How to Pit Cherries
Five easy ways to pit cherries, including one pretty unexpected approach.
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By Alice K. Thompson for Food Network Kitchen
Alice K. Thompson is a contributing writer and editor at Food Network.
When cherry season hits, it’s easy to get lost in dreams of cherry pie, cherry strudel, cherry salsa and cherry chutney. Only one small thing (actually, a lot of small things) stand in the way of you and any number of delicious dishes: pits. Fortunately, you have a lot of options when it comes to removing them, most of which use everyday kitchenware—and one with a common desk item. Read on for everything you need to know about pitting cherries.
How to Pit Cherries
1. Prepare the fruit. Rinse the cherries and pull off the stems.
2. Set up your workspace. Cherry juice can stain, so wear gloves if you want to keep your hands from turning temporarily red and an apron to protect light-colored clothing.
3. Choose one of the following methods. Pitting cherries can be time-consuming no matter what method you choose—a pie requires the vicinity of 200 or more cherries—so remember to pop a few in your mouth as you work.
Pit Cherries with a Cherry Pitter
Investing in a cherry pitter is a great way make the most of cherry season. Inexpensive versions look like a stapler, puncturing the fruit on one end and shooting the pit out the other. A few models are designed to do more than one fruit at once, which might be a good investment if you suspect there will be a lot of cherry cooking in your future.
Pit Cherries with a Straw or Chopstick
Place a cherry in the top of a soda or wine bottle, stem-side up. Punch through the top of the cherry with the tip of a chopstick or sturdy reusable straw. The pit should fall into the bottle.
You can also hold the cherry between your thumb and index finger, although the bottle method keeps your fingers relatively unstained.
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Pit Cherries with a Knife and Cutting Board
Probably the quickest method, this approach is great if you’re using your cherries for something like a pie or smoothie where they don’t need to be in perfect shape. Place a cherry on a cutting board and put the flat side of a chef’s knife on top. With the palm of one hand, press the knife firmly to crush the cherry, and then lift the knife and dig out the loosened pit with your fingers.
Alternatively, place the cherry on your cutting board and use a paring knife to split it in half down the center, then poke the pit out with the tip of the knife. Both these methods release a lot of juice that can stain cutting boards, so you might have to give yours an extra cleaning afterward.
Pit Cherries with a Piping Tip
The tips you use to pipe decorative frosting can also pit cherries. Choose a tip with a small, pointed end, place it over the top of your index finger like a thimble, and press the point into the stem end of a cherry. Push gently until the pit pops out.
Pit Cherries with a Paper Clip
You might not expect to dig around in your desk drawer for a cherry pitter, but you can find one there! Choose a larger metal paper clip and unbend it so that you have two hooks, one on each end. Insert one rounded end into the stem side of a cherry, rotate it around the pit a few times, and then pull it up to pop the pit out. Just watch for juice spatters.
Recipes for Pitted Cherries
Matt
A classic double-crust cherry pie is a must in cherry season. You can also freeze pitted cherries so you can make pie year-round; just thaw them in the fridge overnight before using them.
This classic flambé recipe is one of the most satisfying ways to use cherries. The ignited rum quickly cooks the cherries and caramelizes the sugar, so all that's left to do is add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Andrew Purcell
Hand pies have been a popular make-and-take dessert for generations. These are bursting with flavor thanks to a generous amount of cherries. Tender homemade dough makes them super flakey, and a dusting of powdered sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Definitely try a crisp if you want the flavor of a pie without the bother of preparing pastry dough. This version combines cherries with a crunchy, oat-and-almond topping that’s pretty irresistible.
Armando Rafael
Fruit smoothies never go out of style. Freeze some of your pitted cherries for this easy drink that makes a great breakfast or snack.
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