A perfect solution for the imperfect berries you don’t want to pit
Of course, I have an even tastier solution for berries you don’t want to pit: Sour Cherry Liqueur (made exactly the same way as my pommette)! Oh my! With my abundant crop last year, we made enough for a few centuries and still had cherries to last the winter and give away. Making juice or syrup is another option that makes such wonderful treats.
Making a small batch is so simple, it is almost embarrassing. Simply wash and clean the cherries, put a skiff of water in the bottom of the pan, and heat until the skins burst.
Help the concoction along by mashing the fruit, then simply strain.
Voila! Cherry Juice. That simple. If you want is exceptionally clear, strain again with cheese cloth. Freeze in ziplock bags, or preserve in jars according to proper preserving instructions. I freeze mine flat, on cookie sheets. They are easy to stack and use and about 2 cups fits into each bag. YUM!. No specialized equipment necessary for a small batch. Can be made with fresh or frozen berries, but the whole idea is to not pit the cherries, right!
Above is a cherry juice mixed with soda for a refreshing pucker up spritzer.
Sour Cherry Juice
Ingredients
- Fresh sour cherries , washed but not pitted
- Water to cover bottom of pan
Instructions
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In a heavy pan that will hold your cherries, place enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and up to one inch high if the pot will be full
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Place washed freshly plucked cherries in the heavy pot with the water in it
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Heat to medium high, until the water steams, the cherry skins split and emit their juices; turn heat down immediately
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Mash berries into their juice
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Strain into a sieve immediately, and cool
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Once juice is cooled, if you want a clean liquid, strain again through a cheesecloth
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Freeze, or preserve in sterilized jars
Recipe Notes
The preparation time would be about 10 minutes for a litre of cherries and the cooking time would be about 5 minutes for that amount of cherries; their will be about a 2 cup yield of juice
What do you do with the cherry pulp left over after straining the juice from the pulp??
I make fruit leather with it, Bernie!
🙂
V
Do you have recipe for the fruit leather
I believe it is on my site. Go to the search window and type in fruit leather.
🙂
Valerie
No sugar? Like none at all?
Hi Cheryl,
None at all until you serve it. It is completely unsweetened juice. Great this way with a spritzer. You can then use it to make a syrup or anything you like.
🙂
Valerie
How much is a skiff?
A tad?
I have the tart cherry juice made, and I can not make anymore jelly! Do you have a recipe for cherry liqueur using the juice? Also for a cherry syrup using the juice?
Thanks!
Lets see what others suggest? Gummy Bears?
🙂
V