• Wash jars, then place jars in a water bath canner. Boil for 10 minutes. Keep the jars in the hot water until needed. The lids and bands can be added a few minutes before you need them.
• Add cleaned chokecherries to a large saucepan. Cover with six cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer, uncovered, over low heat, for 30 minutes.
• Smash the fruit to release the juice and strain the liquid through a fine strainer, jelly bag, or a few layers of cheesecloth. You should have approximately 3½ cups of chokecherry juice. If not, add enough water to equal 3½ cups.
• Clean the saucepan and return it to the stove. Pour strained juice back into the pot. Turn the heat to medium. Whisk in RealFruit Classic Pectin until dissolved. Add lemon juice, and butter (if using). Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, over high heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.
• Next, add 4 cups of sugar, while you continue to whisk to dissolve it. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil hard for one additional minute. Skim off the foam, if necessary.
• Ladle jelly into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the glass jar rims with a damp kitchen towel, secure lids, and screw bands hand-tight.

Canning Instructions

• Add jars to the canner filled with water and make sure the water level is at least a few inches over the jars. Process the filled jars in boiling water based on the times in the chart found in this post.