Pear Jam Recipes

PEAR JELLY RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash pears and remove the blossom and stem ends, but do not core or peel them
• Cut pears into quarters and place in a large, deep stainless steel pot.
• Add enough cold water to cover the fruit
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat, cover and boil gently just until pears are softened, about 30 minutes, occasionally mashing with a potato masher
• Transfer to a dampened jelly bag set over a deep bowl, or into a sieve lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth.
• Allow to drip at least 2 hours.
• Don't press or squeeze the fruit, as this will cloud the jelly.
• You should end up with 5 cups of pear juice.
• Combine the collected pear juice and sugar into a large, deep, stainless steel pot.
• Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat
• Stir in liquid pectin and continue to boil hard, stirring constantly, for one minute
• Skim off foam and transfer to hot sterilized jars
• Wipe jar rims and apply lids and screw bands
• Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes
• Remove from canner and allow to cool before ensuring jars are sealed and storing.

APPLE OR PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cover fruit and any add-ins (see note) with 4 cups/960 milliliters of water. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until water is reduced by about 3/4, and fruit is soft and tender (or even falling apart slightly), 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as the jam cooks and juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has really started to break down, another 30 to 40 minutes.
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing any chance of the fruit burning.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and incorporate any of the add-ins and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. At this stage, the jam should look like a coarse, shiny applesauce. But if you'd really like to be sure, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it doesn't, cook it a few minutes more.
• Using a spoon or other utensil, pick out any spices or vanilla beans. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space from the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Place 5-1/2 to 6 cups chopped pears and the lemon juice in a heavy pot.
• Mash pears with a potato masher to desired chunkiness. If you like it fine you can coarsely grind it. But a food processor will make it too pureed for this recipe.
• Stir-in the powdered pectin, spices and ginger.
• Bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute.
• Add the sugar.
• Bring back to a boil and boil hard for 4-minutes stirring frequently.
• Ladle into sterile jars, seal and process for 10 minutes.
• Yield 7 half pints.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• 1. Peel, core and dice pears. (Be sure to chop the pears relatively small, as they'll remain close to that size in the finished jam.) 2. Toss the pears in lemon juice and sugar, cover and refrigerate for overnight (12 to 24 hours). This step is important, and at an absolute minimum, they need 4 hours, preferably more. 3. Prepare a water bath canner (if canning, skip for a freezer jam). 4. Place pear mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil on high. The mixture will foam, so be sure your pan is big enough to handle foaming to avoid overflows. 5. Stir the mixture occasionally, watching for overflows, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. If pear pieces are too large, crush slightly with a potato masher (optional). 6. Cook until the pear jam reaches gel stage, using an instant-read thermometer or testing a small amount on a plate placed in the freezer. (Gel stage is 220 degrees F at sea level and a bit below that at higher elevations. The finished temperature drops by 1 degree for every 500 feet above sea level. I'm at 1000 feet, so my jams finish at 218 F.) 7. Once the jam reaches gel stage, immediately remove it from the heat and pack it into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, sealing with 2 part canning lids. 8. Store the pear jam in the refrigerator for immediate use, or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes. Turn off the canner and allow the jars to sit an additional 5 minutes before removing them to a towel on the counter. Check for seals after a few hours, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator. Canned pear jam should last 18 months or more at room temperature if properly sealed (refrigerate after opening) Refrigerated jam should last at least 2-3 weeks.

SURE.JELL PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Peel and core pears. Finely grind or chop fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.
• Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar; stir. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

PEAR PRESERVES - PEAR JAM WITH VANILLA RECIPE

Steps:

• Peel, quarter and cut the pears into chunks.
• Place the fruit pieces into a big jam cooking pot and add in the sugar.
• Slit open a vanilla bean and scratch out with a butter knife or small spoon the vanilla bean paste.
• Add the paste and the whole vanilla bean to the pot with the other ingredients and mix it all well.
• Keep the pot with the fruits on the stove, cook on slow heat for about 45 mins, while stirring frequently, until you can see a rolling boil.
• Keep cooking pear preserves until it has visibly reduced and appears translucent.
• Test if the jam is set with a candy thermometer. The setting temperature is 210° Fahrenheit or 105° Celsius. Or drop some of the preserve on a cold plate or spoon and if it's not running it is set. If it runs, keep the jam for some more time to cook on low heat and repeat the test until you have the correct consistency.
• Take out the vanilla bean and discard.
• Reduce jam to a smoother consistency with a hand blender. I like to keep a few fruit pieces to give the jam some character.
• Pour hot jam into clean sterilized jars and fill up to the rim.
• Drop some vodka or rum into the lid to kill further bacteria. (optional)
• Close the jar with the lid and turn upside down to create a vacuum.
• Allow the jam to cool down, label and store in a cool and dry place.

PEAR & GINGER JAM

Steps:

• Peel and chop the pears and apples into small chunks. Place a couple of tea plates in the freezer for later.
• Place half the pears and all of the apples into a preserving pan, with just enough water to cover the fruit, and simmer gently until soft and mushy (about 40 mins)
• Remove from the heat, add the sugar, pectin, ginger, lemon juice and zest, also add the rest of the chopped pears. Put the pan back on the heat and dissolve sugar gently.
• Once the sugar is dissolved, bring to the boil, and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, or until setting point has been reached. If you are getting a scum on top, put a nob of butter in at this stage.
• To check if the jam has set, put a small amount on the cold tea plate, then push gently with the spoon, the jam should wrinkle.
• Pour into sterilised jars.

SPICED PEAR JAM

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until thick, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir more frequently as the mixture thickens. , Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Carefully ladle into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

PEAR GINGER JAM

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the pears, fresh ginger, sugar and juice from one lemon.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat them reduce the heat to medium. As you cook the jam for 10-15 minutes, it will thicken.
• Use a potato masher to help break down the fruit if necessary. If you want to make more of a sauce similar to an applesauce, you could puree the jam before canning it.
• When the jam is the consistency you prefer, ladle it into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner (adjust for your altitude as needed). Or you could store the jam in the refrigerator for about a month.

PEAR VANILLA JAM

Steps:

• Peel, core and quarter the pears. (While you're doing this, add the cut pieces to a large bowl of water with some lemon juice squeezed in, to prevent darkening.).
• Drain the pears, and transfer them to the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse them a few times. You're looking to get them chopped, not to puree them.
• Grate a couple pinches of fresh nutmeg over the sugar.
• Add the pears, sugar, and lemon juice to a large pot, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer 40 minutes. You may have to stir frequently to prevent burning.
• Remove the mixture from the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Spoon into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe the jar rims and adjust the lids.
• Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Mix pears, fruit pectin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and lemon juice in a large heavy pot; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar all at once, stirring, and bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Mix in butter to settle foam.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the pear jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

HOMEMADE PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Peel, pit, and finely chop pears. Place in a large pot and slightly crush if desired, but do not puree. Stir in lemon juice, followed by sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin quickly.
• Return to a full boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Meanwhile, inspect canning jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Ladle quickly into the prepared jars, filling within 1/8 inch of the tops. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any residue. Top with lids and screw rings on tightly.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 5 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and let rest, several inches apart, for 24 hours. Press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.