Ground Cherry Preserves Food

CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Place a round wire rack in the bottom of a large stockpot. The rack should fit as snugly as possible and should stand 1/2 to 1 inch above the bottom of the pot. Stand the four jars on the rack, and add the lids; it's not necessary to add the screw bands. Fill pot with enough water to cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; an additional 1 to 2 inches of space should remain below the rim of the pot so the water doesn't overflow. Bring water to a simmer (180 degrees) let lids and jars simmer 10 minutes or until you're ready to fill them. Place four small plates in the freezer.
• In a medium stockpot, combine the cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice; place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in one-third of the remaining sugar, and cook, stirring, until it has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar in two more batches, stirring each batch until sugar has dissolved.
• Bring the mixture to a full boil, and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Place a candy thermometer in mixture, and cook, stirring frequently, until temperature registers 220 degrees. 30 to 40 minutes. While cooking, skim any foam that floats to the surface.
• With the temperature at 220 degrees, perform a gel test: Remove one of the plates from the freezer, and place a spoonful of the jam on it. Return the plate to freezer, and wait 1 minute. Remove plate from freezer, and gently nudge the edge of the jam with one finger. If the jam is ready, it will wrinkle slightly when pushed. If it is not ready, it will be too thin to wrinkle. If the jam does not wrinkle on the first attempt, cook 2 or 3 minutes more, and repeat the gel test.
• Once the jam has gelled properly, remove stockpot from heat. Using canning tongs, remove a jar from the simmering water, and empty the water back into the stockpot. Place the jar on a clean surface, and insert a canning funnel. Using a ladle, pour the jam through the funnel into the jar; fill to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Remove the funnel; wipe the rim with a clean damp towel. Using the tongs, lift a lid from the hot water; place lid, sealant side down, on the filled jar. Screw down the band, and tighten firmly, being careful not to force it. With the tongs, stand filled jar in simmering water. Repeat with the remaining jam and jars, making sure jars aren't touching sides of pot and are spaced 1 inch apart.
• Raise the heat to high, cover stockpot, and bring water to a boil. Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer jars to a wire rack to cool completely. Store jam in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.

BEST CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Sterilize your jars and keep them hot while you're cooking the preserves.
• Place cherries in a large, heavy duty dutch oven.
• Combine pectin with 1/4 cup sugar; stir into cherries, Add butter.
• Bring to a full boil, stirring, over high heat.
• Add 3 more cups sugar and return to a boil , stirring constantly, boil 1 minutes.
• Remove from heat; skim off foam.
• Immediately spoon preserves into 3 one pint sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.
• Wipe the sealing surface of the jars with a clean paper towel, dampened with hot water, to remove any preserves or sugar crystals.
• Place lids and screw on bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for at least ten minutes, depending upon your altitude.
• When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid; wait 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner using a jar lifter and keeping jars upright. Carefully place them directly onto a towel or cake cooling rack to protect your countertop, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.
• After jars have cooled undisturbed for 24 hours, remove ring bands from sealed jars. Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.

GROUND CHERRY JAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Husk the ground cherries and add them to a saucepan.
• Add the lemon juice and cook over low heat until the ground cherries have popped and released their juices. Give it a stir to break them up a bit.
• Add the sugar and cook over medium heat until the jam thickens, about 15 minutes.
• Pour into clean quarter pint mason jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace and store in the refrigerator or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.

GROUND CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Remove husks from ground cherries and wash.
• Boil water, sugar and lemon juice together for five minutes or until clear; skim.
• Add fruit and simmer until clear and tender.
• Seal at once in sterilized jars, filling to the top of the jars with the boiling syrup.

GROUND CHERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare ground cherries by grinding them in food processor. Measure 3 3/4 cups. Add lemon juice. Measure sugar and set aside. Mix fruit pectin into fruit and add butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Immediately add all of the sugar. Bring back to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Ladle quickly into prepared jars. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

GROUND CHERRY FREEZER JAM

Steps:

• Place ground cherries in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large saucepan.
• Stir sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the cherries. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, until ground cherries soften, about 15 minutes. Add lemon gelatin; stir until dissolved. Skim any foam off the top of the jam with a slotted spoon.
• Pour jam into two 8-ounce freezer-safe containers. Let stand until thickened and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the freezer.

CHERRY BOUNCE

Steps:

• Place cherries in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Strain juice through a cheesecloth-lined colander; divide cherries among six 1-pint jars., Return juice to saucepan; add sugar and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely., Stir in rum and brandy; pour syrup into bottles over cherries. Cover and let stand for at least 1 month, stirring every week. Store in a cool, dry place up to 3 months.