Chokecherry Syrup - Grandma's Recipe

Chokecherries

In the early fall of the year (in Nephi that is in August but in the mountains it is later) the wild chokecherries are ready to pick. It is fun to make syrup and is not too difficult. Chokecherry syrup is also good for pancakes, French toast, waffles and is delicious over ice cream. You can also make clear jelly with the chokecherry juice using the recipe that comes with your commercial Sure-gel pectin or the one found below. You can easily pick a gallon of chokecherries in an hour and can make enough syrup with that gallon for 10 pints of syrup. This is often enough to last a family for a year but if your family really likes it, you might need a lot more. Making chokecherry syrup is easy and fun for the kids with plenty of adult supervision.

I've also thought that a small jar of chokecherry syrup would make a nice, inexpensive Christmas gift for friends and neighbors.(Sister Joey Olpin, our former next door neighbor, did that.) The best part of making chokecherry syrup or jelly is that you don't need any special equipment, just a large pot for making the juice and a hot water bath canner, if you use that method. I always had a fun time making
and canning this syrup and had tremendous satisfaction making something really great for next to nothing. (And a lot of it!)

Chokecherry Juice for Syrup or Jelly
Add water to 1 gallon of berries to barely cover the berries. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a colander, saving the juice and returning the berries to your pan. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain as before, saving the juice and returning the berries again to your pan. Do this one more time for a total of 3 times. NEVER press the berries through a sieve, it mixes in pulp and makes the juice cloudy and bitter. (I did this once and ruined the entire barch!) DISCARD the berries and mix the resulting 3 juices. You should have between 8 and 12 cups of juice. You can now use this juice for either syrup or clear jelly.

Old-Fashioned Chokecherry Syrup
Ingredients :
8 c. sugar (or 12) * some use 1 cup white corn syrup in place of 1 cup sugar
8 c. juice (or 12) *some like to use 2 cups apple juice in place of two cups of chokecherry juice
Preparation :
Measure juice into 6- to 8-quart kettle. Mix ingredients, bring to a rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes. Stir down. Skim top. Pour boiling water over clean new lids. Have clean, hot, sterilized dry jars ready to use. Pour syrup into about 3 jars at a time within 1/4 inch of top of jar. Put hot lid on top and screw on band. Immediately invert jars for 5 minutes, then turn jars right side up again. After jars are cool check seal by pressing middle of lid with finger. If lid springs up when finger is released, lid is not
sealed. (Just refrigerate sealing failures and use within 3 weeks.) Because of the high sugar and acid content, you do not have to use the water bath method to make this syrup or jelly. Continue with your other jars in the same manner. NOTE: This is a very old-fashioned recipe and I do use the boiling water bath. Process syrup in sealed jars 10 minutes for half-pints at 5,000 feet or 15 minutes for pints above 6,000 feet. Remove from water and cool syrup-filled jars. Follow above advice for jars that do not seal.

Chokecherry Syrup Using Pectin
. 8 C. juice or 12 C. juice
. 1 pkg. Sure-Jell pectin
. 1/2 C. lemon juice
. 1 1/2 t. almond extract (optional, tastes more cherry-like)
. 10 C. sugar (if using 8 C. juice) or 12 C. sugar if using 12 C. juice
Pour boiling water over clean new lids. Have clean dry jars ready to use. Wash fruit and cover with water; simmer 15 minutes. Strain juice. Measure juice into a 6 to 8 quart kettle. Add pectin and stir. Bring to a boil, add sugar, stir, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Boil exactly 2 minutes. Skim and pour into jars. Pour syrup into about 3 jars at a time within 1/4 inch of top of jar. Put hot lid on top and screw on band. Seal. Place jars in boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes. Remove from water and cool syrup-filled jars. Remember that syrup uses twice as much juice to 1 package pectin as jelly does.

MYRNA'S NOTE: Sister Olpin, my neighbor, always used two cups of apple juice in place of two cups of the chokecherry juice. It is a bit less tart and I liked it that way also. Be sure to process jars and lids in a hot water bath if you are planning to store the jelly for future use. Some of myfriends say they lightly crush the berries before boiling them to get more juice. I have never done that. I wonder if it would make the juice more bitter?