Drunken Cherries
July 1, 2009
Two of my favorite things: local, sustainably-grown fruit, that I get to pick myself, while spending quality time with my sweetie, on a rare and gorgeous sunny summer day, and… booze. A match made in heaven!
Adapted from Brandied Cherries in The Glass Pantry by Georgeanne Brennan
Drunken Cherries
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lbs cherries (sweet, tart or sour)
- 1 cup sugar (organic evaporated cane juice)
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 4 cups brandy, rum, Cointreau, or other liquor
METHODS
- Sterilize 4 glass pint jars and lids (run through the dishwasher or submerge in boiling water for 15 minutes). Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
- Wash and pit the cherries, reserving about 1/4 of the pits. Transfer 1 lb of cherries to the bowl of a food processor and process until pureed; add to a medium stockpot with water and sugar. Tie the reserved pits into a small square of cheesecloth and add to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, lower heat and cook slowly until a thick syrup forms, about 15 minutes. Stir in the brandy, or other alcohol, and keep on the heat at a very low simmer.
- Fill hot jars with pitted cherries; tap down into the jar, but do not tightly pack. Leave a generous 1/2-inch of headspace. Pour the cherry syrup-brandy mixture over the cherries, covering the topmost cherries and leaving about a 1/2-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles with the handle of a wooden spoon; adjust headspace with additional liquid if necessary. Wipe the rim the jar clean, top with a heated lid, and screw on the band to fingertip tight.
- Store in a cool, dark spot for at least 1 month before use.
Yields 4 pints of booze-addled cherries.
OPTIONS
- I made 2 pints with spiced rum and two pints with Cointreau because I did not have any brandy in the house. Whiskey, vodka, cognac, amaretto; any of these seem like good choices. Feel free to experiment!
- This recipe does not call for any processing in a boiling water bath; the heat of the syrup should seal the Ball jars, and the alcohol should prevent any spoilage. If you want to be doubly sure, you could process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- The original recipe suggested to pit only 1 lb of the cherries, leaving the other 3 lbs whole, with stems & pits, to sit in the brandy and soak it up. This is probably a nice option if you intend to serve these cherries with drinks; in a fancy martini or a grown up Shirley Temple. But, as I will more likely add them to salads or roasts, top cakes or tarts, or put on a cheese tray, the pitted-stemmed version seemed much easier. You can do either way.
STORE
Store jars for at least 1 month, in a cool dark place, prior to using. Cherries will keep for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate.
SEASON
Early summer.
