# Pears



## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

What in the world can I do with an abundance of canning pears? I have access to a tree that's loaded. What can be done to keep them from turning pink during the canning process?


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Canning pears? What variety? We like the Bartlett pears best. We make a lot of juice to use as sweetener for other fruits and to drink. We use lemon juice in the water after peeling. We also dry a lot of them, very good as a snack and in baked goods....James


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

NO NOT PEARS.

Caring for Pears was punishment in my child hood.

We had bartlets red and yellow.

soft one were for eating and canning. Ok not a problem but the hard unripe ones the were stored to last the winter.

each one wrapped in a full sheet of newspaper and place is a box padded with other paper scruched up.

boxes and boxes of pears--------"fresh fruit was a "treat" you children don't know how luck you are to have fruit and veg at the store year round and fresh.

Every few weeks each wrapped pear was check and rewrapped more often check if we were out of line or failed to solve problems between the sib's with out the aid of mom--she felt sorting pear alone down stairs was the best way to reslove issues. 

Every week hard pears and pear that were softening were brought up. the hard ones went in to a glass lidded fruit "chamber" were an apple was always added.== We ate lots of pears year round.

So now you know another way to store them and away to have peace in a house full of children.


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Make Pear Honey, I have to make lots and lots cause friends love it.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pear-honey-recipe/index.html
Nancy


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

kasilofhome said:


> NO NOT PEARS.
> 
> Caring for Pears was punishment in my child hood.
> 
> ...


I love pears, so many uses. We store 4-5 bushel. I grew up with lots of fresh fruit stored. I guess I was lucky, we were all boys and Grandma took care of the precious pears. Dad took care of the apples. We eat a lot of the ripe pears poached, mix berries with the juice, set aside to meld, then pour over the top of the cold pears....James


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

I slice my canning pears into pineapple juice, lemon water or 1/8 teaspoon pharmaceutical grade vitamin c powder dissolved in 3 cups water. I used to use fruit fresh, but that gets expensive. Let pears sit about 5 minutes in the solution then spin dry in a salad spinner. I reuse the solutions through the day, and keep pineapple juice and lemon water in the fridge overnight to reuse several days. 

We have 2 huge loaded trees. Haven't had any turn pink, but the ones canned in apple juice turn golden. I prefer an ultra light syrup (1/2 cup sweetener to 5 cups water) Used sugar previously, but am using fruit sweet this year. It's concentrated unsweetened pear juice and unsweetened pineapple syrup. I purchase it over the internet, or can reduce 12 ounces of frozen concentrated white grape juice down to 8 ounces to use as the 1/2 cup for two batches. I made a test batch using the fruit sweet and it might be too sweet, may use only 1/3 cup to 5 cups water.

I cube and freeze the pears in snack size zip locks for smoothies, dehydrate slices and cubes and make lots of fruit leather. I dehydrate the cores and peels, powder and use in quick breads and smoothies for added fiber. Can slices, pear mincemeat, spiced chunky pear sauce, and pear butter. If the grandkids leave any dehydrated slices and cubes, I use them during the winter to make pies, cobblers or add to quick breads.

We eat a lot fresh also. Had some just this morning cooked with steel cut oats, cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. Pear crumble is also a favorite. Mix 6 cups peeled and sliced pears, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/3 cup maple syrup and place in a 7x11" baking dish. Bake in a preheated 375 oven until bubbling (about 30 minutes). Make crumble while pears bake. Mix 1/2 cup each rolled oats, chopped pecans and cornmeal with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt until well mixed. Add 1/4 cup olive oil or oil of choice and mix well. When fruit has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven, stir fruit, top with crumble mixture and return to oven for 15-20 minutes until topping is crisp and brown. Recipe is from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health changed just a bit for pears.

We're really happy to have pears this year, the hurricanes blew everything off the trees last year.


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## Bethany89 (Aug 5, 2011)

One of my families favorite is pear sauce - made the same way you make applesauce but with pears. My kids can gobble it up!


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## SilverVista (Jan 12, 2005)

We make a lot of pear sauce too. And I'm the only person I know who does this, but I can pears in quarters with the skin on. Processing makes the skin thin and tender, you really don't notice it when eating. It also cuts the prep time in half. I also make chutney to can using pears, onions, candied ginger, raisins, sugar, vinegar. Really dresses up a pork chop dinner in the middle of winter!


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Thanks Everyone for all your replies. They give me some ideas now.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Read peach peels could be dried. Powdered to make tea, etc. Thinking you could do this w/pears.


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## kentuckyhippie (May 29, 2004)

pears make a wonderful sweet relish. just use your favorite sweet pickle relish recipe and use pears instead of the cucumbers. its really good with cream cheese and crackers


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

Pear butter is also pretty good.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

I would really like to can some pear sauce without sugar. I bake with applesauce a lot, instead of oil, making things a little healthier. Is there any reason why I shouldn't try canning sugar-free pear sauce?


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Country Lady said:


> I would really like to can some pear sauce without sugar. I bake with applesauce a lot, instead of oil, making things a little healthier. Is there any reason why I shouldn't try canning sugar-free pear sauce?


I never add sugar to mine...just a bit of cinnamon.


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