Can Jam November 2010 - pommes

Apples, pears, quince.  Those were the Can Jam choices for this month.  I made myself, and everyone around me, a little crazy searching for quince.  No luck.  Apples were turned into sauce and pie slices last month.  That left pears.

I have been wanting to try a batch of Carmel Pear Butter since the first time I stumbled across the recipe. I drool a little every time I type the title.  The original recipe can be found here.  I changed it a bit and my recipe is at the end of the post.

 

Before I even began, I halved the original recipe.  I have put up so many jars of jam and fruit butter this year.  A small batch of goodness seemed prudent.

I started with local, organic, Bartlet Pears.  Their smell is better than perfume.

I did not peel the pears. I cored them, becasue I was not certain if the seeds would add bitter flavor to the pot.  I was not worried about the fruit browning.  Not only does fruit butter have a deep color of its own, I was going to be adding brown sugar.  The finished product was going to be brown.

Once the pears were really soft I put them through the food mill with the smallest screen.  The puree went back in to the pot with the sugar and then bubbled away until it was good and thick.  Very easy.  SO tasty.  I stirred the last little bit in to a bowl of oatmeal and it made me weak in the knees.

Salted Carmel Pear Butter

makes four 1/2 pint jars

1/4 cup of apple juice

5 tablespoons lemon juice

3 1/2 pounds pears, cored and quartered

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon good salt

Combine apple juice, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and pears in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.Lower heat, cover and cook until the pears are very soft. Press pear mixture through finest blade of a food mill.  Return to pot, add remaining lemon juice, sugar, nutmeg and salt.  Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until thick, about an hour.

Ladle pear butter in to prepared 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Process in water bath for 10 minutes.

Everyone I know wants a jar.  I may have to make more.

Comments

[kate]

I think it was a good call to core them. Looks delicious!

I still haven't made apple butter (apples are stored in the cold garage right now). Lack of a food mill is holding me back. So far the only one I've found in town was $55!

[knittingkitty]

OMG that sounds heavenly. I'm not a pear fan but maybe I need to make this using the many pounds of apples I still have left in my fridge.

[Raeknitswa]

Oh my that looks so freaking good & sounds good. I have been hearing alot of people talk about salted caramel alot lately.

[elizabeth]

Yum salted caramel. What a great combination!

[Sean]

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[Alexis]

What does 'process in water bath' mean exactly?

For those who don't have/want a food mill. A good alternative to a food mill (since I really do not need anymore kitchen gadgets to shove into my pint-sized kitchen). Blend mixture in processor/blender and then pour through mesh sieve.

[Cindy]

wow is RIGHT! I already made my pear butter this year and I am so bummed!

[Gloria]

Can't wait to have a go at this. I've bought some pears today especially. Think I'll do the last part in the slow cooker though. Nice and slow and the sugar turns to lovely caramel. Yum

[Stephanie]

This sounds soooo good, I'm going to make it right away. Thanks for posting.

[T]

this looks so yummy! I wonder if it will work with persimmons too...

[Cheap Coach Bags]

What will be your harvest this year, my friends?

[Uncannypreserves]

This was really lovely! Didn't make quite as much as yours did, but it just means I'll have to savour it all the more. I loved the balance of sweet and salty and enjoyed it over a mild goat cheese and crackers. I'm a big fan of butters and this was a flavour combo I had never thought of. Thanks a million. :)

[Terri]

Thank you! It is also very good swirled into a bowl of oatmeal. that is what I am having for breakfast.

[flash game rpg]

Oh my that looks so freaking good sounds good. I have been hearing alot of people talk about salted caramel alot lately.
+1

[Heather B from SC]

This is for Kate: Don't worry about a food mill! Just cook the pears down in a pot or crockpot, and stick a stick blender down into them. Unless you're using sand pears, which get gritty if you don't use a victoria mill, you should be fine. I use tapioca starch to thicken my apple and pear butter, but you could also just drain out some of the juice for making jelly with before you puree.

[Terri]

Heather, you are right about not needing a food mill as long as the pears are peeled and cored before cooking. As for thickening, it is the slow cooking that evaporates the liquid and concentrates the flavor. I do not recommend using any thickeners or pouring off liquid. Just keep cooking.

[Molly]

A generous co-worker gave away what I think are Bosc pears last week and a recipe that is very similar to yours. I have it simmering in the crock pot right now but didn't think it seemed to be either caramelly or salty so I looked around and found yours. So, I added to the quantities of the original and think it tastes much better. Except...the original came with very little instructions so my batch was only cored and quartered then immersion-blendered. It is really gritty! I think I'll let it cool down, run it through the Vitamix then re-cook and can it tomorrow and hope for the best.

[Kelly D]

Fresh or bottled lemon juice? (I'm assuming the lemon is for taste, not acidity/safety, as pears are high-acid, and thus fresh is fine, but please correct me if I'm wrong).

[Terri]

Pears are a low acid fruit with a pH of 5.5 - 6.0. The lemon juice is for safety.

[Lindsey]

I noticed that you halved the amount of pears that were called for in the original recipe, but used the same amount of apple juice and only slightly less lemon juice. Was the acidity level not high enough for safe canning in the original recipe? (In other words, I want to make a big batch of this-- so should I double your recipe or use the original recipe?) Thanks!

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