Cherries!

I officially began the 2012 canning season yesterday with my first trip to the orchard.  We visited Thierbach Orchard for the second year in a row to pick our pie cherries.  The picking was easier than last year.  We easily picked 12 gallons of cherries in less than two hours.  I took my oldest daughter, Becky, with me this year to help pick. 

Once I arrived back home, we proceeded to wash, pit and can the cherries.  Back up a bit....last year, I pitted 8 gallons or so of fresh-picked cherries with a bobby pin.  This year, Becky used my new cherry pitting device that I ordered last year, the second I finished with the bobby  pins.  It went flawlessly! Although it did take an hour or so, it was so easy!  She filled the device and literally "stamped" each cherry!

Once we had all of the cherries prepared, we got the canners boiling, the lids simmering, the jars cleaned and ready to go!  We created a cherry canning assembly line, right in the kitchen.  We surely don't mess around.  I prefer pint jars.  My recipe for a cobbler calls for two pints of red, tart pitted cherries.  But, oftentimes, I like to make just a pie, which would just call for one pint.  My recipe for the mouth-watering cobbler will be at the end of this post.  I hope you try it.

I fill the pint jars very full, then pack them down and fill more.

After filling the jars and packing them tight, I add hot simmering simple syrup (I do a light syrup) which is basically six cups water to one cup sugar, simmer til dissolved, keeping hot.  Fill the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Add previously simmered lids and rings.  Process in water bath for 25 minutes.  Be sure to wipe the cooled jars with a clean, wet cloth to remove any residue from the processing.  You sure do want pretty jars in that "winter pantry"!

Aren't those cherries beautiful!  I canned up 24 pints and 5 quarts of cherries this year, and I'm very happy with the result.  I have a shelf downstairs in my "winter pantry" that is beginning to fill up. 



After wiping jars, I labeled them and put them away!

 Gloria's Cherry Cobbler

2 pints red tart pitted cherries

1 can cherry pie filling (from the store, if you must) 

3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar (more for a sweeter pie)

2 tbl flour

pinch of salt

2 tbl butter

pie crust for 9x13 glass pan

Prepare pie crust for the cobbler pan.   Sprinkle the 2 tbl flour on top of the bottom crust.  Mix all above ingredients together (except the butter) and add to bottom crust.  Add about 4 "pats" of butter, then cover with top crust.  Decorate as you wish!  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Decrease temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Peace.