When life gives you lots of pears, make delicately spiced pear butter.
Pears are more floral than apples.
I wanted to see them with ginger, and nutmeg, and maybe some cardamom.
Elise Bauer
Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of lemon juice.
Fish out and discard the star anise from the pear mixture.
Discard remaining solids (seeds, stems, tough parts).
Elise Bauer
Measure the resulting puree, and pour into a large (8-qt), wide, thick-bottomed pan.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add the cardamom, nutmeg, and lemon zest.
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the batch.
While the mixture is cooking, prepare a water bath for canning.
Fill the jars and the pot with enough hot water to cover the jars by 1 inch.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Wash the lids in hot, soapy water.
Simple Tip!
They do, however, need to be warm.
When the pear butter is ready, pour into the hot jars.
Elise Bauer
and seal, leaving 1/4 inch head space between the pear butter and the rims of the jars.
Wipe the rims of the jars clean.
Screw on the bands so they are fingertip-tight.
Elise Bauer
If you plan to store the pear butter outside of a refrigerator, follow proper canning procedures.
Lower the filled jars into the stock pot with canning tongs.
check that the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.
Elise Bauer
Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes.
The sealed jars will keep for a long time, but are best consumed within 1 year.
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
