Pear Syrup
Pear syrup transforms fresh pear juice into a golden, pourable sweetener with all the delicate floral flavor of ripe pears. Perfect for drizzling over pancakes, stirring into cocktails, or using anywhere you want pear sweetness.
Servings: 48 servings (about 3 pints)
Equipment
- Large Stainless Steel Saucepan
- Jelly bag or cheesecloth
Ingredients
For the Pear Juice:
- 3½ pounds pears
- 1 to 2 cups water
For the Syrup:
- 4 cups pear juice from above
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice optional, for brightness (fresh or bottled)
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids before beginning.
- Wash and quarter the pears, leaving the peels and cores in place. Place them in a large pot with the water, bring to a simmer, and cook, crushing with a potato masher, until the pears have fallen apart and released their juice.
- Strain through a dampened jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Let it drip for at least 2 hours or overnight. Don't squeeze the bag if you want a clear syrup.
- Pour the strained juice into a clean saucepan and add the sugar, along with the lemon juice if using. Heat over medium-high, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes, skimming off any foam.
- Ladle the hot syrup into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, center the lids, and apply the bands fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints or half pints, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
- Turn off the heat and let the jars rest 5 minutes, then remove and cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals.
Notes
Yield: This recipe starts with about 3½ pounds of pears, roughly 8 medium-large fruit, which cooks down and strains to about 4 cups of juice. Combined 1:1 with 4 cups of sugar, that makes about 6 cups of finished syrup, enough to fill 3 pint jars or 6 half pints. Yield varies a little with how ripe and juicy your pears are, so if you end up with somewhat less than 4 cups of juice, reduce the sugar to match and keep the 1:1 ratio.
Ratio: This recipe makes a 1:1 simple syrup, combining about 4 cups of extracted pear juice with 4 cups of sugar. The sugar is for flavor and consistency, not preservation, so you can reduce it for a thinner, more tart syrup without affecting canning safety.
Lemon juice: Lemon juice is optional and added for brightness, not safety, since pears are acidic enough to can on their own. Use about 1/4 cup per batch, or 1 tablespoon per cup of juice, fresh or bottled, or leave it out entirely.
Scaling: You can scale this recipe up for larger batches. Double everything for 6 pints, or triple it for 9 pints. The processing time stays the same regardless of batch size.
Storage: Properly canned and sealed jars keep at room temperature for 12 to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within a few weeks. Without canning, the syrup keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months, leaving 1 inch of headspace for freezing.
Altitude Adjustments: 0 to 1,000 feet, 10 minutes. 1,001 to 6,000 feet, 15 minutes. Above 6,000 feet, 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg