Canning Cherry Pie Filling

I love canning pie filling.   I always have an easy dessert on hand for a last minute dessert.    It's easy to make, especially if you have cherry pitter.  It pits 4 cherries at once and your hands don't get all red.

CANNING CHERRY PIE FILLING
(6 quarts)

Ingredients:
*18 cups of sour (or sweet) cherries (approximately 8 pounds)
*4 cups granulated sugar
*3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) Clear Jel (don't use corn starch)
*4 1/2 cups water (I use the water that I boiled the cherries in).
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
*8 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
~Fill your water-bath canner with water and bring to a boil.
~Sterilize 6 quart canning jars in hot water.
~Wash, remove stems and pit the cherries.
~In a large stock pot (nonreactive) fill with cherries and cover cherries with water.
~Bring water to a boil and boil for one minute.
~Remove 4 1/2 cups water and set aside.
~Drain blanched cherries and place into a large bowl.
~Cover the cherries to keep them warm.
~In the same pot that you blanched the cherries in, mix the sugar and Clear Gel.
~Slowly whisk the water in.
~Add in cinnamon and allspice.
~Heat over medium-high heat, until the clean gel and sugar are dissolved and the mixture starts to boil, continuously stirring.
~Add lemon juice and boil for one minute.
~Remove from heat and gently stir in cherries and any of the juice that is at the bottom of the bowl.
~Take the jar rack out to the hot-water canner
~Place the 6 quart jars onto the jar rack.
~Carefully pour filling into jars, leaving a 1/2 inch space at top (I use a ladle and a canning funnel).
~Wipe the rims of the jars free of any pie filling residue.
~Place a new lid (I boil mine for a few seconds before putting them on the jar) on each jar.
~Screw on lids finger tip tight.
~Carefully place jar rack with filled jars into hot water-bath.
~Place lid on water-bath canner.
~Process for 35-40 minutes.
~Remove jars with canning tongs and place on a counter top (I place a folded towel on my counter before placing the very hot jars onto it).
~The lids will be flat after a little bit not a bubble in the center if they canned right)
~Allow to sit for 24 hours before storing.

To make a pie.
~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~Place a crust into a pie plate.
~Fill crust with pie filling.
~Cover with top crust and flute the edges.
~Flute the edges and cut vents in the top.
~Place on a foiled lined cookie sheet for any spillage.
~Bake for 50 minutes (or until crust is a golden brown)
~Cool completely before cutting.