Pear Jam
This pear jam recipe, a simple and easy canning recipe to preserve juicy pears for all year enjoyment, prepares sweet and lip smacking jam that can be used in many recipes. This recipe uses plum to make a colourful mildly tangy jam that tastes better than ready-made ones.
| Ingredients: |
| 1½ cups peeled, cored and chopped Pears (approx. 2 medium Pears) |
| 1/2 cup chopped Plum (approx. 1 small Plum), optional |
| 3/4 cup Sugar |
| 1½ tablespoon Lemon Juice |
| Ceramic Plate |
| 1 8oz Jar (or 2 4oz jar) |
Directions:
- Wash pears and plum in running water and dry them. Put a ceramic plate in freezer to check the jam consistency at later stage. Sterilize the jar.
- Peel and core the pear and cut into small pieces. Cut the plum into halves, remove the stone and chop into small pieces.
- Heat pear and plum pieces with sugar and lemon juice in a pan over medium heat.
- Stir continuously and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns watery.
- As you can see, the color starts to turn pinkish because of the plum skin.
- Simmer for around 15-20 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Stir in between occasionally.
- Stir continuously and cook over medium heat until mixture turns thick. To check mixture is thick or not, when you stir the jam with a spoon and if it leaves empty track behind (as shown in the photo), it is thick. If you like smooth texture without any chunks, mash it with backside of a spoon or immersion blender and cook again until it turns thick.
- You can see the texture of thickened jam in the photo.
- You can also do one more test to check the jam consistency. Remove the ceramic plate from freezer (kept in freezer in step-1) and put a little bit jam over it. Place the plate in freezer for a minute. Remove the plate from freezer and run a finger or a spoon through the jam and if it leaves the track clear, jam is ready.
- Take away pan from the heat and allow it to rest for 1-2 minutes. Pour prepared pear jam into sterilized jar, leaving 1/4 head space empty. Wipe rims with cloth and seal with lids. Process jars in boiling water bath for 8 minutes. Let jars cool and store in a cool, dark place. Use it within 6 months of preparation.
Tips and Variations:
- You can prepare this jam in large quantity by multiplying all ingredients. If you increase the quantity, it will take more time to cook.
- If you don’t want to store the jam for a year, you can change the quantity of sugar according to the sweetness of pears and your liking.
- Use it within 6 months of preparation. After 6 months even though it is still good to eat, its color and taste will start to change.
- If jam bottles are not sealed properly, then you can re-seal them by putting them through boiling water bath again.
- Be careful while removing jam bottles from boiling water bath. If not handled carefully, it may result in injury and burning.
Taste: Unforgettable mild sweet and mild tangy taste of seasonally best pears and plums.
Serving Ideas: It tastes best as spread and relish.