Cherry Sauce Made with Sweet Cherries

What Kind of Cherries Are Best in this Recipe?

This sauce uses the plump, juicy sweet cherries that can be found in abundance in almost every supermarket and farmer’s market all summer long. But, if you prefer, you can use sour cherries instead. Just increase the sugar to ¾ cup to balance out the sourness of the cherries. 

The two most common types of sweet cherries are Bing cherries and Rainier cherries. Bing cherries are dark red and, in my experience, more plentiful than Rainier in pretty much every produce section.

Rainier cherries are two toned – red and gold. Either variety will work perfectly well in this cherry sauce recipe, but Bing cherries are usually what I prefer.

Can You Use Frozen Cherries?

Yes!  Even though I tend to mostly make this in the summer when fresh cherries are plentiful, cherry sauce in the dead of winter is a welcome treat. 

For those of us who rarely manage to freeze fresh cherries while they're in season, frozen cherries can be found in the freezer section of most supermarkets all year round. 

The only modification you'll need to make to this recipe if you're using frozen cherries is to lengthen the cook time. Frozen cherries usually contain more water than fresh ones, so you'll not only want to allow time for frozen cherries to thaw as they cook, you'll need to cook the sauce long enough to allow excess water to evaporate.

How much more time will that take? Probably only about 5 minutes longer than it takes to cook cherry sauce with fresh cherries. But, be patient if your sauce is taking longer. Just keep simmering and stirring - it's just a matter of time before it thickens up.

How to Store Cherry Sauce

This sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Allow the sauce to cool completely, then scoop it into a jar or other air-tight container before placing it in the refrigerator. It will also freeze well, remaining fresh tasting for about 3 months. 

How to Freeze Cherry Sauce: 

1. Ladle the cherry sauce into jars, leaving about 1-inch of room at the top of the jar.
2. Let the jars sit until cooled to room temperature.
3. Screw the lids onto the jars and place in the freezer. 

Preserving cherry sauce in sealed jars that have been processed in a hot water bath also works well. 

How to Can Cherry Sauce: 

1. Right after cooking the cherry sauce, while it's still warm, ladle it into hot, sterilized jars, leaving about ½-inch of room at the top of the jar.
2. Using a damp cloth or paper towel, wipe the tops of the jar to ensure a clean seal. Cap and screw on the lids; do not tighten the jars super tight.
3. Bring a large pot of water, or water-bath canner, to a rolling boil and gently lower the jars into the boiling water using tongs. The water should cover the jars by at least ½ inch. Let process for 10 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and place on a dry towel laid out on a flat surface. Allow to cool completely.
5. Once the jars are cool, check the seal by gently pressing down on the center of the lid. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If that should happen to a jar or two, just store the cherry sauce in the refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks. (Or freeze for 3 months) Properly sealed jars can be stored in a cool dark place for 12 - 14 months.