Brandied Cherries

3 1/2 pounds Bing cherries
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 cups brandy

Rinse, stem and pit cherries. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in saucepan. Heat to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour 1/4 cup syrup into clean, hot jar. Fill jars with cherries. Add 1/4 cup brandy and more syrup as necessary to fill each jar, leaving 1/2-inch headspace; seal. Process in a boiling water bath 20 minutes.

Yields 5 pints.

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