How to Make Juice from Nanking Cherries for Jelly
Nanking cherries, also called "prairie" or "sand" cherries, grow in abundance on hedge-like bushes. While many cooks complain that large seeds mean a lower fruit yield than common with tart tree cherries, most of them also identify the juice extracted as tasty and suitable for jelly- or wine-making. Two methods work well for extracting juice; try either or both and decide which works the best for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Both Methods:
- 6 cups Nanking cherries
- 1 cup water
- Method 1:
- 2 to 3 quart stainless steel saucepan
- Metal or wooden spoon
- Cheesecloth
- Colander
- Deep bowl
- String
- Cabinet knob
- Method 2:
- Pressure cooker
- Both: additional source of pectin
Instructions
-
Method 1
-
1
Wash cherries and put in pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook until fruit is soft and skins have popped.
-
2
Place colander over deep bowl and line with cheesecloth. Pour fruit/juice mixture into lined colander.
-
-
3
When cool enough to handle, bring ends of cheesecloth together to form pouch and tie with string. Loop and tie string over cabinet knob to elevate juice-bag over bowl. Remove colander and let juice drip for six to eight hours or overnight. To keep juice clear, do not squeeze bag.
-
4
Throw away bag. Measure juice and proceed with jelly recipe. See pectin sources in Tips before proceeding.
Method 2
-
5
Wash fruit and place in pressure cooker with 1 cup water.
-
6
Follow pressure cooker directions to cook fruit until very soft.
-
7
Place colander over deep bowl. Line colander with cheesecloth. Add fruit/juice mixture. Allow mixture to drain four to six hours or overnight. (Hang bag as in Method 1 if desired).
-
8
Measure juice and proceed with jelly recipe. See pectin sources in Tips before proceeding.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Some cooks comment that Nanking cherries seem to be lower in pectin than other jelly fruits. This can be addressed in several ways: 1) packaged pectin; follow package directions. 2) Cook one to two chopped apples, including peel, with cherries. 3) Substitute 2 cups white grape or apple juice for the 1 cup of cooking water. This will both increase juice quantity slightly as well as adding pectin.
Old-time jelly recipes suggest 1 cup of sugar to each cup of juice; newer recipes suggest 3/4 cup of sugar to each cup of juice. As with any new fruit, measure, taste and decide which you prefer (and write it down so you remember next time!).
