Pin cherry jelly captures the bold, tart flavor of wild-foraged pin cherries—an elusive summer fruit you won’t find in stores. This full eight-jar batch preserves the fleeting harvest into a richly colored, sweet-tart jelly perfect for spreading or glazing.
In a large pot, mix 6 1/2 cups of pin cherry juice with 1 box (1.75 ounces) or 6 tablespoons of powdered pectin.
Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Boil hard for 1 minute.
Add the sugar, and then boil the mixture hard for one minute, then promptly remove from heat to avoid overboiling.
Carefully skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
Pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving a 1/4 inch of headspace.
Secure the jars with your lids and bands.
Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation).
Remove the jars from the canner and allow them to cool for 24 hours at room temperature.
Check the seals, label, and store for up to one year.
Notes
To make a reduced sugar pin cherry jelly, use a low-sugar pectin such as Sure Jel low sugar. Pin cherries are usually tart, so I'd recommend using at least 2 cups of sugar to 6 to 7 cups of juice for flavor.