The best recipes for homemade cherry jam with and without pits for the winter, storage

It turns out that cherry jam is not only delicious but also healthy: cherries contain many valuable vitamins and antioxidants. It can be added to tea in winter to help prevent colds. Jam made from sweet or sour cherries comes in different varieties, and each country prepares it with its own unique local flavor. Several unusual and delicious recipes for this dessert will help you surprise your family and friends with something new.

Specifics of preparing cherry jam

To ensure delicious jam, there's one important rule: the ratio of sugar to cherry jam should be at least 50%. Every chef prepares cherry jam differently: some remove the pits, others don't. To thicken the jam, there are some tricks, such as adding gelatin or pectin.

Making cherry jam is easy. Just select good quality cherry jam, monitor the cooking process, and sterilize the jars. Cherry jam can also be made with other fruits, such as apples, currants, and strawberries. To surprise your guests with a unique cherry jam, add spices or rum during preparation.

Which cherry is best for jam?

There are many different varieties of cherries. To avoid adding large amounts of sugar, it's best to choose garden cherries—they're sweeter than wild ones. For jam, pick the cherries with the stems attached; picking only the cherries can cause the juice to leak. Sort and wash the cherries just before cooking.

It's worth knowing: cherries for jam need to be ripe so that their flavor can fully develop during cooking.

How to Make Thick Cherry Jam: The Best Recipes

To make delicious jam at home or at home, follow a few tried-and-true recipes below. These recipes can be used to make baked goods with cherry filling, brew cherry tea, or serve the jam as a dessert. Each recipe calls for equal amounts of cherries and sugar: 500 grams of granulated sugar per 1 kilogram of cherries.

A simple recipe for the winter

The classic recipe for thick jam is simple. All you need is cherries and sugar. The key is to choose ripe, sweet cherries; they can have a touch of tartness, which is a welcome addition.

Method of preparation:

1. The sorted and washed cherries should be placed in a colander to dry. Remove the pit from each cherry. Place the berries in a saucepan, sprinkle with sugar, and bring to a boil.
2. Bring to a boil. Cook the jam until it becomes smooth and viscous. This process may take 30-40 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture into prepared, clean jars and seal. Store the jam at room temperature.

In a multicooker

This method is the simplest, as you don't have to watch the jam while it's cooking. To make delicious cherry jam, you need to prepare ripe cherries and sugar.

1. The cherries should be washed and pitted. They can then be mashed using a blender or a hand masher.
2. Pour the cherry mixture into the slow cooker and add sugar. Set the cooker to "Stewing" mode for 30 minutes and cover the bowl with a lid.
3. After half an hour, open the lid and skim off the foam, then simmer for another 5 minutes. Pour into jars and seal.

With bones

This recipe is very simple because it doesn't require much preparation time. To make cherry jam with pits, you'll need sugar, cherries, and about an hour of time.

1. Dry the washed cherries and place them in a deep saucepan, cover them with sugar, and you can also add half a glass of water.
2. Place over low heat and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam. Cook the jam for 25 minutes.
3. Pour the product into pre-prepared jars and seal with metal lids.

Seedless

Making this winter jam requires a little more time than the previous jam. However, this jam is safe for children to eat without the risk of choking on the pit.

Recipe:

1. Sort and wash the cherries, and remove the pits from each fruit. It's recommended to use ripe cherries to make it easier to separate the pulp.
2. Place the fruit in a saucepan, add sugar, and half a glass of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the jam for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Pre-sterilize the jars, pour the finished product into them and roll them up.

With gelatin

Gelling agents can significantly speed up the preparation of jam. To make this dessert, you'll need a standard set of ingredients: water, cherries, and sugar, as well as a packet of gelatin.

Method of preparation:

1. Whether to remove the pits from the cherries is a personal choice. Pour 150 milliliters of water over the gelatin and let it bloom. Meanwhile, place the cherries in a saucepan and sprinkle with sugar.
2. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil and add the gelatin, stirring thoroughly. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a viscous consistency.
3. Pour into jars and roll up the lids.

With pectin

This tried-and-true French jam recipe with added pectin makes a delicious treat with strong black tea and a fresh bun. For 1 kilogram of cherries, you'll need just 10 grams of pectin.

Recipe:

1. Mix the pectin with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Set it aside while you pit the cherries.
2. Place the peeled fruit in a saucepan, cover with sugar and leave in a dark place for 4 hours.
3. Once the cherries have released their juice, you can simmer them over low heat. When the jam comes to a boil, add the pectin mixed with sugar. Stir constantly, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Pour the finished jam into jars and seal with lids.

With wine and rum

This savory jam will appeal to many. Simply add 0.6 liters of red wine and 200 milliliters of rum to the main ingredients. You can also add the juice of half a lemon, if desired.

How to make jam with rum and wine:

1. Place the cherries in a saucepan, sprinkle with sugar, add wine and leave in a dark place for 12 hours.
2. Once the required amount of time has passed, place the pan over low heat, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. At the end of cooking, add rum and cook for 1 minute. Pour into jars and seal.

With currants

This combination will leave no one indifferent. To make cherry jam, you only need 500 grams of red currants. It's recommended to simmer the cherries and sugar separately from the currants, then combine them and simmer for 10 minutes.

This way you will get an incredibly delicious jam with a delicate, rich consistency.

With strawberries

For this recipe, you need to select the freshest and sweetest cherries and 500 grams of strawberries, which should also be of the highest quality. Sort and wash all the fruit. Mix the berries with the cherries and sugar. Let them steep for 1 hour to release their juices. Then, boil them in a saucepan. Once boiling, simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the finished product into sterilized jars.

With coriander

For those who want to experiment, there's an interesting culinary recipe. Cherry jam can be spiced up with coriander. You'll need just a little—about 1.5 teaspoons. You can also add 20 grams of flaked almonds and a packet of gelatin.

Method of preparation:

1. Lightly toast the almonds in a dry frying pan. Cover the gelatin with water and let it steep. Mix the pitted cherries with sugar and crush them with a potato masher. Bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add almonds, coriander, and gelatin to the jam. Cook, stirring, for another 10 minutes.
3. Pour the finished product into jars and roll up.

Storage Features

The shelf life of cherry jam may vary. This depends on the amount of preservative (sugar) it contains and other factors. For example, jam may last longer in a cold basement or cellar.

It's worth knowing: in a stuffy room or room, the shelf life of cherry jam is significantly reduced.

1. Cherry jam can be stored for 1-3 years if it is pitted.
2. It's best to eat seeded fruit early. Its shelf life is reduced to 7 months.
3. Optimum storage temperature: +15 degrees.
4. It is recommended to store an opened jar for no more than one month.

Conclusion

Cherry jam makes a wonderful dessert, and it can also complement other sweets, such as baked goods or ice cream. These simple recipes can be a real find for both novice and experienced cooks looking to try something new.