How to Pit Fresh Cherries

Fresh cherries make a healthy snack.

Fresh cherries star in pies, turnovers and fruit salads, and make a delicious snack eaten out of hand. The Oregon State University Extension recommends choosing plump, glossy cherries for the best taste. Darker cherries tend to be sweetest. Store cherries in the refrigerator with stems intact until you're ready to use them. Michigan State University nutritionist Peggy Crum recommends canning or freezing cherries with pits intact to preserve more flavor, but you'll need to remove pits before eating. Remove pits carefully to leave the body of the cherry unbruised.

Things You'll Need

• Small sharp knife

Instructions

1. Wash cherries in cool water. Remove the stems by tugging gently on the stem.

2. Cut around the cherry with a sharp knife to separate the fruit into two halves. Cut from the stem end all the way around. Tug gently to separate the cherry into two heart-shaped halves. One will contain the pit. Set aside the half without the pit.

3. Insert the tip of the knife under one end of the cherry pit. Wiggle the knife gently until the pit pops free. Discard the pit.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a lot of cherries to pit, you can purchase a tool that works much like a paper punch to poke the pit from a cherry.

References

• Oregon State University: Fresh, Canned, Frozen or Dried, Cherries Are Delicious This Year
• Michigan State University: Dark, Sweet Cherries

Resources

• UIniversity of Alabama Medicine: Eat Right Food For Thought -- Spring Fruits