Why Jarred Cherries Are A Better Buy Than Canned

When it comes to cooking fruit, we tend to assume fresh is always best — but oftentimes, it's frozen, jarred, or canned fruit that actually rises to the top. Depending on the fruit in question, preserved options can be your best bet in terms of cost-effectiveness, lifespan, and even flavor or nutrition (frozen strawberries, looking at you). Next time you find yourself using cherries in a pie, a cobbler, or to stud the top of a pineapple upside-down cake, your ideal option is jarred — not canned.

And yes, there is a difference between jarred and canned, and a couple of convincing reasons for why you might want to forgo the latter and pick up the former. While both options have their moment to shine and either will do in a pinch, jarred cherries are especially great. For one, you can reseal the jar and keep leftovers in the fridge for later (odds are good you aren't using the whole jar, depending on the recipe), and the jarred variety tends to preserve more of the fresh, springy texture of a fresh cherry, compared to other forms which can turn mushy.) And perhaps most importantly, there's their flavor. Jarred cherries, especially certain varieties, are bold, sweet, and unmistakably cherry in taste — compared to frozen or canned ones, which can taste a bit subdued or dulled.

The cherry options at the grocery store are somewhat dizzying. There are fresh cherries, but those are only harvested locally for a short season, and they're not cheap nor breezy to work with, since you have to remove each pit by hand. Then there's canned, frozen, and jarred. Save yourself the headache of testing and go straight for the jarred variety — sour or sweet — which you can find at major grocery store chains. This isn't referring to the radioactive red maraschino cherries packed in a sugary syrup — save those for making an old-fashioned cocktail; they're delish, but bear little resemblance to the fresh fruit. 

Jarred sour cherries in particular, especially the Morello variety, known to be extra flavorful, come submerged in juice or water and maintain a vibrant, unmistakably cherry taste for use in cobblers, crumbles, crisps, and pies. On the other hand, frozen or canned sweet cherries can fall flat, losing their once bright flavor.

Of course, if you can't get your hands on jarred cherries, keep a can of the fruit in the pantry to be sure – they get the job done and are even preferable as a topping on sundaes or treats like a cherry jubilee, where cherry's texture and vibrant flavor aren't as front and center. For dishes where pure cherry flavor stars, reach for jarred. After all, when it's the cherry on top we're talking about, better make it a good one.