This site is an archive of ChiotsRun.com. For the latest information about Susy and her adventrures, visit the Cultivate Simple site.
Thank you for all your support over the years!

Picking Pears

September 7th, 2009

We picked pears at my mom’s house again last week. We didn’t get as many as we did last year (remember that?). There were a lot of pears on the ground, but we still had a good haul.
pears_in_basket
I gave some to my sister and we brought the rest home. Last year I canned pear halves, but that’s a lot of work. Since we still have some left, I’ll stick to easier preservation methods like: making pear sauce (like applesauce), pear butter and drying.

What’s your favorite way to preserve pears?

20 Comments to “Picking Pears”
  1. LisaAlso on September 7, 2009 at 7:53 am

    Well, this is my first year with a haul of pears. Last year was apples and only 6 pears, which I just ate. Here’s the thing. Although the pears are sweet, they are still very hard. I have refrigerated some, then brought them out again to ripen. I read that on the internet. Not much has happened to soften them.

    I want to can them in syrup. Can I cook them slowly to ripen/soften them or am I still going to have really hard, canned pears??
    .-= LisaAlso´s last blog ..For the advancement of my ejumacation =-.

    Reply to LisaAlso's comment

    • Susy on September 7, 2009 at 8:07 am

      I would imagine that when you cook them they’ll soften. I always leave mine sitting on the table to ripen and every couple days I pick out the ripe ones and preserve a batch.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. Mangochild on September 7, 2009 at 8:04 am

    I like pear sauce best – actually I made some on Saturday. If I can, I’d like to do some mixed types of pears and some with only one type. Is pear butter much different? That sounds interesting too. I’m with you, easier preservation methods are much more appealing when there is so much *to* preserve!
    .-= Mangochild´s last blog ..Sunday Pickings Report: September 6, 2009 =-.

    Reply to Mangochild's comment

    • Susy on September 7, 2009 at 8:10 am

      It’s more like a jam/jelly, sweeter and I usually add spices. Last year I made gingerbread pear butter with some ginger, cinnamon molasses and some brown sugar. This year I’m thinking about making Pear, Port and Thyme Conserve from the Well-Preserved Cookbook.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. Frugal Trenches on September 7, 2009 at 8:19 am

    There is an award for you on my blog!

    These pears look lovely!
    .-= Frugal Trenches´s last blog ..Winning and Award =-.

    Reply to Frugal Trenches's comment

    • Susy on September 7, 2009 at 8:24 am

      THANKS! I’ll head over there and check it out.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. mike on September 7, 2009 at 9:26 am

    My wife and grandson love dried pears, and we usually dry a whole lot. This year we are going to give canning them a try as well. Those are some nice looking pears!
    .-= mike´s last blog ..Splendor, Pigs, and Berries =-.

    Reply to mike's comment

  5. Laura on September 7, 2009 at 9:41 am

    We have a pear tree. We do some drying, but I also make lots and lots of jam. By adding in other fruits and spices for interest, it’s given us plenty of preserves for us (and friends!) for at least the next year. This year I made:

    Island pear preserves (pears, dried tropical fruits, lime juice, and zest, sugar, and allspice)

    Lemon pear sauce

    Autumn pear jam (see Ball cookbook– pears, cranberries, fall spices)

    Cardamom, pear, and currant jam.

    Next, I’ll probably try a recipe for pear and port compote that is supposed to be good with meat. I know that pear can make nice mincemeat and salsa, too!

    Good luck!

    Reply to Laura's comment

    • Susy on September 7, 2009 at 11:19 am

      Lemon Pear Sauce sounds delicious!!

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Laura on September 8, 2009 at 1:12 pm

        To make pear sauce, I used Ball’s very basic pear jam with pectin recipe, but then added plentiful lemon zest and fresh lemon juice so that it was a little too liquid to properly set. It’s good on pancakes, muffins, and as a dessert glaze.

        to Laura's comment

  6. s on September 7, 2009 at 10:43 am

    I know the halved pears are work but I did a few last year for the first time and they are SO SO good, I’m planning on it again this year (with perhaps an assistant, ha). I may have to try a few dried ones, have never done that. I found the plain sauce a little grainy but the pear butter was also amazingly good.

    LisaAlso I had the same question on a food preservation forum, it sounds like the pears soften up a lot in canning. They said to can when ripe but firm–a fine line between hard to peel and too mushy to peel! I did mine kind of overripe last year and it worked fine but a bit messy.
    .-= s´s last blog ..small excitement =-.

    Reply to s's comment

  7. KitsapFG on September 7, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    Halved pears in syrup and pear butter are two of the favorites around here. I have not been fortunate enough to have a pear haul come my way in the past year or so. My in-laws have a lovely pear tree but we have not been to their place (4 hour drive away) at the time the tree was producing lately so we have missed out. I am traveling to Spokane next weekend and plan to stop at Thorpe and pick up in season fruit at the big fruit barn there – hopefully pears will be among the choices for me.

    Reply to KitsapFG's comment

  8. Amy W. on September 7, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    Yummy!

    Reply to Amy W.'s comment

  9. MAYBELLINE on September 7, 2009 at 3:53 pm

    Canned pears. Yuuuuuuum-Me! I planted a pear tree this winter and I’m now training it in espalier style. The tree is still too young to produce; but I’m looking forward to being able to preserve pears in the future.
    .-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Fall Planting =-.

    Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

  10. Louise on September 7, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    I just came across a pear pie recipe; it sounds delish and I am going to try making it before the pear season is over. I hope it is helpful. By the way, I have followed you on your journey (you blog) and I just enjoy it so much. Your photos are beautiful and inspire me.

    PEAR PIE (serves 6)

    ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    dash of cinnamon
    4 tablespoons flour
    6 cubs peeled, sliced pipe pears
    ½ cup honey
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    pie shell and top pastry

    Happy baking!!

    Reply to Louise's comment

  11. Louise on September 7, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    I forgot the pear pie directions:
    Mix spices with flour and fork mixture gently into pears. Drizzle honey over everything. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Turn into pastry-lined pie pan and top with pastry. Cut vents in top. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 min. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35-45 more min.

    Reply to Louise's comment

    • Susy on September 7, 2009 at 10:27 pm

      MMMMM, thanks. This sounds delicious, Mr Chiots would love it!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  12. Beegirl on September 8, 2009 at 3:23 pm

    Lovely pears..
    .-= Beegirl´s last blog ..You like it – You haul it. =-.

    Reply to Beegirl's comment

  13. Lee on September 8, 2009 at 7:21 pm

    The applesauce recipe I use (Barefoot Contessa) roasts them in the oven. Is so delicious. I wonder if it would work well with pears. You could probably split them in two, let them cook for a while then yank the skins which would be much easier than peeling.
    Do you have an easy way to peel?

    Reply to Lee's comment

    • Susy on September 8, 2009 at 7:27 pm

      I don’t have an easy way to remove pear skins. When I dry them I simply cut in quarters or halves if they’re small pears, scoop out the core with a melon baller and put in oven to dry. The skins soften nicely.

      Last year I made roasted pear chutney that was wonderful. I may may some this year. The roasted pear sauce sounds delicious, I’ll have to try it, thanks for the tip!

      Reply to Susy's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

Admin
Read previous post:
Quote of the Day: Jessica Prentice

“What if I had simply grown up in a time when food was seasonal? When there was, in each year,...

Close