Choke Cherries

This past month while eating outside at my picnic table (almost all meals are eaten outside during the summer, as I want to soak up every single second of warmth that I possibly can as I know it will come to and end all too soon for me.) I looked up and saw these. After asking around, I discovered I had my own little chokecherry stash right in my back yard.  So, of course I had to make something out of them.  I'm not a huge jelly eater  (I like it, I just don't think of it as often as I should)  My son and husband eat waffles on the weekends, it's their thing (I don't love  big breakfasts) so I made them some awesome chokecherry syrup!


Also, on our little 4 mile hike we came across a GIANT patch of chokecherries and I had 3 men and one little boy filling plastic bags and water bottles full of berries....and I made more syrup. The thing about chokecherries that I love... they are free. And to make syrup, not all that much more. Water and sugar. That's it!

CHOKECHERRY SYRUP

7 cups chokecherry juice (or however many cups you have)
6 cups sugar (Nearly equal amounts)


Wash cherries and drain well. Place in 8-10 quart kettle and add enough water to completely cover the cherries. Boil until tender, about 15 to 30 minutes. Strain through a cloth jelly bag or fruit press. Combine sugar and measured juice and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 20 to 25 minutes. Pour into hot sterile jars and seal.


You can add liquid pectin to make jelly. Follow instructions in pectin package.

Song: Sugar Sugar