Spiced Pear Preserves

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/6/19
Pear preserves
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 16 servings

This recipe is an excellent way to use fresh pears. Cinnamon sticks and brown sugar are among the ingredients in this easy no-pectin recipe.

Use these pear preserves on your morning muffins or drizzle over vanilla ice cream or angel food cake for an easy, extra-special dessert.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 small lemon (thinly sliced, seeds removed)
  • 8 cups/4 pounds pears (peeled, cored, and cubed, about 8 pears Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 4 tablespoons ginger (crystallized, chopped)
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 8 sticks cinnamon (2-inch lengths)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Put the lemon juice and the sliced lemon in a large, stainless steel saucepan. Add the pears as you chop them, tossing with the lemon juice as you add them. Add the water and ginger, then stir in the sugars and add cinnamon sticks. Stir well to blend. Let stand for 4 hours.

  3. Place the pan (uncovered) over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently, until very thick and gel stage is reached.

  4. Test for the gel by placing a little on a cold saucer then put it in the freezer. When you drag your finger through the mixture, it should wrinkle. This will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

  5. Prepare the work area, canner, jars, and lids.

  6. Fill the hot jars with the hot pear mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims, fit with lids, and tighten bands to fingertip tightness (do not over-tighten).

  7. Process for 10 minutes.

Tip

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
289 Calories
0g Fat
76g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 289
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Protein 1g
Calcium 21mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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