The first time I smoked cherries, I immediately dropped them into a glass of bourbon, and it’s been my favorite way to enjoy the rich array of sweet, tart and smoky flavors ever since. I only smoke cherries during their harvest window, usually just three weeks in July for my tart cherry tree. To enjoy the smoked fruit in wintertime Old-Fashioneds and the whole of the year, I store most of my smoked cherries in alcohol-infused syrup.
Bourbon is probably the most natural pairing for smoked cherries. This type of whiskey is made primarily from corn mash, making it taste sweeter than barley- or rye-based whiskeys, so it works well with a syrup. I prefer spicier, less sweet Old-Fashioned, Manhattan and Boulevardier cocktails made with rye, so I often use the same alcohol for my cherry infusions. Whichever you choose, stick with the same quality of whiskey so that the juicy syrup can flavor and sweeten your cocktails without tasting noticeably harsh.
One pound of fresh cherries usually measures between 2 and 3 cups when smoked, enough for a jar to keep and one to gift, if you’re that generous. I usually smoke enough cherries at a time to fill a half-gallon jar, enough for our personal use and sharing with friends and in my cocktail workshops.
Beyond cocktail garnishes, I drain the alcohol-infused cherries and use them in slightly boozy baked goods. The remaining syrup can be reduced until thick as a topping, with or without the fruit, for ice cream and cakes or to flavor whipped cream or buttercream frosting.
The combination of whiskey, sugar and smoke enhances the already-intense taste of juicy cherries, but you can skip the smoking step and instead infuse fresh cherries, tart or sweet, in bourbon syrup. To encourage infusion, simmer the cherries in the syrup for five minutes. Fresh cherries will stay brighter and firmer in syrup than smoked ones, so you can leave the pits in and stems on if you like – and if you’ll only be using the fruit as a garnish. After the cherries have sat in syrup, pitting before baking with them becomes messier.
Bourbon-Infused Smoked Cherries
Makes 2 12-ounce jars
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh or bottled lemon juice
1/2 cup bourbon, or more as needed
2 to 3 cups Smoked Cherries
In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup sit for about 30 minutes, until it has cooled to room temperature. Stir in the lemon juice and bourbon.
Divide the cherries between two 12-ounce jars. Ladle the syrup over the fruit. If needed, add more bourbon to cover the cherries, bringing the brine to about 1/2 inch from the jar’s rim.
Screw on a nonreactive lid and refrigerate the cherries for four to six weeks before using them in cocktails or desserts; they’ll keep in the refrigerator for at least six months.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s cocktail and sushi workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.