Homemade Pear Butter

Tags

butter, canning, dessert, fruit, gluten free, home grown, pear, Southern

Everyone loves fruit butter. It is rich and full of cinnamon-y deliciousness. This pear butter was a great way for me to use up a couple of the bags of fresh pears I got from home last time I was there for a visit. I don’t know what variety they are but they have a clean, crisp flavor and good texture. I saved seeds this year hoping for a sprout of a tree come spring. If you have any suggestions for growing a tree from seed, please be sure to comment.

Homemade Pear Butter (a variation of this recipe by One Hundred Dollars a Month)

• 8 lbs of pears, cored
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp cloves

In a large, heavy bottomed stockpot, combine the ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the pears are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the pears are soft, spoon them into a food mill and smoosh them through. When all the pears have been seperated from the peels, add the pulp to a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Once the pear butter has thickened and turned a nice dark brown, it is time to can the goodies.

Bring a boiling water canner to a simmer. Wash the jars and bands in hot soapy water. Pour boiling water over the flat lids in a saucepan to sterilize. Ladle the pear butter into the prepared into the prepared jars, filling to 1/4 inch of the top.  Wipe each jar rim with a wet cloth to remove any butter that might have escaped the jar. Cover with the lid, screw on the band an dplace in the canner. Cover with water and bring to a gentle boil. Process for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner and place on the countertop to cool. After they are completely cool, check to be sure each are sealed. If they are not, refridgerate until ready to use. Makes 8 half pint jars.

Advertisement

Pear Chutney with Dried Cherries and Ginger

Tags

canning, cherry, chutney, ginger, gluten free, home grown, pear, preserving

I love chutney. It has so many possibilities with it’s tangy sweetness. I serve it with pork, on little cheese toasts like those pictured below, and occasionally just eat it plain. This chutney is canned in a hot water bath. The idea is that I will give jars away as Christmas gifts, assuming they make it that long.

Pear Chutney with Dried Cherries and Ginger (from Food in Jars)

• 3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped roughly
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 4 cups roughly chopped pears (4-5 medium pears)
• 2/3 cup sugar

Place dried cherries in a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup and pour boiling water over top. Set aside.

Heat a large, non-reactive pot or skillet over medium heat. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add onion and sea salt and cook until the onion softened and develops a bit of color. Add ginger, mustard seeds and cardamom and cook until spices are fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add vinegar and brand to pan and use a wooden spoon to work up any bits of fond on the bottom of the pan. Add dried cherries and their liquid. Add chopped pears and sugar and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, put a lid on the pan and let pears simmer gently for 30-35 minutes so that they soften.

When the pears can be crushed with the back of a wooden spoon, remove the lid from the pot. Increase the heat to high and cook quickly, stirring regularly, to help reduce any remaining liquid. When chutney is no longer at all watery and looks deeply colored, take a taste. Makes adjustments as needed.

When chutney is fully cooked down and tastes good to you, ladle it into three prepared half pint jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. When time is up, remove jars from canning pot and let them cool on a folded kitchen towel. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten within a week. Sealed jars can be kept in the pantry for up to one year. Makes 3 half pints.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Tags

canning, freezer, fruit, gluten free, jam, Kentucky Proud, preserving, Southern, strawberry

When I went to home to my grandparents this past week, we were lucky enough to get several gallons of gorgeously ripe fresh strawberries. My mother made several batches of this freezer jam. It is a great way to preserve strawberries for enjoyment throughout the year. The color is very bright and hold even through the freezing process. We eat this jam on toast, ice cream and in place of syrup on  pancakes.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

• 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 package of pectin
• 3/4 cup water

Mix crushed strawberries with sugar and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine pectin and water in a small saucepan and and bring to a boil. Boil for  a minute. Add this to the strawberries. Allow to rest for 3 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars. Screw tops onto jars and allow to sit for 24 hours. Place in freezer until ready to use. Makes 5 pint jars.

Lemon Curd

Tags

breakfast, canning, citrus, curd, dessert, food, lemon, preserving

Don’t you wish this was your Christmas gift? I can’t wait to open a jar. I want it over pound care with raspberry syrup…. MMMM!!!

Lemon Curd (thanks to The 350 Degree Oven)

• zest of 14 meyer lemons
• 2 cup lemon juice (about 14 lemons)
• 8 whole eggs
• 14 egg yolks (you can use the whites for macaroons)
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
• 9 half pint jars, rings, and lids

Soak your citrus in a 4:1 combo of water and vinegar to help remove all that funk and some of the wax that may be on the fruits. Dry with a towel. Using a zester or a microplane, zest each fruit, avoiding the pith as it is bitter and will ruin the flavor. Juice each lime. If you have a double boiler, heat it up. Since I don’t have one, I used a cobbled together version; you can place a metal bowl over a sauce pot. Make sure that the water in the sauce pot is enough not to boil dry but not so much as to allow the water the hit the bottom of the bowl; the idea is to cook with steam.

Before you put the metal bowl over the steam, combine the sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, salt, and lime zest.  Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Place on top of boiling water. Continuing to whisk, add in lemon juice. Whisk whisk whisk until combined, then add the melted butter. Continue whisking the mixture until it reaches 170 degrees F on your candy thermometer. Remove the metal bowl and place on a hot pad or trivet; be careful because the bowl is hot. One ladle at a time, strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the zest and any seeds that might have gotten away.

To can the lemon curd, sterilize the jars, rings, tongs, and ladle in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove the hot jars to a kitchen towel, and fill with hot lemon curd, leaving a 1/2″ head space.  While filling the jars, soak the new lids in the hot water. Wipe the rims, top with the lids, and screw the rings down finger tight. Set the filled jars on the rack inside the stock pot.  Make sure the water covers the tops of the jars by at least one inch.  Turn on the heat, and bring the water up to a boil (covered).  Once boiling, let the jars process for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove the jars from the water and place on a dish towel. Allow to cool. As the seal, you will hear that lovely little ping, indicating your hard work has paid off. Use home canned curd within 3-4 months, separation or color changes may occur with longer storage and indicate it might be bad. Makes 9 half pint jars.

Pear Vanilla Jam

Tags

canning, gluten-free, jam, pear, preserving, vanilla, vegetarian

Since the first batch of pear jam turned out so well, I decided to make another, this time inspired by Food In Jars’ Pear Vanilla Jam. A friend of mine was nice enough to give me some gorgeous vanilla beans that were so plump and fragrant. She bought them here. I never knew the glories of whole vanilla beans until this recipe; I can’t wait to order my own.

Pear Vanilla Jam

• 4 cups prepared fruit
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 box Fruit Pectin
• 4 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
• 1/2 tsp butter
• 1 large or 2 small vanilla beans, scraped

Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Peel and core pears. Finely grind or chop fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla bean (scrapings and . Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar; stir. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Pear Jam

Tags

canning, fall, gluten free, jam, pear, preserving, vegetarian

This is my first time canning anything. Ever. I don’t have any idea how it will turn out because this has definitely been an experiment. First, I have no formal canning equipment. I cobbled it all together from stuff already in my kitchen thanks to this helpful post. Rereading this recipe in preparation for this post, I made a discovery. I misread the recipe and used only four cups of sugar instead of five. It truly will be a miracle if this all turns out. So far it seems that every jar has sealed. We shall see in a few days if they stay that way. There was a bit left over and it tasted good. I wonder if the missing sugar will affect the consistency.

Despite the learning curve here, I am inspired to keep on canning. I think I have a new addiction that just may justify spending even more money on kitchen equipment.

Here are some recipes/websites that particularly inspire me.

All things from Food In Jars, but especially this one – Pear Vanilla Jam

Pinot Noir Wine Jelly

Lemon Curd

3 Varieties of Pizza Sauce

Persian Quince Jam with Cardamom and Rosewater

How to Prep the Jars, Lids, and Rings

Simply Canning – Lots of traditional recipes

Pear Jam

• 4 cups prepared fruit (about 3 lbs)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 box Fruit Pectin
• 5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
• 1/2 tsp butter

Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Peel and core pears. Finely grind or chop fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar; stir. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Pickled Onions

Tags

canning, food, gluten-free, onions, pickled, side dish, vegetarian

I have never canned anything before, even though it is something my mother and grandmother have done for years. This recipe caught by eye because it is simple and only makes one jar. What I made today is a variation of Celia’s recipe below. I altered it some to my desires- namely, I left out the fennel because they were $4 a bulb at Kroger this week. Instead I uses a few tarragon sprigs for that licorice flavor. I can’t wait to try these pretty pink pickles!

Pickled Onions (thanks to Cecelia at the Kitchen’s Garden)

• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 white onions
• 2 sprigs of tarragon

Slice the onions thinly. In a pot, heat the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns and coriander. Meanwhile, sterilize a jar in boiling hot water. When the vinegar has come to a boil, add the onions and fennel. Let them blanch in there for 30 seconds. Place the garlic clove into the jar. Pack the onions into the jar and pour the hot vinegar in on top. Tap the jar to get out the bubbles and seal. Refrigerate when cool.