Chokecherry Jam/Jelly

[Trapper John]

Does anyone on here make chokecherry jam or jelly.  When is the best time to pick them?
JC

[Bango skank]

Didnt know people actually eat those, figured just bears ate them.

[Stein]

I have no idea, but I used to eat the heck out of it when I was a kid.  My grandpa had a secret location outside of Lincoln, MT and they would make a ton of syrup and jelly.

That stuff is amazing, wish I knew where to get them and how to make it.

[Naches Sportsman]

Mid to late September is when I usually made some jam with chokecherries I got off of 410. Still have a gallon left from my last batch.

[DeerThug]

I make chokecherry jelly and syrup.  They are ready to pick in the lower Naches area now.  You want them super dark when they come off the clusters in a handfull with no stems.  There is a super crop of them this year..
To get the juice put them in a pan about 2 or 3 inches thick with maybe an inch of water.  Boil and mash with a potato masher till it is well juiced out.  Strain with a strainer and cheese cloth.  It takes about 1/2 a bucket or so to get 3 cups of juice - which is what is needed for a batch of syrup or jelly. 

It is awesome stuff.  The syrup is great on any type of meat, ice cream and pancakes....

[Pegasus]

My Dad used to make some pretty good chokecherry wine. I might have that recipe somewhere.

[AL WORRELLS KID]

This might help.
Doug

(Warning! Be sure to remove the stones if you are eating choke cherries. Children have perished by eating the berries, stones and all. Except for the flesh of the fruit, every part of the plant contains poisonous hydrocyanic acid. The acid is destroyed when the berries are cooked or dried.)

 https://www.seattlemag.com/eat-and-drink/turn-wild-bitter-washington-fruit-potluck-hit

[Trapper John]

I make chokecherry jelly and syrup.  They are ready to pick in the lower Naches area now.  You want them super dark when they come off the clusters in a handfull with no stems.  There is a super crop of them this year..
To get the juice put them in a pan about 2 or 3 inches thick with maybe an inch of water.  Boil and mash with a potato masher till it is well juiced out.  Strain with a strainer and cheese cloth.  It takes about 1/2 a bucket or so to get 3 cups of juice - which is what is needed for a batch of syrup or jelly. 

It is awesome stuff.  The syrup is great on any type of meat, ice cream and pancakes....

Yummy it sounds good, I think I'm going to have to make some.

I'm over around "Wenas" / Ellensburg trapping/shooting coyotes for a Rancher.  I ran across a couple of trees/bushes and asked him about them.  He said show me where there at so I can cut that tree down.  I don't want the cattle to get into them.  I understand about the poison with them.  I also know bears sure like them.
JC


 

[Fletch]

My mom always made choke cherry syrup too... Loved it on pancakes.  We picked them when they were really dark in the late summer in the Navarre coulee near Chelan.  I should go do that one of these days just for old times and good pancakes