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| Cherries in wine |
It's challenge time again!
For those of you who have been playing along at home (or at least watching me do so), you know that I'm referring to Grow It Cook It Can It's Cook It! 2012 challenge. We've made and shared so many awesome staples and recipes so far: pasta, bread, butter, cheese, lactofermented veg (pickles), jam and now fruit canned in light syrup.
I can hear you laughing now: only for the Ninj would wine constitute "light syrup."
But I swear, Caroline gave us permission to booze up our fruit, so it counts!
This has been a crazy busy month for me so, although I had visions of jar after jar of peaches and apricots lining my basem*nt shelves, I wound up only having time to do a small batch of cherries before I missed not only the posting deadline but also all the good summer fruit entirely.
But this recipe, from Eugenia Bone's Well-Preserved, looked very versatile -- how many other preserved foods can you use on both beef tenderloin and ice cream in the same meal?
Yah, that's what I'm talking about.
(Eugenia's book, by the way, is a lot like the Challenge itself: she gives you instructions for making a preserved food and then supplies several recipes that incorporate it. And it's full of really lovely photographs.)
There was quite a bit of pre-canning prep involved in these cherries -- more so than I'm used to with simple jams or with pickling. But, on the plus side, given that the cherries processed in the water bath for longer than 10 minutes, the jar prep took less time.
Here are my lessons learned and/or advice if you try these cherries yourself:
- Wear an apron. And gloves (not kidding). And work over the sink or a surface that can't be stained. Seriously, unless you want a cherry-stained house and hands that make you look like you just murdered a small family, heed my advice.
- Buy a cherry pitter. Pitting cherries is tedious work but the pitter makes it tolerable. Given how often you will use it (read: next to never), even a cheap one is fine. See mine up there? I bought it at the dollar store and it worked like a charm. (Good thing they put the little cherry on it or else we would be confused about what it's for ... snort.)
- Zesters rock! (I just got the one shown below and had a fun time carving stripes in the orange. Mr. Ninj called it "tigery." Just wanted to share.)
- Use pint jars or larger. I decided to use half-pints so that I could spread the love of the cherries amongst friends and family but forgot to take into account that whole cherries are big (this is not jam) so there's not much of the good stuff in my jars. So bigger is better.
- Choose whatever red wine you like -- but make it cheap. This is not the time to be a wine snob because you'll be cooking the bejesus out of it. I went with a lovely pinot noir that came in the jug size with a screw cap: tres classy. I'm sure zinfandel or merlot would also be great choices.
I hope you'll consider giving these cherries a try. The flavor is reminiscent of a spicy mulled wine, so I can envision cracking open jars of these babies quite often when the crisp fall weather arrives (which, scarily, is not that far away now).
As is my way with Challenge posts, I'll give you the instructions with photo steps. And, as with the marmalade, I'm not including complete canning instructions -- I have to assume you already know or can google the basics.
By the way, I haven't adapted this recipe at all from Eugenia's book, so thanks to her. Go buy her book.
Eugenia Bone's Cherries in Wine First, assemble your ingredients:
2 quarts red wine
2 cups sugar
2 cups orange juice
24 whole cloves
16 long strips of orange zest (one large orange will get the job done)
4 pounds Bing cherries, pitted
Make sure you've prepped about 4-6 pint jars and their bands by scalding them (dip them in boiling water). Get your water canner ready and have your lids simmering to soften the seals.
Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the cherries in a large pot and bring to a boil -- be sure to stir continually so the sugar doesn't burn. Add the cherries and simmer for about 10 minutes until soft.
Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon (try to pick out any stray cloves) and pack them into the jars.
Simmer the wine mixture until it is reduced by about half -- about 15 minutes. (At this point, Eugenia claims it will be "viscous" but mine wasn't. Maybe I messed up, who knows.) Strain the wine mixture (to remove the cloves and zest) and pour it over the packed cherries, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace.Wipe the jar rims with a damp cloth, set the lids on the jars and screw on the bands (fingertip tight only). Place the jars into a water bath canner and, once the water has reboiled, process for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid and let the jar sit in the water for another minutes before removing them CAREFULLY.Allow the jars to cool for at least 6 hours. Check the seals and you're done. Once you open them, refrigerate any leftover cherries.
FAQs
If you are using fresh cherries, you will need to pit them before proceeding. This can be done by using a cherry pitter, or by carefully cutting the cherry in half and removing the pit with a knife. If you are using frozen cherries, you'll want to thaw them before use.
Do cherries go well with wine? ›
A bowl of ruby red cherries on the table next to a glass of jewel-toned Pinot Noir provides an idyllic way to greet the first evening stars after an al fresco dinner in late summer.
Are cherries used for wine? ›
Tart cherries, on the other hand, are high in acid and relatively low in sugar, and so, preferred for winemaking; but amelioration of the juice is needed to produce a well balanced wine. A blend of sweet and tart cherries can be used to make a balanced must with attractive color and pleasing taste.
What kind of cherries are used for wine? ›
A standard cherry wine is red but varies in hue. Brighter red Montmorency cherries create a light red wine with a sourer taste, whereas black cherries produce a deep red wine with a richer, classic wine flavor. A Bing cherry will create a deep red wine and sweeter taste.
Will cherries soaked in alcohol go bad? ›
Over time co*cktail cherries will decline in quality, so Brigman advises monitoring for discoloration or a change in texture (cherries that've been sitting for a while might become mushy as they absorb more of the soaking syrup). Cross-contamination can also introduce bacteria to your jar of cherries.
Does cherry wine need to be refrigerated after opening? ›
Therefore, it is a good idea to store the wine in the refrigerator or a wine cooler, and then take it out shortly before serving! It is recommended to serve cherry wine in glasses that are no smaller than white wine glasses.
What fruit combination is best for wine making? ›
Strawberries, plums, watermelons, peaches, blackberries, gooseberries, boysenberries, grapefruits, pears, pineapples, persimmons are all very suitable for fruit home wine making, but this list is far from complete. You can see a full list of recipes by visiting our wine making recipe page.
How do you add fruit to wine? ›
Combine the wine, apple juice, and grapefruit pieces in a large pitcher. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The following day, add the orange and lemon slices to the wine. Refrigerate for another 3 hours.
Is cherry wine good for you? ›
Cherry wines can help with the management of diabetes because they contain natural sugars that don't increase the blood glucose levels and can, in fact, help with glucose regulation. Cherries have also been shown to help lower bad cholesterol, improve sleep, and help with arthritis and blood pressure issues.
What is the most used fruit in wine? ›
Grapes make for fast, clean fermentation, which at least partly explains why they're the top fruit for winemaking. You can harness their power by blending with other fruits. Peaches are messy to use, but peach wine delivers great aroma in a full-bodied white wine.
Brandy is the most common, so cherry liqueur is often called cherry brandy. Then there's kirsch or kirschwasser, which is an unsweetened eau de vie distilled from cherries. But sometimes kirsch is called cherry brandy.
Which liquor is best with cherries? ›
Gin left just enough hint of cherry to make us long for more of the fruit's essence, but the sharp alcohol bite dissuaded us from sampling further. The whiskey and tequila cherries transformed into straight up edible booze. Even the vodka cherries were overcome by the flavor of the traditionally neutral spirit.
Is cherry wine any good? ›
Because it's so fruity and delicious and relatively “light” on alcohol, cherry wine can go down easy.
What liquor is distilled from cherries? ›
Cherry 'brandy' is traditionally the largest category of cherry liqueurs. A confusing term as most of these liqueurs are actually made by macerating cherries in neutral spirit (vodka) rather than brandy. Some might also contain brandy, but in most markets this is not a legal requirement.
What are the dark cherries in an old fashioned? ›
The Luxardo maraschino cherry is the real deal. In 1905, the distillery started selling cherries candied in a syrup of Marasca cherry juice and sugar, thus creating the original Maraschino cherry. Before it became known for its candied cherries, Luxardo was a distillery on the coast of what was once Croatia.
Can you can cherries without pitting them? ›
For unpitted cherries, add just enough water to prevent sticking. When packing jars, if insufficient juice has accumulated, add boiling water to cover cherries. Heat Process: 500 ml jars – 15 min; 1 L jars – 20 min. Pack hot cherries into a hot jar to within 3/4 inch (2 cm) of top rim.
Do you have to pit cherries before juicing? ›
Due to their hardness, these pits must be removed before juicing to prevent any potential damage to your juicer. If you're juicing peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines, or apricots, peeling isn't necessary, but extracting the pits is crucial. The same principle applies to fruits that should be peeled before juicing.
Do you have to pit cherries? ›
In fact, many cooks insist that the pits add flavor. And in some desserts, even the cherry stems are left on (although they are shortened) to serve both as decoration and a clear indication that the fruit is unpitted. Of course, not all cherry recipes lend themselves to this treatment.
