How to pit cherries?
Skewer method: Use a metal skewer (wood may break) and press it through the center of each cherry at the point where the stem is attached to the cherry. This will help push the pit out the other end, similar to a cherry pitter. Cherry juice comes in sweet and tart versions. Though drinking tart cherry juice is what I am used to from my upbringing. It is a super cooling, refreshing drink for the warmer summer months (with no added sugars). If you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out! And, while these days I usually eat my cherries in the form of cheesecakes and tarts (yummy), it’s time to get back to the basics. Luckily, there are several ways to juice cherries at home (sweet cherries or sour Montmorency cherries) with or without a juicer or blender. The resulting juice is super fresh and 100% additive and preservative free – yay! Plus, since you need to pit cherries before juicing them, I’ve also included several methods on how to pit cherries without a cherry pitter!
A good source of several vitamins and minerals, including potassium, to help regulate blood pressure. Highly effective at reducing and even eliminating pain from gout and arthritis. Anti-inflammatory properties. Packed with antioxidants (due to anthocyanins) to boost immunity and ward off cancers. Metabolism-boosting for fat loss. Helping with post-workout recovery and muscle damage. Tart cherry juice can help you sleep, with similar effects to melatonin/valerian.
Read more about the benefits of cherry juice on Healthline.
Cherries: You can use fresh (ripe and in season for the best flavor) or frozen (and thawed) cherries to make cherry juice. You can also make tart cherry juice using Montmorency cherries or other tart, sour cherry varieties (like black cherries).
I highly recommend using organic cherries when making juice, as you’ll be consuming a large amount of cherries in one go, and standard supermarket cherries are often loaded with pesticides. Wash and remove the cherry stems before any of the below methods. A paring knife: Slice the cherries in half and remove the pits with the knife or by hand. A large knife: Using the flat edge of the knife, press down on the cherries against a flat surface like a cutting board. This will cause the cherries to open and release their pits. For a practically mess-free option, place the cherry in the stem of an empty bottle (like a wine bottle). That way, the cherries are held still, and the messy pits will fall right down into the bottle. This method will also work with a chopstick (with a flat, not pointy bottom) or reusable (sturdy) straw. Thin piping tips (pastry tips) also work very well as you can place a finger or thumb in the wide end and use that to push the pit through the cherry OR place it tip-side upwards on your chopping board and push the cherries down onto it.
How to make cherry juice?
Recipe notes and tips
Frozen cherries juice easier: During the freezing/thawing process, the cherries soften and become far easier to juice, making them great for any non-machine-based juicing method. For the best flavor, you can freeze ripe cherries yourself rather than rely on pre-frozen fruit bags. Color will vary: Any method of juicing cherries that creates a foam tends to lead to discoloration of the juice (leaning towards brown). It’s perfectly safe to drink but just doesn’t look as nice. Adjust the sweetness to taste: Depending on the type of cherries you use, you may need to add some sugar. You can use regular sugar, maple syrup or honey, or even a sugar-free sweetener like erythritol, to taste. Choose soft cherries: If they’re too firm, they’ll be very hard to juice unless you use a blender or juicer method.
Other juice recipes
Apple Juice Orange Juice Watermelon Juice (4 methods) Peach Juice (Peach Nectar | 2 Methods) How to Make Lemon Water
If you try one of these methods for how to juice cherries, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie! Loop method: Use a tool with a hoop/loop (I used the back of my mini whisk handle) and dip the hoop into the cherries to pull out the pits. For recipes where I want the cherries whole/minimal mess, the skewer method (which mimics a cherry pitter) is my preferred one. I use whichever of the suggested tools I have to hand, using the addition of a bottle to keep the mess to an absolute minimum. While the paperclip, loop, large knife, and mashing methods do work, they also create more mess and/or may be slightly more fiddly (for example, the paperclip method can take a few tries to get the hang of), so would be my “plan B” options. If you squeeze the cherries without causing too much damage to the fruit itself (i.e., they’re still in one piece), it’s easy to dehydrate the leftover fruit for baking, granola, etc. To make cherry syrup, continue to simmer the juice-sugar mixture until it reduces and thickens into a light syrupy consistency (it will thicken as it cools). If you want to water bath can this juice, then transfer it to the cans while hot. Otherwise, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to containers. The cherry juice concentrate will last closer to 10-14 days as the heat and sugar act as preservatives. Freeze: You can freeze the cherry juice for 3 months in Ziplock bags, freezer-safe jars, or ice cube trays, depending on the portion sizes. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying OR blend from frozen with a bit of liquid for a cherry slushy.
As a refreshing beverage, Create a juice blend (e.g. with peach juice), Make a cherry cinnamon tea, Dilute it with coconut water or soda, Use it in cocktails, Use it to make cherry syrup, Make a delicious cherry jelly or jelly layers in desserts such as a tart, Use it to make homemade fruit popsicles, Add to dressings, vinaigrettes, and marinades.
o Large knife o Skewer (or metal straw, piping tip, or chopstick) + empty bottle o Fruit fork/ two-pronged fork o Sturdy paperclip o A utensil with a small hoop (like the handle of something).
