Pear Jam
Pear jam made with just three ingredients and no boxed pectin. The pears macerate overnight in sugar and lemon juice, then cook down to a soft, spoonable jam.
Servings: 32 servings, makes 4 to 5 half pint (8 oz) jars
Equipment
- Canning Jars, Lids and Bands
Ingredients
- 4 lbs European pears as purchased
- 2 to 3 cups sugar to taste
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
Instructions
- Peel, core, and coarsely dice the pears, tossing the pieces with the lemon juice in a large bowl as you work so they don't brown.
- Sprinkle the sugar over the pears and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours so the fruit can macerate (4 hours minimum).
- Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids, with the canner water at about 180 degrees F.
- Pour the pears and their syrup into a large, heavy bottomed jam pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches the gel stage (220 degrees F at sea level, or a spoonful wrinkles on a chilled plate). On an average stove this takes about 25 to 40 minutes, and longer with juicier pears or a weaker burner.
- Remove the pot from the heat. If you'd like a smoother texture, mash the fruit with a potato masher before filling jars.
- Ladle the hot jam into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, recheck the headspace, wipe the rims, and apply two-piece lids fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
- Turn off the heat, take the lid off the canner, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
- Cool the jars on a towel-lined counter for 12 to 24 hours, then check the seals. Refrigerate any jar that didn't seal, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Choosing pears: Use flavorful European pears that are slightly underripe or just ripe, since they have the most natural pectin and hold their shape. Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, and Comice all work. Don't use Asian pears, which are lower in acid and need added acid for canning.
Maceration: Don't skip the overnight rest. The 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator draws the juice out of the pears and makes the syrup they cook in, so there's no added water. In a pinch, 4 hours is the minimum.
Lemon juice: Fresh or bottled both work. European pears are acidic enough to can on their own, so the lemon juice is there for flavor and color, and its acid helps the jam set.
Pectin and set: No added pectin is needed. Cook the jam to the gel stage, 220 degrees F at sea level, or until a spoonful wrinkles on a plate chilled in the freezer. Go by that test, not the clock. Pear jam sets soft and spoonable, and it can take 24 to 48 hours to firm up. If it's still runny after two days, re-cook it or use it as pear syrup.
Sugar: Use any amount in the listed range. The lower end gives a more fruit-forward jam with a softer set, a slightly longer cook, and a little less jam. For a lower sugar jam, use a citrus pectin like Pomona's and follow its directions.
Batch size: This recipe halves or doubles with no changes to the method. Don't go beyond a double batch, since a crowded pot takes much longer to reach the gel stage. Make back to back batches instead.
Altitude adjustments: Processing time for half pints in a water bath canner.
- 0 to 6,000 feet: 10 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
Nutrition
Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg