Cherries are a delicious summer fruit that can be enjoyed fresh or used in pies, tarts, salads, and more. While fresh cherries with pits intact provide a nice texture contrast when eaten raw, pitted cherries are usually preferred for cooking and baking. Pitting cherries by hand can be tedious and time-consuming, but thankfully there are some easy ways to pit cherries that save a lot of effort.
Why Pit Cherries?
Most recipes calling for cherries require pitting them first. Cherry pits contain amygdalin, which breaks down into hydrogen cyanide when ingested. While a few cherry pits likely won’t cause harm, it’s better to be safe and remove the pits when cooking or baking. The hard pits can also damage teeth when accidentally bitten into, and many find their texture unappealing in food.
Pitting cherries allows you to easily use them in pies, breads, salads, sauces, jam, relish, muffins, cakes, ice cream, and more. The flesh also cooks faster and more evenly without the pits. Pre-pitted cherries are convenient for snacking as well. Simply put, pitting cherries makes them more versatile, usable, and enjoyable.
Manual Pitting
The most basic and low-tech way to pit cherries is by hand using a paring knife or cherry pitter. While manual pitting works just fine, it can be tedious and time-consuming if you have a lot of cherries to prep. But for small quantities, it gets the job done with minimal equipment.
Using a Paring Knife
A sharp paring knife allows you to cut around each cherry to remove the pit.
- Rinse cherries and pat dry if needed.
- Place cherry on a cutting board stem-side up.
- Position paring knife at top of cherry, near the stem.
- In one motion, slice down through the cherry, curving the knife around and under the pit to cut it free.
- Rotate cherry and repeat on other side to cut pit out.
- Use knife to flip pit out of cherry.
- Discard pit and place pitted cherry in a bowl.
- Repeat for remaining cherries.
Using a Cherry Pitter
A basic cherry pitter offers a quicker and easier manual method. It is a handheld device with a plunger that pushes the pit out as the cherry is squeezed within the pitter.
- Rinse cherries and pat dry if needed.
- Place cherry into pitter, stem-side facing plunger.
- Squeeze pitter handles together to press plunger through cherry and force out pit.
- Remove pitted cherry from pitter and place in bowl.
- Discard pit.
- Repeat for remaining cherries.
This method is faster than using a knife but can still be laborious for large batches. Look for a pitter with ergonomic handles that won’t strain your hands.
Electric Cherry Pitters
Electric cherry pitters take the effort out of manual pitting and make quick work of large quantities. There are a few types of electric pitters to consider:
Plunger-Style Electric Pitters
These function similar to manual handheld pitters but automatically eject the pit with the press of a button. Cherries are placed in a holding tray and pitted one at a time. While much easier than manual pitting, they can be slower when pitting large batches.
Rotating Cone Pitters
Cherries are placed into a cone-shaped hopper on top that funnels them down into the pitter. A rotating cone then presses out the pits as the cherries are fed through. The pitted cherries spill out the bottom into a bowl or tray. This style can pit about 10 pounds of cherries in just a few minutes!
Tabletop Funnel Pitters
These dump-style pitters allow you to quickly pit pounds of cherries at once. Cherries are simply poured into a large hopper funnel on top as a rotating arm at the bottom ejects the pits. The pitted cherries fall through while the pits are captured in a tray. Just keep pouring more cherries in as it runs to pit large batches with minimal effort.
Tips for Electric Cherry Pitters
Follow these tips when using any type of electric cherry pitter:
- Wash cherries beforehand and pat dry if needed.
- Remove any stems or debris that could clog the pitter.
- Avoid overstuffing the hopper, which can jam the machine.
- Let a single layer of cherries run through at a time for best results.
- Use the suggested speed setting; going too fast can damage cherries.
- Take your time and don’t rush the process.
- Stop to empty the pit collection tray when full.
- Rinse machine when finished according to manufacturer instructions.
Comparison of Cherry Pitting Methods
To summarize the main cherry pitting methods:
| Method | Speed | Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paring Knife | Very slow | Moderately difficult | Very small batches |
| Handheld Cherry Pitter | Slow | Easy | Small to medium batches |
| Electric Plunger Pitter | Moderate | Very easy | Small to medium batches |
| Electric Rotating Cone Pitter | Fast | Very easy | Medium to large batches |
| Electric Funnel Pitter | Very fast | Very easy | Large batches |
Storing Pitted Cherries
Freshly pitted cherries are highly perishable and will only last 1-3 days in the refrigerator. Follow these storage tips:
- Refrigerate immediately – Chill pitted cherries within 30 minutes for maximum freshness.
- Store in airtight container – Keep pitted cherries in an airtight glass or plastic container.
- Cover surface with juice – The cherry juice helps prevent surface discoloration.
- Don’t wash before storing – Only wash cherries right before eating or using.
For longer storage, consider freezing, canning, or pickling pitted cherries. Properly frozen cherries can last up to one year.
Using Pitted Cherries
Enjoy the wide range of ways to use pitted cherries:
- Pies – Sweet cherry pie is a classicfavorite.
- Tarts – Baked into mini cherry tarts and galettes.
- Cakes – Add to cake batter or use as topping.
- Muffins and breads – Fold into muffin, quick bread, or scone dough.
- Salads – Toss with spinach, kale, mixed greens, or grain salads.
- Yogurt parfaits – Mix with yogurt and granola.
- Oatmeal – Stir into hot oatmeal.
- Pancakes and waffles – Fold into batter or use as garnish.
- Milkshakes and smoothies – Blend into milkshakes and smoothies.
- Jams and chutneys – Cook into sweet or savory condiments.
- Sauces – Make cherry compotes, coulis, or pan sauces.
- Meats – Mix with duck, pork, chicken, or turkey.
- Cheese boards – Arrange alongside cheese and crackers.
- Cocktails – Muddle into drinks.
The possibilities are endless! Let your creativity run wild with pitted cherries.
Conclusion
Pitting cherries is a necessary step for enjoying them in recipes or for easier snacking. While manual options like paring knives and handheld pitters work for small amounts, electric cherry pitters make quicker work of large batches. Rotating cone and funnel-style electric pitters can pit pounds of cherries in just minutes with virtually no effort. Be sure to refrigerate and properly store pitted cherries for maximum freshness. Enjoy the versatility of pitted cherries in a wide range of sweet and savory dishes, drinks, and desserts.