Step 1

Pit fresh 3 lbs sour cherries. If working with pitted fruit, the total weight should be about 2 1/2 lbs pitted, or roughly 5 cups pitted fruit.

Step 2

Place the fruit in a heavy-bottomed jam pot along with lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Step 3

Cook the cherry mixture, stirring continuously to avoid boil-overs, for about 20 minutes until the fruit has completely fallen apart.

Step 4

Add sugar. (If adding pectin, now is the time, see notes).

Step 5

Continue cooking the jam until it reaches gel stage, about 25 to 30 more minutes.

Step 6

Test for gel stage on a plate that's been placed in the freezer, or with an instant-read thermometer (220 degrees F at sea level).

Step 7

Turn off heat and ladle jam into prepared jars. De-bubble, wipe rims and adjust headspace to 1/4 inch. Store in the refrigerator for immediate use (within 1 month), or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for a shelf-stable jam.