Making fruit jam at home is easier than you think! These Pear Preserves are sweet, have a great texture, and only require 3 ingredients!
If you have a pear tree in your yard, use the fruit to make homemade Pear Preserves! It’s delicious on toast, biscuits, and ice cream!
What Are Pear Preserves?
Pear Preserves are a type of sweet fruit spread. The pears are diced, mixed with sugar and lemon juice, and cooked using a canning process. Preserves and jams are essentially the same things. The main difference between jam and preserves is that preserves tend to contain larger pieces of fruit.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pears
- sugar
- lemon juice
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make Pear Preserves
- Peel, core and dice the pears into small pieces.
- Toss the pears in the sugar and lemon juice. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, reduce this step to a minimum of 4 hours but no less.
- Prepare a water bath canner. Place the pear mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Note that the mixture will foam, so choose a saucepan large enough to avoid spillage.
- Stir the mixture occasionally, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. If needed, slightly crush any large pieces of pear with a potato masher.
- When the preserves reach the gel stage, check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 220°F at sea level and slightly below for higher elevations.
- Immediately remove the preserves from the heat and pack them into mason jars with a ¼-inch headspace. Seal with 2-part canning lids.
- Store the pear jam in the fridge for immediate use or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes. Turn off the canner and allow the jars to sit for 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 fridge.
Tips And Tricks
- Choose any type of pear that’s firm and just barely ripe.
- The pear will hold its shape so it’s best to dice it into small pieces.
- Toss the diced pears in lemon juice to keep them from becoming brown.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste. If you prefer sweeter preserves, use more sugar.
- Cut this recipe in half to make a smaller batch.
Pear Preserves Variations
Regular Pear Preserves are delicious, but try switching things up with these tasty variations:
- Reduced sugar – Replace the sugar with 2 cups of fruit juice concentrate and use no-sugar-added pectin.
- Add warm spices – A teaspoon of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom will add a delicious flavor to the preserves.
- Try fresh ginger – If you enjoy the slightly spicy taste of fresh ginger, stir 2 teaspoons into the preserves.
- Add fresh blueberries – Enjoy more texture and a sweet blueberry flavor by using a ratio of 3 parts pears and 1 part blueberries.
- Green Cardamom – Infuse the preserves with the flavor of cardamom by placing 1 tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of green cardamom pods in a tea ball. Add it to the pears as they cook.
How To Store Pear Preserves
Canned pear preserves in sterilized jars that have been processed in a hot water bath will last for 1-2 years if stored unopened in a cool dry spot. Pear preserves that have not been processed in a hot water bath will last in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Pear Preserves Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pears
- 2 to 4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel, core and dice the pears into small pieces.
- Toss the pears in the sugar and lemon juice. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, reduce this step to a minimum of 4 hours but no less.
- Prepare a water bath canner. Place the pear mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Note that the mixture will foam, so choose a saucepan large enough to avoid spillage.
- Stir the mixture occasionally, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. If needed, slightly crush any large pieces of pear with a potato masher.
- When the preserves reach the gel stage, check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 220°F at sea level and slightly below for higher elevations.
- Immediately remove the preserves from the heat and pack them into mason jars with a ¼-inch headspace. Seal with 2-part canning lids.
- Store the pear jam in the fridge for immediate use or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes. Turn off the canner and allow the jars to sit for 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 fridge.
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