Tangy, spicy, and sweet, these pickled cherries have a delightful mix of flavors and textures that make them a great addition to salads, cheese boards, or even as a unique topping for meats.
This one's a quick pickle recipe, which means it'll take you just minutes of kitchen time to put it together.
Plus, the cherries hold up firm and have the perfect meaty texture intact too!
Pickling is a great way to make foods last longer. I almost always turn to it when I end up buying more veggies or produce than I can use.
That said, different foods need to be subjected to different kinds of pickling procedures. For veggies, I like to use a simple vinegar and spice brine- just like I did with my mixed vegetable pickle and my shredded carrot pickle.
For other foods, you may want to use more salt or sugar as a natural preservative. That's actually exactly what I did when I was making my salt-preserved limes and my candied dates.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
This easy pickled cherry recipe captures the vibrant taste of fresh cherries while adding a savory twist from apple cider vinegar and spices.
If you're not a big fan of canning using a water bath and all those complicated procedures, this recipe is perfect!
Ingredients for the Pickled Cherries Recipe
- Fresh cherries
- Apple cider vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Black peppercorns
- Bay leaf
- Rosemary
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Pickled Cherries
Step 1: Rinse dry and remove the pits from the cherries with a pitter or a sharp paring knife
Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients with 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil
Step 3: Carefully pour the cooled pickling liquid over the cherries in the glass jar. Ensure that the cherries are fully submerged
Step 4: Leave about 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar and refrigerate the cherries for 3-4 days before you use them.
Substitutions & Variations
- For a sweeter, more complex flavor, substitute the apple cider vinegar in the recipe for balsamic vinegar.
- Swap the rosemary for thyme if you prefer a milder herb flavor in the recipe
💭Top Tip
Allow the pickling liquid to cool to room temperature. This step is crucial to keep the cherries from cooking and losing their crisp texture.
Equipment
How to Store the Pickled Cherries
Allow the pickled cherries to cool and come down to room temperature, and make sure they're fully submerged in the pickling liquid.
I would recommend storing them in an airtight glass jar for best results.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Since these are quick pickled cherries, they need to be refrigerated at all times. Once you're done serving them, pop them back in.
- Play around with the aromatics and herbs to bring different flavor tinges. Fennel, bay leaves, star anise, black peppercorns, cloves, and even orange zest are all great to try and add to the mix.
- If you're worried about the spices adding a deeper, intense flavor to the cherries, remove them once the pickling liquid has cooled down.
How to Serve the Pickled Cherries
Add these tangy pickled cherries to fresh green salads for a burst of flavor, or pair them with assorted cheeses and crackers to make an elegant appetizer.
You can also use these cherries along with some of the pickling liquid as a tangy topping for grilled or roasted meats like chicken or duck.
These cherries also taste fantastic when used as a topping on vanilla ice cream or some classic panna cotta- it's a nice sweet and tangy combination you must try.
Related Recipes
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Pickled Cherries
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherries
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
Instructions
- Rinse dry and remove the pits from the cherries with a pitter or a sharp paring knife
- In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients with 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil
- Carefully pour the cooled pickling liquid over the cherries in the glass jar. Ensure that the cherries are fully submerged
- Leave about 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar and refrigerate the cherries for 3-4 days before you use them.
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