Sour, Tart, or "Pie" Cherries:

Tart cherry information: 

  -1 lb. of fresh cherries equals 2 ½ to 3 cups of pitted cherries. 

  -One pound of frozen cherries equals about 3 cups.

  -It takes 4 to 5 cups of tart cherries to make a pie.

  -There are about 2 1/3 cups cherry pie filling in a 21 ounce can.  There are       

   about 2 cups of tart cherries in a 16 ounce can. 

  -It takes 6 to 8 lb. of fresh tart cherries to make 1 pound of dried cherries.

  -There about 1.6 lb. of fresh tart cherries in a dry quart.

  -One quart of fresh cherries equals about 3 cups of pitted cherries.

 Freezing Tart Cherries:  

   Freeze cherries as soon as possible after picking to ensure a high quality 

   product.  To freeze:  stem and sort cherries.  Wash in cold water.  Drain 

   and pit.  Pack into containers in one of the following ways:  With sugar:

   ¾ cup sugar to 1 cup water; mix to dissolve.  In syrup:  bring 5 cups sugar     

   and 4 cups water to a rolling boil.  Chill syrup before using to freeze

   Cherries.  Plain:  Place in freezer quality plastic bags and place in freezer.

Tart Cherry Recipes:

Cherry Crisp

 Mix the following together and let stand for 10-15 minutes:

 3 ½ cups pitted tart cherries

 ¼ cup cherry juice

 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

 2 tbsp. tapioca

 ½ cup sugar

 With a pastry blender, mix the following:

 1 cup quick rolled oats

 1/3 cup butter/margarine

 ½ cup brown sugar

 ½ cup flour

Place cherry mixture in the bottom of a greased 8” X 8” baking pan.  Spread rolled oat mixture over the cherries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minlutes or until cherries are really bubbling.

Homemade Tart Cherry Pie Filling

4 cups pitted tart cherries

2-4 Tbsp. cornstarch

¾ to 1 cup cherry juice

½ Tsp. almond extract (optional)

1 cup sugar

If frozen cherries are used, heat in saucepan until juice flows as cherries thaw.  Drain before cherries are warm.  If cherries are sugared, reduce sugar in recipe.  Stir sugar and cornstarch together.  Add small amounts of juice to make a paste.  Stir into remaining juice, cook, stirring until sauce thickens.  Stir in drained cherries and almond extract.  Cool.

For Pie:

Put cherry pie filling in pastry-lined pie pan.  Put top crust on.  Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until pie filling is bubbling and brown.

Cherry Cobbler:

2/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water

3 cups pitted tart cherries

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and water.  Cook until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and add cherries.  Pour into greased 9” X  9” baking pan

Topping:

 1cup flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 ½ Tsp. baking powder

½ Tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. margarine

½ cup milk

Cut margarine into dry ingredients and add milk.  Mix well and drop by Tsp. on top of the hot fruit mixture.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes.  Serve warm.