Raw Pack Method:

Wash, pit, and drain your cherries. Make up your syrup of choice and keep it hot. Ladle 1/2 cup of syrup into a hot jar, and then fill the jar with cherries.

Gently shake the jar to settle the cherries in the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add hot syrup to cover cherries, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles with a chopstick or bubble remover. Add more syrup, if needed, to maintain headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any spills. Place the lid and ring on and tighten to finger tight.

Process pints and quarts in a boiling water bath canner for 25 minutes. Increase processing times as needed to adjust for altitude. When the processing time is finished, turn off the heat and wait five minutes before removing the jars from the canner.

Hot Pack Method:

Wash, pit, and measure your cherries. Put the cherries into a large stockpot, and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar for every quart of cherries.

Cook the cherries and sugar, stirring gently, until all the sugar is dissolved and the cherries are hot. If you’re using unpitted cherries, add a little water to keep them from sticking together.

Ladle cherries and hot syrup into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a chopstick or bubble remover. Add boiling water, if needed, to maintain headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any spills. Place the lid and ring on and tighten to finger tight.

Process pints for 15 minutes and quarts for 20 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. Increase processing times as needed to adjust for altitude. Wait 5 minutes after processing to remove the jars, just like the raw pack method.

For Both Methods

Allow the jars to cool completely, from 12 to 24 hours. I usually let them sit overnight. Remove the rings and check seals. Wipe up any spills with a damp cloth, date and label the jars. Use within 12 – 18 months for best quality.