Tart Cherry Pie Filling

When canning season comes I am always excited for those gadgets and recipes that make it easier.  This pie filling is one of the fastest pie fillings I have ever made.  My kids pitted all the cherries because they were all excited to use the NEW pitter.    I have seen these for sale at other places and this is the best price.

                                                                    

We have an Evans Bali Cherry Tree and this is it's 3rd year of fruit.  Birds ate every single cherry the 1st year.  We netted it the 2nd year, HUGE pain.  This year we decided to give scare tape a shot.  Just look at how many juicy cherries there are and the birds have left them alone.  I still can't believe that I have been able to get all my cherries.

 There has been up to 30 bird in the tree next to it, with a dozen underneath the tree.  The scare tape worked because they left the cherries alone.  After my search on the internet I learned that this tape works the best because it makes noise in the wind and the red color frightens the birds.


                                                                      



I have seen dozens cherry pie filling recipes out there.   Due to my limited time the day we were picking cherries I decided to do this and it's a home run!


Tart Cherry Pie Filling

12 Cups of Pie Cherries
3 Cups of Sugar
3/4 Cup of Cornstarch

Heat cherries in a pan till their juices start to run.  While the cherries are heating mix your sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl.  Once the cherries natural juices start to emerge add the sugar and stir.  Continue to stir on medium heat.  Stir for about 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and it's thickened like pie filling.  Now you are done!  I told you it was easy.
*Cornstarch doesn't reheat well.  It turns watery and sorta separates so this is not an acceptable canning recipe.