Whiskey-Soaked Cherries

Arch

Alright food nerds, lets figure this out.

I want to make this product, but screw the moonshine.

I want to use whiskey.

Has anyone done something like this before? How long does it have to sit? How much whiskey do I use? Is it just maraschino cherries and whiskey?

If you have a favorite recipe, share it! If you have just browsed a few of them off the interent (like I did), let's talk about some of the pros and cons of each one.

There has to be an easier way than some of these (plus it really isn't cherry season)!

knitdan

@AresProphet

zepherin

I would like to know more.

Bowen

If you're not using bourbon you may need a wee bit more sugar. Looks like it only needs to sit a day or so, sterilized jars can go like... months before you even need to worry.

I'd use your second recipe.

McViking

Well, hold on. Are you trying to make the equivalent of cherry moonshine, or are you trying to make sweet bourbon-flavored cherries? That second recipe has you boiling the bourbon, which means that you're cooking off some of the alcohol (depending on how long you take to bring it to a boil, and how long you leave it there). What they're going for there is a lower-alcohol bourbon syrup. Which is a world apart from cherry moonshine. You don't need to heat the alcohol to dissolve sugar in it; you just need to add it the jar, wait a few weeks, and give it a shake now and again. Or use maple syrup, which will dissolve better and taste better.

(Commercial 100-proof "moonshine" is an embarrassment and a misnomer, but that's another thread...)

Deebaser

*HUFF PUFF*
I Heard someone was talking about an alcohol project and I *hic* came as fast as I could.

First things first: do not use those bullshit, bright red, preserved in goo cherry frankensteins. They taste like shit and are dyed to high heavens. Rachel Maddow expressly forbid it years ago in a segment where she pleaded with the audience DONT EAT THE GARNISH. (As a side note, you should google the video "Rachel Maddow" "Dont eat the garnish". There are bees in it.).

Cherries in NY are p reasonable at CostCo if you have or know someone with a CostCo membership. If I rememebr correctly it's $10 for 2lbs. If you're balking at the price, don't fret. We're still going to come in under budget, I promise.

Now, you've got your fresh cherries (I prefer the dark ones...I think they're called Bing? I don't know. Im not a fruit scientist) and you have to pit them. There are instructions and videos showing you how it's totally possible to pit cherries with a paper clip or a toothpick. Those videos are made by bullshit asshole troll liars! Buy/borrow a cherry pitter.

Once the cherries are pitted you gotta macerate dose bitches. Get whatever pan you use to make omelets or sauces. Throw in about 3/4 cup of water. Squeeze a lime/or small lemon in there. Put in some spices. You can experiment but here are some possible things you can science with:

- a single whole clove (Like the cigarettes. They are strong like whoa).
- a small stick of cinnamon
- one or two cardamon seeds have a nice refreshing flavor
- like a 1/4 tsp of vanilla
- other baking spices

Then just "pan fry" the cherries for about 4-7 minutes and pour into an airtight jar.

Cover that shit in Brandy, not whiskey. Cheap brandy is a lot less terrible than cheap whiskey, and is considerably cheaper.

Shake every day for two weeks and enjoy. be careful. the brandy will turn red and stains.


Source: I did this recently.



The cherries are in the fidoh jars behind the girly-looking-but-manly-as-fuck cocktail.

Deebaser

McViking wrote: »

Well, hold on. Are you trying to make the equivalent of cherry moonshine, or are you trying to make sweet bourbon-flavored cherries? That second recipe has you boiling the bourbon, which means that you're cooking off some of the alcohol (depending on how long you take to bring it to a boil, and how long you leave it there). What they're going for there is a lower-alcohol bourbon syrup. Which is a world apart from cherry moonshine. You don't need to heat the alcohol to dissolve sugar in it; you just need to add it the jar, wait a few weeks, and give it a shake now and again. Or use maple syrup, which will dissolve better and taste better.

(Commercial 100-proof "moonshine" is an embarrassment and a misnomer, but that's another thread...)

What the fuck? Why would someone do this?

Okay. I clicked on the second recipe. Ignore all of that bullshit with the exception of the cherry pitter choice. OXO is boss.

You don't need sugar. Cherries are made of sugar. Sugar is going to lower the proof and you run the risk of the shit spoiling. At 80 proof, it's good 5ever.

Deebaser

Also flavored whiskies/vodkas are typically regular spirits with colorless kool aid plopped in. It's booze for babby

Bowen

I assume the sugar is to increase the sweetness. You'd need to boil it to allow for more dissolution in water, most people don't like the bitter taste of cherries, so, they add sugar.

Depends on how much you like bitter.

Thrack

I have a jar of dried sour cherries that I have soaking in a mixture of bourbon, islay scotch and (my secret ingredient) a little bit of smoked salt.
Not anything really super fancy, but since I started with dried cherries they really picked up the flavor of the liquor.

Arch

Deebaser wrote: »

*HUFF PUFF*
I Heard someone was talking about an alcohol project and I *hic* came as fast as I could.

First things first: do not use those bullshit, bright red, preserved in goo cherry frankensteins. They taste like shit and are dyed to high heavens. Rachel Maddow expressly forbid it years ago in a segment where she pleaded with the audience DONT EAT THE GARNISH. (As a side note, you should google the video "Rachel Maddow" "Dont eat the garnish". There are bees in it.).

Cherries in NY are p reasonable at CostCo if you have or know someone with a CostCo membership. If I rememebr correctly it's $10 for 2lbs. If you're balking at the price, don't fret. We're still going to come in under budget, I promise.

Now, you've got your fresh cherries (I prefer the dark ones...I think they're called Bing? I don't know. Im not a fruit scientist) and you have to pit them. There are instructions and videos showing you how it's totally possible to pit cherries with a paper clip or a toothpick. Those videos are made by bullshit asshole troll liars! Buy/borrow a cherry pitter.

Once the cherries are pitted you gotta macerate dose bitches. Get whatever pan you use to make omelets or sauces. Throw in about 3/4 cup of water. Squeeze a lime/or small lemon in there. Put in some spices. You can experiment but here are some possible things you can science with:

- a single whole clove (Like the cigarettes. They are strong like whoa).
- a small stick of cinnamon
- one or two cardamon seeds have a nice refreshing flavor
- like a 1/4 tsp of vanilla
- other baking spices

Then just "pan fry" the cherries for about 4-7 minutes and pour into an airtight jar.

Cover that shit in Brandy, not whiskey. Cheap brandy is a lot less terrible than cheap whiskey, and is considerably cheaper.

Shake every day for two weeks and enjoy. be careful. the brandy will turn red and stains.


Source: I did this recently.



The cherries are in the fidoh jars behind the girly-looking-but-manly-as-fuck cocktail.

Okay yes thank you this is what I wanted. I want alcoholic as fuck cherries with a side of cherry alcohol

But also @Deebaser

You said not to use maraschino cherries because there are bees in them

Why would this deter me, specifically

Deebaser

No dude, there aren't bees in them. The Rachel Maddow video that I cannot link at work has bees in it and it is a story about why you should NOT eat those shitty cherries.

I mention the bees to encourage you to watch the video.

Arch

Deebaser wrote: »

No dude, there aren't bees in them. The Rachel Maddow video that I cannot link at work has bees in it and it is a story about why you should NOT eat those shitty cherries.

I mention the bees to encourage you to watch the video.

You got my hopes up

Deebaser

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/nyregion/30bigcity.html?_r=0

Maguano

if you are serious about making this regularly, might i suggest this

aioua

Maguano wrote: »

if you are serious about making this regularly, might i suggest this

Have you ever tried using one of those? It doesn't seem like it'd be any easier than a plain old oxo one. I did like 5 pounds of cherries with an oxo and it wasn't that big of a deal.

Maguano

yeah, i've used it plenty. (the missus has made several cherry pies)