After a few fun-filled days around the Fourth of July spent in Lyle, Washington last year, my little family headed over to Maryhill, Washington, land of vineyards, orchards, hot weather, and wind turbines. We had one thing on our minds: sweet cherries.
My sisters had stopped by the Maryhill Fruit Stand earlier in the week. They kept talking about how they bought a bag of cherries and ate it before they even made it back to the car, the fruit was so sweet.
U-pick was just $1 a pound (apricots, too). My husband and I had talked about picking cherries for years; we needed to track this place down.
Pulling up to the fruit stand, the sign confirmed the price: $1/pound, as long as you picked a minimum of 20 pounds. Not a problem. At least, not until I talked to the teenager running the stand. Apparently, the fields close at 5pm, and we were pushing 4:30 already. “We’ll pick fast!” I promised as I hopped back in the car with three empty boxes. And that’s exactly what we did.
While my daughter pointed out the best fruit on the branches and my son scavenged the worst fruit off the ground, my husband and I tumbled big, juicy cherries into the boxes as fast as we could. We totally lost track of time, and an employee kindly informed us that it was quittin’ time at 5:20pm. It’s the first time I shut a field down.
Grand total: 45 pounds of Bing and Rainier cherries in 50 minutes. They charged us $40 and threw in a jar of peach jam for free. Not bad.
Over the next few days, we ate as many fresh cherries as we could humanly handle. Then I flash froze five large baking trays of pitted cherries for use throughout the year, using Sunset’s method for pitting large quantities of cherries quickly. Nothing amazing, but it worked just fine. An even better idea? Tackling this project while a friend was over for “lunch.”
I had a game plan for the majority of the cherries: canning them whole in a light syrup. Our friend Laurie brought us a jar of these after the birth of my son two years ago, and they hit the spot. They reminded me of eating them as a kid; sweet memories of summer in a jar.
If you are new to canning, cherries are actually a great place to start. The steps are really simple and straightforward. While you certainly could, I didn’t even pit the fruit. In this post, I will break it down with as many details and pictures as I can add, but don’t be intimidated. Like any other skill, just tackle it one step at a time and build from there.
How to Can Cherries
In this post, I will be showing the raw pack method. Let’s get started!
The best way to avoid getting overwhelmed during the canning process is to prep as much as possible ahead of time, especially if you are working alone.
- Canner (pictured is actually a pressure canner, but I used it like a standard water bath canner) filled halfway with warm water, starting to simmer over medium-low heat. You can find a standard water bath canner at Fred Meyer, Walmart, Bimart or on Amazon.
- Small pot with lids and rings. Simmer (don’t boil) for 10 minutes to sanitize everything and soften the seal on the lids.
- Larger pot with syrup. I have read several different guidelines for this sugar-water solution. I went with Ball’s guidelines for a light syrup: 4 1/2 cups of sugar and 10 1/2 cups of water for 7 quarts (one canner). According to OSU’s extension services, in this case it is a matter of personal taste. You could go as light as 3/4 cup of sugar to 6 1/2 cups of water. The syrup helps maintain the color, flavor, and texture of the fruit. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved; keep at a low simmer over medium-low heat.
Thoroughly wash, stem, and drain the cherries. Each quart holds 2-2 1/2 pounds of cherries. One canner holds 7 quarts, so you’ll need a maximum of 18 pounds of fruit. Halve the amounts for pints.
You can leave the cherry pits in or take them out. According to Ball’s Blue Book, if you don’t pit your cherries, you should prick each one to avoid bursting in the jar. I personally skipped this step because I could think of about a hundred other things I would rather do than pit and poke pounds and pounds of cherries. Split cherries won’t bother me, but if you are going for that blue ribbon at the state fair, then by all means don’t let me stand in your way.
Working with hot jars (Sanitize and heat jars in the dishwasher or submerged for 10 minutes in boiling water in the canner), carefully ladle 1/2 cup of hot syrup into each one. If you are new to this, just work with one jar at a time to keep everything hot and manageable. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to fill 7 jars quickly.
Fill the jars with clean cherries.
Gently shake jars to help settle the cherries, leaving 1/2″ of headspace (room) at the top, about the bottom of the jar threads.
Add enough hot syrup to each jar to cover the cherries and still leave 1/2″ headspace. You will have some syrup left over.
Using a non-metallic utensil, gently slide it along the inside of the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.
Wipe the jar rims with a clean cloth. Place the hot lids and rings on each jar and tighten finger-tight.
Using a jar lifter, place each jar into your hot water canner. The jars should still be warm from preheating and the hot syrup, and the canner water should be at a simmer, around 180 degrees. Cold jars in hot water is bad news. Your jars will crack and all your hard work will be lost.
Try to work quickly and carefully. Again, you could do this step one jar at a time to keep things hot.
Make sure your jars are covered by 1-2 inches of water and place the lid on the canner.
Bring to a rolling boil. Process both pints and quarts for 25 minutes (start timing once the water is boiling).
When the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and allow the jars to sit for a few minutes in the canner. Using the jar lifter, remove each hot jar to a cooling rack.
As each jar cools, the lids should seal and make a satisfying popping sound. Once cool, lightly run your finger over the lid to check that it has sucked in and sealed tightly. Any jars that don’t seal can be frozen, reprocessed, or stored in the refrigerator.
After each jar is completely cool (12-24 hours), remove the rings and rinse the jars.
Store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Are you new to canning? Be sure to go through our Home Canning Guide posts for a beginners guide, equipment suggestions, and recipes!
Additional resources:
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
: An inexpensive, must-have guide, packed with information on food preservation.
- OSU Extension Services: Check out their site for canning classes, expert advice, and helpful information.
- Pick Your Own: Tutorial on How to Can Cherries using the Hot Pack Method
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Looking for an inexpensive, yet reliable cherry pitter? Amazon has the OXO Good Grips Cherry Pitter in stock and ready to ship! It has amazing reviews and people especially like the splatter guard attachment!
If you’re looking for something a little more robust, check out the Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Deluxe Cherry and Olive Pitter with Locking Handle
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I’ve been wanting to try canning cherries for years and this article has finally given me the confidence to give it a try! Your step-by-step instructions were so clear and easy to follow. I’m excited to get started and enjoy home-canned cherries all year round. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Agile-shop Kitchen Gadget Stainless Steel Zigzag Blades Cherry Pitter – 6 Cherries
This is the BEST and GREATEST Cherry Pitter you will ever find. It pits 6 at a time, catches the pits in be bottom and doesn’t make a mess. I purchased mine through Amazon!
I did 8 lbs in 15 minutes without losing a single cherry.
Beautiful directions!! Thanks
I have cherries that I froze, can I use these and about how many cups for say 6-7 pints?
There’s nothing like seeing a full pantry of summer’s goodness to give one a sense of accomplishment.
Is it necessary to remove the rings? I’ve never heard of anyone removing them before.
Hi, I am going to tackle home made marischino cherries this summer and i wondered if you had an opinion about bing vs. rainier? thanks!
Maraschino cherries are made from Rainiers… now THAT is an undertaking. I’m impressed!
I used to run a produce business, never canned a single cherry. Now I’m too sick to even get out of bed most days but I have memories of sneaking jars of my Grandma’s canned Queen Anne (precursors to the Rainiers) cherries out of her pantry and sneaking behind the shed and gobbling the entire jar down!
If anyone can ever get their hands on Black Republicans (the precursor to the bings), those make the best jams and chutneys. It is a heritage cherry brought to the NW by Quaker abolitionists. (ergo the name) There is less than 200 acres of those left from California through Canada.
Rainers are delicious, more so than the bings
you read my mind, i’ve been wanting to go cherry picking and thinking about it since i picked strawberries and canned some strawberry jam and topping. Can’t wait to can cherries. love it
I just found a cherry pitter at wal-mart for twelve bucks…it pits six cherries at once! Works perfect!
What is the texture like after being canned? Do they get mushy, or do they keep their original texture?
Thanks for such a great tutorial! For a $1 a pound I think I might give this canning thing another try.
Maybe one of these days you could also do a video tutorial on a pressure canner. Got excited about canning five years ago so I went out and bought a pressure canner. Midway thru the instructions I scared myself into thinking I was going to blow something up, so there in the box it has sat.
The texture is definitely softer than a fresh cherry (without being mushy).
If life is a bowl of cherries, why am I always in the pits?
That’s a pit-y, Howard! You just need to see the bowl half full.
Following from the Portland Oregon area. Is there a chance we would wind up with prices this low anywhere?
I do remember the price dropping that low at some places in the Portland area last year. It definitely wasn’t the going rate, though. Probably closer to $1.50-$2+/lb.
The best bet for a good deal per pound is to ask for a discount when buying large quantities directly from the grower/produce stand. Then you’ll be set to can, freeze, or split the order with others.
Thank you for the heads up. I will keep an eye out and also talk to the grower. Any idea on what is typically considered a “large amount”
the cherries look wonderful but I want apricots!! When is apricot season and where can I get them?
Apricot season is typically mid-June through early July. It’ll be here before we know it!
Check out Local Harvest or Pick Your Own for farms near you.
I have a question: What do you do with these cherries throughout the year? Are they eaten out of the jar, or do you make something with them? I’d like to can some cherries but I don’t know what I’d do with them… Thanks!
Yes, I serve them out of the jar. My kids like them for a snack, and I send them in my husband’s lunch. You could also pit and chop them to go in fruit salad, milkshakes/smoothies, or baked goods. Also good (pitted) as a topping for waffles or pancakes with a little whipped cream. Yum.
When I am doing multiple batches of fruit, I make lots of syrup and keep it hot in a large crock pot. It frees up space on my stove top. I also keep my lids in a small crockpot.
If you have an electric stove, it is worth getting a heavy duty burner (I got mine at Standard Appliance). Otherwise the weight of a full scanner can compromise the burner. Mine collapsed.
Moira – You’re brilliant. I’ve always had a hard time juggling a large enough pot of syrup on a very full stovetop. You have officially solved my problem. Thanks for the idea!
ah, Em, you never fail me. I’m researching my cherries now. I was gonna hit up the fruit loop (as seen on FB) but didnt want to drive all the way there for just cherries. I was hoping to get some peaches too, but looks like they wont be super in season until August-ish. So, Fruit Loop next month, I think, unless I can find a killer deal here on them. But I really dont want to U-pick so I’m trying to find the best prices. My mom is getting them ORGANIC through her coop for $3.60, but do I really want to pay that much for organic when I can get them local for as cheap as $1.50 for not officially organic? Dilemma.
I always debate between the two. I guess it depends on how many pounds of cherries you plan to get? The $1.50/lb. for conventional has been everywhere this year. Seems cheaper than past summers.
Ok working on canning cherry’s right now. What have you used theses for . I didn’t think that far in advance lol. We are canning 30lbs.
I’m just planning to serve them as a side dish of fruit for dinners, pit them to top waffles for breakfast, or serve as a snack for my kids… Nothing fancy, but I know we will love having them this winter!
The u-tube on how to pit cherries seems very labor intensive. My husband picked up the greatest cherry pitter we found at Kitchen Kaboodle. “Mr.s Anderson’s Deluxe cherry pitter with suction base” There is a feed tray you just pour the cherries in and they individually drop, you hit a plunger when they drop, the pits fall into a small bin and the cherries drop into your container. You don’t even have to touch the cherries. My son was able to pit 40 pounds of cherries in record time yesterday, EASY AS PIE. which we froze in quart size ziplock bags, for smoothies, fruit salads etc. We were going through yakima, Wa and found them for 1.25 for raniers and 1.15 for bings, already picked. What a deal. I froze what we didn/t eat. This pitter worked so well, I think I might get some to can. But now are back down in Gresham, so don’t know if I can find cherries that cheap.
But the way the pitter is 24.95. Spendy, but time is money, well worth it I think. If you are concerned about the cost. There is a really nice pitter Kitchen Kaboodle has for 9.95, you hand pit them like all the rest of the pitters, but this one is super easy. I think much better.
I could totally see a cherry pitter in my future, especially if we keep picking/buying this many pounds each summer. Thanks for the recommendation. And you found a great price on pre-picked cherries!
I have cherries, and I use at least a bin a year. (300 lbs) I have a cherry pitter that sounds similar to yours, and get through them quickly but I removed the base that actually collects the pits. I can fill that little base in a minute, and using a bowl somehow helps the device actually remove the pit faster. Bigger cherries are harder to pit (sometimes the plunger misses the pit altogether) and when you dry them, the fat middle section doesn’t dry, but the outer section of the cherries gets overdry. If you freeze them on trays individually before puting them into ziploc bags or other freezer container, they come out individually instead of in clumps. We put dried cherries in our oatmeal, cookies, fudge, and frozen cherries for smoothies, or just pop them in your mouth in the summer for a tasty cold treat. Have fun with your cherries ladies, they look awesome in the picture!
Beautiful work! Thanks for the demo. My daughter married into a Yakima valley orchard family. She keeps Rainier cherries in her fridge up to 3 weeks, in the bins or containers. That is, if they last that long. She has tasted the Rainiers (canned in water I think) and they are pretty much flavorless. Better fresh. I bet the sugar does help the flavor.
Yes, as much as I hate adding sugar, it really does help maintain the flavor. I feel the same way about applesauce. And that’s good to know about how long the refrigerator extends the life of fresh cherries! I definitely lost some by keeping mine on the counter too long…
I picked cherries today and I’m making cherry pie filling. 🙂 I also learned a new trick from an older lady in my church about prolonging the life of fresh cherries. She said if you take a jar and put a paper towel in the bottom, fill with UNWASHED cherries (with stems) and place another paper towel on top, cover with saran wrap and then put a lid and ring on that they will last up to 3 weeks in the fridge. I’m going to try it and see how long they last. 🙂
Dried Cherries are delicious also. I am pondering that myself.
good thing I didn’t know where you stored your canned jars!! (you might be missing some today!!)
Those look so good. And the picture of your pantry full of canned items seriously made me swoon.
Ooh, love the idea of putting your jars on a cookie sheet. I end up with sugar water everywhere, lol. It’s the little things that impress me ( :