Cherry Pie Filling- USDA Approved, canning

• 3 1/3 cups Fresh or thawed sour cherries

• 1 cup Granulated Sugar

• ¼ cup ClearJel (not instant)

• 1 ⅓ cups Cold Water

• 4 teaspoons Bottled Lemon Juice

• ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon Almond Extract

• 6 drops Red food Coloring, optional

• 6 Quart Recipe

• 6 quarts Fresh or thawed sour cherries

• 7 cups Granulated sugar

• 1 ¾ cups ClearJel (not instant)

• 9 ⅓ cup Cold Water

• ½ cup Bottled Lemon Juice

• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract

• ¼ teaspoon Red Food Coloring, Optional

Quality: Select fresh, very ripe, and firm cherries. Unsweetened frozen cherries may be used. If sugar has been added, rinse it off while the fruit is still frozen.

Rinse and pit fresh cherries, and hold in cold water. To prevent stem end browning, use ascorbic acid solution (use 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or six 500- milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon water). For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep heated in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar and ClearJel in a large saucepan and add water. If desired, add cinnamon, almond extract, and food coloring. Stir mixture and cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained cherries immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately. Process hot pie filling in pints or quarts for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner (at altitudes between 3,001 - 6,000 feet).

USDA