Cherry Jam

With the great selection and price of cherries this summer I have been buying a lot.  I thought for sure my kids would eat a ton of them but I found a bag, untouched, in the fridge.   That’s when I decided I should use them up before they went bad.  My father-in-law had first introduced me to the Cherry Jam from Smuckers.  The first time I tried it was at their cottage and I had it, of course, on my mother-in-law’s homemade bread.   Wow, was it ever good!  I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was.  Maybe I was expecting it to be chunky, which I don’t like in a jam, but it had such a smooth texture and it wasn’t overly sweet.   Every time I returned to the cottage I was always excited to wake up to homemade bread so I could toast it, lather it with butter, and then lather it again with Cherry Jam.  My mouth is watering now just thinking about it.

I wanted to re-create that kind of jam so that I’d always have some in stock when I wanted it.  I think this recipe turned out quite well and it’ll be a keeper in my recipe files.  I mashed the cherries well with my potato masher as they were cooking so that I wouldn’t have too big of chucks in the jam.  You could also put the cherries in a food processor if you want the jam to be extra smooth.

Recipe adapted from Sugarcrafter

Cherry Jam

By Elizabeth Gorecki Published: August 5, 2012

• Yield: 4 cups
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 15 mins
• Ready In: 35 mins

A sweet and flavorful jam with a great texture.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sweet cherries pitted and chopped
• 1 whole lime juiced
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. rum
• 1 package Light pectin crystals
• 3 1/2 cups sugar

Instructions

1. Prepare jars and lids by washing them first and then setting the jars in the oven at 200 F to sterilize. Place lids and seals in a pot of boiling water and then set on low on top the stove.
   
2. Pit your cherries with a cherry pitter and cut up into thirds. Place cherries in a large saucepan and add the lime juice, cinnamon and rum. Cook over medium-high heat until cherries start to break down. Begin mashing your cherries if you want a smoother jam or put them in a food processor. Stir in the pectin until dissolved, and boil over high heat for several minutes. Add in the sugar and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
   
3. Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Place seals and lids on top and seal only finger-tight. Leave on the counter for 24 hours making sure all jar seals suck down (you'll hear the popping sound). After 24 hours tighten lids and store. Enjoy!
   

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