Brandied Cherry Recipe with Easy Canning and Cold Storing Tips (2024)

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Enjoy the following tips and steps for canning brandied cherries. This homemade brandied cherry recipe makes for a deliciously brandy soaked co*cktail cherries, which are ideal for desserts or beverages.

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A Simple Brandied Cherry Recipe

Fruit infused in alcohol, whether it’s brandy, bourbon, rum or vodka elevates the flavor of the fruit being preserved.The options for the type of fruit which can be preserved in alcohol is endless. However, nothing is as delicious as brandy soaked cherries. Well, other than home canned bourbon peaches.

Whether you plan on preserving brandied cherries for long-term shelf storage through canning or keeping homemade co*cktail cherries in the refrigerator, you’ll not regret the decision to preserve boozy cherries.

I have included both means for preserving this brandied cherry recipe. The first, my recipe for brandy soaked cherries. The second, my recipe and tips for canning brandied cherries.

Preserving the Cherry Harvest

As much as I love this brandied cherry recipe there are many other methods available for preserving the cherry harvest. Here are my favorite preserving methods.

  • Chunky Cherry Jam
  • Canning Cherry BBQ Sauce
  • Cherry Salsa
  • Canning Cherry Juice Concentrate

The benefits of reside in Washington state is the extended growing season for stone fruit. This allows me the opportunity to consume and preserve fruit from stone fruit growers in my state. The North West Cherries Growers of WA state produce and ship cherries across the country. You’ll not want to miss out on this opportunity to consume some amazing stone fruit from this organization!

Choosing the Best Brandy

Before beginning let’s talk about the type of brandy to use.

Let’s talkabout the type of brandy to use.Some prefera nice cognac for a smooth flavor.However, Ichose a smooth medium price brandy which worked just as nice. Regardless of price, cognac or not, stick with a brand which is smooth in flavor. This will eliminate creating a syrup which is harsh and unpleasant in flavor.

The Sustainable Canning Course

Are you searching for canning classes near you? Look no further!The Sustainable Canning Courseis a self-paced series of online classes designed to help you on the road to achieving food ownership.

The Sustainable Canning Courseis an extension of my book,The Farm Girl’s Guideto Preserving theHarvest. I wrote this bookto help guide those who seek to own their food source the opportunity to do so. It is a comprehensive, easy to understand book covering all methods of home food preservation, canning, drying, fermenting, curing, freezing, and storing fresh foods.

  • Understand why pressure canning is necessary to preserve foods.
  • Confidently alter or create recipes to be canned.
  • Preserve many tomato products utilizing scientific information with traditional tools.
  • How modern canning tools, such as the steam canner and steam juicer, revolutionized preserving methods.
  • Understanding how to decipher information shared by the National Center of Home Food Preservation.
  • Discover how easy it is to can meat, fish, soups, and stews.

These topics and many more are available withinThe Sustainable Canning Course. Reserve your spot now, and begin gleaning the necessary information needed to preserve foods as a modern sustainable homesteader does.

Preserving for Refrigerator Storage

Ifyou have no intentions oncanningbrandied cherries feel free tomake this refrigerator recipe. The alcohol will preserve the brandy soaked cherriesup to a year as long as it is stored in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups Brandy
  • 2/3 cup granulated organic white sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 4 cups sweet cherries, washed, stemmedand pitted

Instructions

  1. Add the cinnamon stick andclovesto thebrandy, allowing the mixtureto infuse for a minimum of 6 hours
  2. In a medium saucepanadd the brandy mixtureand sugar, simmer on low and stir often.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat, allowing itto sit for 15 minutes
  4. Pack the cherries into 2 pint size mason jars or 3 1/2 pint mason jars. Pack them nicely, making sure to not crush the cherries
  5. Strain the brandy syrup over the cherries, removing any air bubbles, making sure to cover the cherries
  6. Place the lid on tight and store in the refrigerator, they will keep nicely up to a year

Note

Save any leftover syrup for making delicious co*cktail beverages.

Canning Brandied Cherries

When you’ve beenblessedwith a large amount of sweet black Bing cherries preserving a small amount is a must. Canning brandied cherries is one method for preserving this delicious summertime stone fruit, however, there are more options available.

This preserving method allows for brandy soaked cherries to be made shelf stable, freeing up refrigerator space. Canning brandy cherries eliminates the alcohol potency due the processing time. However, the full flavor of the brandy remains.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup brandy
  • 6 lbs sweet cherries, washed, stemmed, pitted
  • 1/2 cup granulated organic whitesugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup water

Equipment

Instructions

  1. In a heavy bottom saucepan combine the sugars, water and lemon juice
  2. Bring syrup to a boil, stirring often until the sugar has dissolved
  3. Add cherries and simmer until the cherries have heated through
  4. Remove from heat, stir in brandy
  5. Using a slotted spoon ladle cherries into pint size jars
  6. Add brandy syrup to jars leaving a 1/4 headspace, remove air bubbles and top the jar with additional syrup if needed
  7. Process in a water bathor steam canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. See processing times below.
TYPE OF PACKJAR SIZE0-1,000 ft1,001-3,000 ft3,001-6,000 ftAbove 6,000 ft
Hot PackPints15 mins20 mins25 mins30 mins
Quarts20 mins25 mins30 mins35 mins

Note

Add the boozy berries to adult co*cktails, cakes, pastries, and over ice-cream.

My Book

The Farm Girl’s Guide to Preserving the Harvest is a comprehensive book covering multiple methods for preserving foods in the comfort of your home. Learn how to safely can, dry, ferment, cure, freeze, and store foods fresh as a sustainable homesteader would. The tips, tricks, and recipes within this book will provide you the confidence and knowledge needed to own your food source.

Brandied Cherry Recipe with Easy Canning and Cold Storing Tips (6)

Printable Recipe Card

Yield: 6 pints

Canning Brandied Cherry

Preserve this delicious stone fruit with this easy brandied cherry recipe. Brandy soaked cherries are excellent in co*cktails, over desserts, or even on top of a bowl of homemade ice cream. Is brandy not to your liking? Use a smooth bourbon whiskey instead.

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Additional Time15 minutes

Total Time50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup brandy
  • 6 pounds sweet cherries, washed, stemmed, pitted
  • 1/2 cup granulated organic white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Prepare lids, jars, and canner.
  2. In a heavy bottom saucepan (enamel Dutch oven) combine the sugars and water.
  3. Bring syrup to a boil, stirring often until the sugar has dissolved.
  4. Add cherries and simmer on high until the cherries have heated through and are soft in texture.
  5. Remove from heat, stir in brandy.
  6. Using a slotted spoon, ladle cherries into pint size jars.
  7. With a ladle, add the brandy flavored syrup to the jars, making sure to leave a 1/2-headspace. Remove air bubbles and top the jar with additional syrup if needed.
  8. Using a clean damp dishtowel wipe rims of jars, add warmed lids and rings to finger tight.
  9. Process in a water bath or steam canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see chart in blog)

Notes

  • Cherries can be canned whole or halved.
  • Once canned this recipe contains no alcohol. To preserve the alcohol content found in the brandy or bourbon do not can this recipe. Instead store in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

192

Serving Size:

1 tablespoon

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 15Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g

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Boozy fruit is a fun, and tasty, means for preserving fruit. Enjoy homemade co*cktail cherries any way you wish, they’re that delicious!

Brandied Cherry Recipe with Easy Canning and Cold Storing Tips (2024)

FAQs

How long do canned brandied cherries last? ›

Whether stored in the refrigerator or canned using the water bath, the unopened jar of cherries should keep for up to a year (until next cherry season). Once opened, keep the jar of brandied cherries chilled in the refrigerator and enjoy them within a week.

How do you store canned cherries? ›

Canned Cherries

Label and date the jars and store them in a clean, cool, dark, dry place. For best quality, don't keep canned cherries more than 24 months at 40°F or 18 months at 70°F or 9 months at 90°F.

What is the best way to preserve cherries? ›

Cherries, pitted or with pits, may be frozen without sugar, in water or unsweetened fruit juice, or dry, but the texture will be softer when thawed. Sweet cherries may be frozen in a single layer on shallow trays before packing into containers or zip-type plastic bags to prevent them from sticking together.

How do you preserve cherries in a Mason jar? ›

Fill sterilized jars with cherries up to the "neck" of the jar. Pour water into a large pan and bring to a boil. Add sugar and keep boiling until sugar dissolves. Pour hot simple syrup over cherries into the jars up to 1/8-inch from the top.

Do brandied cherries go bad? ›

According to Tracey Brigman, EdD, associate director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, an unopened jar of co*cktail cherries can last for up to two years. “Once opened, they can keep for about 6 to 12 months, as long as they are continuously refrigerated during that time,” Brigman continues.

Do canned cherries need to be refrigerated? ›

Once a jar with cherries in syrup is opened, it should be kept in the fridge and its reaction should be observed, since if there are dents in the lid or cracks in the jar, it is very possible that the fruit has spoiled and cannot be consumed.

How long do homemade canned cherries last? ›

As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.

Do cherries last longer in mason jars? ›

The cherries that have stems, I will put them into a half gallon or gallon sized mason jar with a paper towel at the bottom. The mason jar of cherries should be stored in the fridge and they will last for about three weeks. The bowl of cherries should also be placed in the fridge, but be sure to eat those first!

Can you store cherries in a Ziploc bag? ›

The easiest way to freeze cherries is to wash them, blot them dry gently with a paper towel and then arrange them on a cookie sheet. Place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then take and seal them in zip-loc bags and place them back in the freezer. You can pull them out at any time to eat them.

How do you store cherries long term? ›

Spread out the pitted cherries in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer until solid. (This step will take around two hours.) Move the cherries to a freezer-safe, air-tight container, and transfer to the freezer.

Can you water bath cherries? ›

Yes! Because cherries are a high-acid food (with a pH of around 3.2 to 4.5), they can safely be water-bath canned. You can also safely hot pack or raw pack cherries. Many people don't like the added step of hot packing cherries (boiling the cherries first).

Should you wash cherries before storing them? ›

Wait to wash your cherries: When it comes to storing cherries, moisture is their biggest enemy, so it's best to wait and wash them until right before you're ready to eat them. Any excess water may cause the cherries to spoil at a faster rate. Leave the stems on: If your cherries have stems, leave them on.

Can you put cherries in mason jars? ›

Pit and stem all the cherries. Stuff as many cherries as you can into a warm, quart sized mason jar, leaving about an half-inch of room at the top of the jar (cherries/water will expand once frozen.)

How do mason jars keep fruit fresh? ›

Usually, when you wash and cut your produce, their shelf life is limited to a couple of days. But, when I put them in mason jars after prepping them, they last a week to a week and a half. Because mason jars are air tight, they keep the produce from spoiling as quickly.

How do you keep fruit good in mason jars? ›

You can add or remove humidity by placing damp (carrots, celery) or dry (grapes, berries, cucumbers) paper towels to the bottom of a jar. If you don't want plastic touching your food, leave a little airspace when using jars or place waxed paper between the food and the lid, or use waxed paper instead of a hard lid.

Do canned cherries expire? ›

As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.

Are canned cherries good past expiration date? ›

Good news: Shelf-stable canned goods are safe more or less indefinitely, lasting up to five years or more according to the USDA.

Can cherries in moonshine go bad? ›

Moonshine has a longer shelf life than other simple spirits, lasting up to six months after opening. However, once a bottle of moonshine is opened, the shelf life is only 2-3 years. Does Moonshine with Fruit Go Bad? Moonshine that contains fruits does not go bad.

Can cherries go bad in alcohol? ›

As long as the alcohol is covering the cherries, the cherries will dissolve before anything goes "bad". Nothing can live in that much alcohol.

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