CHOKECHERRY RECIPES
For jelly use green chokecherries with the ripe or pick while light red. Do not expect a crystal clear jelly. To extract juice, cook berries adding water to just cover. Cook 10-15 minutes, crush and put in wet jelly bag or cloth. Squeeze bag, then re-drain through the rinsed jelly bag without squeezing.
Chokecherry Jelly
3 ½ cups of juice
1 package of pectin
4 ½ cups of sugar
Follow the procedure on the pectin package. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in BWB for 8 minutes.
Chokecherry-Apple Jelly
½ cup of chokecherry juice
½ cup of apple juice
Boil well. Add ¾ cup of sugar. Boil to jelly test. Put in sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process in BWB for 8 minutes.
Chokecherry Butter
8 cups of pulp
8 cups of sugar (may use 4 or 6)
Simmer slowly 1- 1/2 hours. Add juice of ½ lemon. Boil 1 minute. Seal in hot, sterilized jars with 2 piece lids. Process in BWB for 8 minutes.
Chokecherry Syrup
1 cup juice
1 cup sugar
Use the following proportions. Can be doubled, tripled, etc.
Bring to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes. Put in sterilized jars and seal with 2 piece lids. Process in BWB for 8 minutes.
Chokecherry Liquor
1 quart choke cherries
1 quart sugar
1 fifth gin or vodka
Place all ingredients in glass jars. Shake every day for 30 days. Drain and bottle in wine bottles. Seal with corks or caps. This will be sweet at first, but will be best after 6 months.
__________________
Yellowstone County Extension Office. (Processing times are probably for higher elevation.)
Diana the Mod