How to make Pear Butter, easy and so delicious!

Have you ever made Pear Butter? If not, I hope you do soon. With a few simple ingredients, you can make one of the best-tasting preserves ever!  It is a favorite around here and I think your family will love it.

Pear Butter is quite different from the usual apple butter. 

Which I also love by the way. Pear butter is bright in flavor with a touch of orange and nutmeg. I hope to put a batch or two of Pear Butter into our root cellar right beside the jars of jam we are so fond of. Because delicious variety is the spice of life!

We have a pear tree here on our little homestead. It has needed to be nursed back to health after years of disregard. But our first year here, it has a few pears on it right now as I type out these words. While not enough to can up into quarts, I believe there is enough for a batch of Pear Butter! I have been making this recipe for many years (30+!), but this will be the first time that I will be making it from fruit from my own tree...

Orange and nutmeg together are delicious!

By the way, the orange and nutmeg combination is both delicious and very fragrant! One fresh orange will offer more than enough orange zest and juice. I find my favorite way to enjoy Pear Butter is slathered on buttered whole wheat toast...but then again spread on pancakes is also quite good. Wait, Pear Butter is great on a peanut butter sandwich too. Apparently, Pear Butter is good no matter where you spread it! 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• pears
• sugar
• orange zest
• orange juice
• nutmeg

You will also need the following:

• kitchen knife
• measuring cups
• cutting board
• measuring spoons
• large covered kettle
• water bath canner
• citrus zester
• citrus juicer
• pint mason jars with flats and rings

Now we are ready to begin!

 

Pear Butter
adapted from:  The Ball Blue Book

6 - 7 pounds of pears (about 20 medium for 2 Qtrs. of cooked mashed pears)
4 c sugar
1 t grated orange peel
1/2 t fresh nutmeg
1/3 c orange juice

Wash pears, peel, and core. Place the prepared pears in a large saucepan, add 1/4 cup water. 

Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until soft. 

Mash with a potato masher. Stir in sugar, cooking until the sugar dissolves. 

Add remaining ingredients and cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon. 

As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. 

Ladle into jars, make sure the top of the jar has no drips, cap with the dome/flat lid, then attach the ring. 

Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. 

Note, if you live above sea level, add one minute to the processing time for every 1000 feet. 

For those new to home canning, here is the basic process, from the National Center for Home Food Preserving.  Don't let being new to canning stop you, it is a lovely way to bring something special to your family meals. 

Storage options for Pear Butter. Store in a cool dry area for up to 12 months. Once opened, store covered in the refrigerator until gone!

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of How to make Pear Butter has been included below. 

 

You may also enjoy: 

How to Can Rhubarb From the Garden.

#DIYHomemadeHousehold

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Pear Butter
adapted from:  The Ball Blue Book

6 - 7 pounds of pears (about 20 medium for 2 Qtrs. of cooked mashed pears)
4 c sugar
1 t grated orange peel
1/2 t fresh nutmeg
1/3 c orange juice

Wash pears, peel, and core. Place the prepared pears in a large saucepan, add 1/4 cup water. 

Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until soft. 

Mash with a potato masher. Stir in sugar, cooking until the sugar dissolves. 

Add remaining ingredients and cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon. 

As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. 

Ladle into jars, make sure the top of the jar has no drips, cap with the dome/flat lid, then attach the ring. 

Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. 

Note, if you live above sea level, add one minute to the processing time for every 1000 feet. 

For those new to home canning, here is the basic process, from the National Center for Home Food Preserving.  Don't let being new to canning stop you, it is a lovely way to bring something special to your family meals.  

Storage options for Pear Butter. Store in a cool dry area for up to 12 months. Once opened, store covered in the refrigerator until gone!

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