Sweet Cherry Jam

3 lbs. fully ripe dark sweet cherries

One 1-3/4-ounce pkg. regular powdered fruit pectin

1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

1/4 cup lemon juice

5 cups sugar

Sort, wash, stem, pit and chop cherries. Measure 4 cups chopped cherries.

In a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle, combine cherries, pectin, lemon peel and lemon juice. Bring to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Immediately ladle jam into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process jars in boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.

Makes 6 half-pints.