Spiced Pear Preserves Food

SPICED PEAR PRESERVES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• 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.
• Place the pan (uncovered) over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently, until very thick and gel stage is reached.
• 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.
• Prepare the work area, canner, jars, and lids.
• 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).
• Process for 10 minutes.

CARAMEL SPICE PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• Wash the pears but do not peel or core them; slice pears into a heavy saucepan (at least 5-quart size).
• Add water, cover, and cook until tender (about 30 minutes).
• Remove from heat and press the pears through a colander or a food mill.
• Measure the pear pulp (you should have about 8 cups) and return to the pan.
• Using a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, stirring until it melts and caramelizes to a medium brown color.
• Pour immediately into the pear pulp (the syrup will sizzle and harden, but dissolve again as the preserves cook).
• Add the remaining sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Cook uncovered, until thick (about 45 minutes).
• Stir frequently as it begins to thicken to prevent it from sticking.
• Stir in lemon juice just before removing it from heat.
• Pour hot mixture into steralized 1/2 pint jars, put on lid, and crew band tightly.
• Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

CANNED HONEY SPICED PEARS PRESERVES

Steps:

• 1. Prepare jars and lids.
• 2. Combine sugar, honey, vinegar and water in a large sauce pot. Tie spices together in a cheesecloth bag and place in sauce pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat; cover; simmer ten min..
• 3. Place pears in syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cook pears on low for 3 hrs will turn bright orange when finished.
• 4. Remove spice bag. Pack pears into hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Ladle syrup over jars leaving 1/2" headspace. Remove air bubbles using a nonmetallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly, just until a point of resistance is met - fingertip tight.
• 5. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: about five pint jars.
• 6. Note: To prevent pears from browning, treat peeled pears with Fruit-Fresh Fruit Protector.

GINGER-SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• Put the sugar, vinegar, orange zest and juice, ginger, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, then boil for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, peel, core and halve or quarter the pears, depending on size. Add the pears to the pan and poach gently for 10-15 mins until they are just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and pack into warm sterilised Kilner jars with rubber seals (see tip below).
• Boil the vinegar mixture hard to reduce by a third, then pour over the pears, including the spices. The pears need to be completely covered with the liquid. Fit the rubber seal and clamp the jar tightly closed. Reserve any leftover syrup for topping up the jars later, as the pears will absorb the syrup over time. Store for up to 2 months.

SPICED PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients to a dutch oven.
• Bring mixture to a boil and stir constantly.
• Lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 2 hours or until thickened.
• Skim off foam with a metal spoon.
• Pour immediately into hot sterilized jars, filling to about 1/4 inch from the top.
• Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims.
• Cover quickly with metal lids and screw on bands.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

PEAR PRESERVES (OLD FASHIONED)

Steps:

• 1. Peel, core, and slice pears into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, then measure out 8 cups.
• 2. In a stock pot mix pears with the 5 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Gently combine all. Let set in pot over night, cover with light towel or single layer of sheeting material.
• 3. Next morning, put stock pot of pears on med/low stove burner. Stir gently to mix. Juices from pears, lemon juice, and sugar will have made a liquid over night. Bring to a low boil. Turn down to simmer and cook slowly 3 to 4 hours or until pears are clear and pink and syrup thickens. More sugar may be added once cup at a time during last part of cooking process until desired thickness is reached. Be careful not to add too much sugar, just gently stir often and observe.
• 4. Have jars and lids sterlized in boiling water. 8 1/2 pint jars and 8 lids. Leave on simmer.
• 5. When desired doneness is reached, remove from heat; stir in brown sugar, ginger,allspice, and nutmeg.
• 6. Fill sterlized jars to 1/2 inch of top, wipe off rim of jar with a wet cloth to remove any syrup that may have dripped on rim. Top with lids and rings, tighten firmly.
• 7. Process jars in boiling water 10 minutes to seal, (water should be heating while filling jars). Store in cool, dry, place away from direct light. Makes about seven 1/2 pint jars.