight, they keep the produce from spoiling as quickly.
Clear Jel is modified corn starch that can be used in high heat and/or high acid situations like making canned pie filling, or canned soups. It thickens as it cools so the heat can penetrate throughout the canning jar. It is the only thickening agent recommended by the USDA for canning.
Enhance Flavor with Spices: Adjust the flavor with spices and seasonings. For apple pie filling, add cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pinch of cloves to achieve a homemade taste. Simmer the filling with these spices for a few minutes to meld the flavors.
Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.
I usually choose a mix of rainier cherries and dark sweet cherries, but opted for all dark sweet cherries in the pictured pie. You can use all Rainier or all dark sweet. If using sour cherries, add a little more sugar as referenced in the recipe note below.
Cherries should always be kept in the refrigerator, unless you plan to eat them immediately. The best way to increase the longevity of fresh cherries is to make sure they stay as dry as possible. This means that washing fresh cherries before storing them can accelerate the spoiling process.
As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.
Stem and wash cherries. Remove pits if desired. If pitted, place cherries in water containing ascorbic acid to prevent stem-end discoloration (1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid or 3 grams in 1 gallon water). If canned unpitted, pricking skins on opposite sides with a clean needle will prevent splitting.
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