Canning Cherry Mango Conserve [No Pectin]

I love mangoes so I was bound to pair them with cherries eventually and I am so glad I did in the form of canning cherry mango conserve. The Mangoes lighten up the dark cherry color to a really pretty dark pink. The citrusy flavor of the mango with the sweet cherries give a flavor that is reminiscent of honey. Add the nuts and you have a divine conserve for adding to many different foods.

Preparation

Start by preparing your boiling water bath canner with enough water to cover 5 half-pint jars with 1-2 inches of water. Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. Now that your equipment is ready, it is time to start making the conserve.

Ingredients:

• 3 c chopped mango

• 3 c pitted and chopped cherries

• 1/2 c walnuts

• 4 c sugar

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1/2 tsp butter (optional)

Canning Cherry Mango Conserve

This recipe cans 5 half-pint jars of conserve.

The first step is to wash and finely chop 3 cups of mango.

Then, wash, pit, and chop 3 cups of cherries. I used this little red hand cherry pitter.

Next, chop 1/2 cup of walnuts.

Place cherries, mango, 4 cups of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger in a large pot. (Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter if you want to reduce foaming.) Bring the mixture to the gelling point. (220 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level. Minus 2 degrees for every 1000 feet above sea level.) Use a thermometer to monitor your temperature.

Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

Filling Your Mason Jars

Using a ladle, carefully fill each half pint jar with hot jam, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.

Clean the rims with a clean cloth to ensure a good seal. Place lids on top and screw rings on until they are finger-tight.

(For quality, American made Superb canning lids and jars follow this link and use the coupon code WP20 to get 20% off your purchase.) 

Place the jars in a boiling water canner, covering them with 1-2 inches of water. Process for 10 minutes at sea level. (Adjust the processing time if you are above 1000 feet.)

After processing, allow to cool in the water bath with the heat off and the lid removed for 5 minutes.

Remove jars from the canner and let them cool on a heat resistant surface about 1-2 inches apart so they can cool a little faster. Allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours so that they can get a nice seal. you know they are sealed if the little "button" in the center of the lid is depressed down.

Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry area and use them within the next 3 years. After that, the nutritional value begins to decrease.

If you have any questions about canning with the boiling water bath or need to know the proper altitude adjustment, take a look at a few of our canning basics videos.