# Are my pears ready for canning?



## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

Hello Friends,

I live in central NC and I have a pear tree that is full of pears that are being eaten by birds and squirrels, and are falling on the ground. Does this mean they are ripe? If not can I pick and can them any way?

Thank you,


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Chances are they're ripe, but it's not hard to tell for sure. Walk outside, pick a pear, test it.


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## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

olivehill said:


> Chances are they're ripe, but it's not hard to tell for sure. Walk outside, pick a pear, test it.


Good news, if it is a cooking pear will it be juicy?


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## casusbelli (Jan 6, 2009)

Ripe pears get a bit softer, and cut with a knife without having to push hard. You can taste too.
You don't want to can over-ripe pears or any fruit. The acid content falls, and the product is less safe against spoilage and botulism. Usually you want 3/4 ripe fruit with 1/4 not-quite-ripe fruit. That's the way with berries and crabapples anyway. 
DO NOT CAN DROPS! If a drop looks really good, I just refrigerate and eat it as fresh fruit.
BTW, I highly recommend drying/dehydrating pears. They're a great winter treat. Coat in lemon juice as you cut to decrease browning. When dry, store in canning jars with an oxygen absorber.


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## US Constitution (May 21, 2010)

casusbelli said:


> Ripe pears get a bit softer, and cut with a knife without having to push hard. You can taste too.
> You don't want to can over-ripe pears or any fruit. The acid content falls, and the product is less safe against spoilage and botulism. Usually you want 3/4 ripe fruit with 1/4 not-quite-ripe fruit. That's the way with berries and crabapples anyway.
> DO NOT CAN DROPS! If a drop looks really good, I just refrigerate and eat it as fresh fruit.
> BTW, I highly recommend drying/dehydrating pears. They're a great winter treat. Coat in lemon juice as you cut to decrease browning. When dry, store in canning jars with an oxygen absorber.



Hello,

I just picked them.... It was either me or the birds and squirrels eating them. They're still quite hard though. I am hoping they will soften up in a couple of weeks. I would like to can them uncooked hoping they will be fresher plus simpler to can. Does all of this sound good so far?

Thank you,


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## miboje (Sep 22, 2009)

casusbelli said:


> DO NOT CAN DROPS!


What is the reasoning behind not canning drops? Is it something to do with bacteria? I was unaware. I do wash them before processing, of course. In fact, they are peeled, except for the ones pressed for canning juice. I don't know how anything could survive the extreme heat of canning. But botulism can happen.

It depends on what kind of pear you have. You should can "winter", or hard pears. The other type of pear is a "dessert" pear, and they ripen on the tree. Winter pears will not ripen on the tree or on the ground. They stay harder during the canning process. 

If you have winter pears, they will need cold storage for two weeks for the flavor and sweetness to develop. The pears should be individually wrapped in newspaper, and stored in a root cellar, or a cardboard box in a dark, cool place, like a basement. After that, they are quite delicious and perfect for canning. If you have an old fridge in the basement, they could be stored in that (at about 36 degrees), as well, without being individually wrapped. Do not store the pears that have damage. They can spoil the whole lot during storage.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

If you want to sell any of those fresh pears just let me know!


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## casusbelli (Jan 6, 2009)

The experts say not to can drops. "Putting Food By". Also, Mrs. Burpee. Just following their advice. Could be part science, but could be part superstition. Dunno.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

When my Dad's pears are nearing ready, he will pick one and cut it open. He will do this every couple of days or so in several different spots. If the seeds are dark they are ready. Pale seeds mean they aren't. 

There is always the taste test too!


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

I believe my pears are ready for canning, we are in the TX hill country. But I actually wanted to know how freezing pears works for other people. Have you had success?

All my pears have some kind of fungus on them, maybe powdery mildew, and have to be thoroughly washed.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

pears ripen OFF the tree and should always be picked before they reach ripeness on the tree, so yeah, can them.

if you have any that are still firm, remove them from the tree and put them in COLD storage, like the refrig drawer and take them out to room temp when you want to have them ripen to eat them fresh ..or to can them..

kept cold they will keep from ripening for a while..so if they are coming on too fast get them really cold


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