Ready or Not Canning Time is Here...Starting with Chokecherries

Kirk planted Chokecherry trees a few years ago.
This year the trees were loaded with fruit.
I am not real sure how to describe what the fruit taste like.
They are not bitter, sweet or even sour. They taste like
CHOKECHERRIES.

http://ecoplexity.org/node/933

But, they do make wonderful jam and syrup.

So, guess what I was doing today.

Because they are a little tiny berry, I use my steamer/juicer.

Steaming for about 2 hours.

After steaming the berries I had 7 1/2 cups of juice!

Enough to make a batch of Jam (Sure-Jel recipe)

and Syrup.

I found a very yummy syrup recipe at 

MAKE IT DO IT.

Here is the link to her recipe.

It is so simple... ready:

Chokecherry Syrup

from Cali at Make It Do It.

To make the syrup. Add 6 cups of sugar to 3 cups of juice. (Yes I know, it’s a lot of sugar… but it is syrup after all!) Stirring constantly, bring syrup to a rolling boil and let it boil for 1 full minute. This will thicken your syrup… too long and it will be very thick…. not long enough and it’s too runny

Remove the syrup from the stove and add 1/2 tsp. almond extract. 

Using a slotted spoon, skim off the foam from the syrup. Don’t ask me why, but I find this job oddly satisfying. I love how the foam kind of sticks together.

pour the hot syrup into hot and sterilized canning jars. This recipe make 7 half pint jelly jars. I sterilize the jars in my dishwasher and leave them in there to keep warm until I need them. You also want to get your lids ready by simmering them in hot water for a few minutes, but be careful not to boil them. When filling the jars I love to use my wide mouth funnel made for canning. Also be sure to leave at least a 1/4 inch space at the top of the jar.

AT THIS POINT I DID THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT

You DO NEED TO PROCESS your jelly and syrup.

I put my jars in my pressure cooker and cooked them without the pressure tab on for 25 mins.

(I process 10 mins longer because we are at a little higher altitude.) 

Pull your jars from the pressure cooker and place on a towel to cool for about 12 hours.

We had waffles for dinner and they syrup was delish!