Shelf-Stable Cherry Jam

Home canning makes the best gifts! Make this simple Cherry Jam while the cherries are fresh and in season, then give the gift of summer to your loved ones anytime throughout the year!

*Ensure you carefully follow the recipe and canning directions included with your pectin of choice for best results and to ensure your end product is shelf-stable.

Makes six half-pint (~250ml) jars or three pint (~500ml) jars.

4 cups pitted cherries, finely chopped

¼ cup lemon juice

1 pkg (57g) pectin crystals

5 cups white sugar

1. Carefully pit then finely chop your cherries, measure out all other ingredients, keep them all separate for now
2. Preheat your oven to 200F, place your clean jam jars in the oven for a minimum of 10minutes to sterilize them, or sterilize as directed in your pectin package
3. Place your canning lids in hot water to soften seal, or follow package directions if different.
4. Add cherries, lemon juice and pectin to a pot with tall sides
5. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn
6. Once boiling, stir in sugar
7. Bring back up to a boil, boil hard for 1 minute then remove from heat
8. Fill hot jars with jam, leaving about a ¼ inch of head room
9. Wipe any spilled jam off the rims/side of the jars and place lids on then screw on rings
10. Fill a canner or large pot with warm water (do not use cold water, the hot jars may crack when placed in the cold water), place jars in the pot and cover with at least 1 inch of water
11. Bring to a rolling boil, boil for 10minutes
12. Remove from heat, left stand for 5 minutes then remove from the water, (do not tip the jars!) set aside to cool overnight.