Black Bing Cherry Preserves - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 cups bing cherries, pitted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Combine the cherries and sugar in a large, heavy, shallow, non-reactive saucepan.
Set aside to plump, several hours or as long as overnight.
Add the water to the cherries and bring to a boil.
Cook for 5 minutes; then add the lemon juice and boil rather fast until the juice has thickened like jelly and a candy thermometer reads 221*F.
Remove pan from heat and allow the preserves to sit overnight, covered; refrigerate them, if you'd rather.
The next day, reheat the preserves to the boiling point and spoon them into hot, sterilized canning jars and seal.
Store in the refrigerator, or (better) in the freezer.