Pear Butter

We are a family of peanut butter & jelly lovers and go through jars of the stuff like nobody's business! While club stores like Costco carry peanut butter that we enjoy for a great price, jelly was another story. Don't get me wrong, Costco does carry huge jars of jelly but we go through so much of it that I started worrying about our sugar intake. I decided to start using in season fruits to make our own jams, jellies and our fave, fruit butters! Since the fruit is in season, I can get it for cheaper and the fruit is much sweeter so I don't need as much sugar to prepare it. What's so awesome about this Pear Butter is that the sugar is adjustable to your taste and it cooks in the slow cooker, no babysitting needed.

Slice the pears

 

Blend the pears and add the sugar and spices.

 

Cook in slow cooker with lid resting on butter knives. This allows the steam to escape.

 

When the pear butter mixture has reduced by about half, you can transfer to jars to can or freeze. If canning, fill jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace and process in a water bath for 20 minutes. The canned pear butter keeps for 12-18 months...but it never lasts that long at our house.

 

 

Ingredients

• 6 lbs of pears (16-20 pears)*
• 1 cup of liquid (juice or water)**
• 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (you can use white as well)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Wash, core and slice the pears. You can peel the pears for a smoother butter but I like to keep on, there is tons of flavor in the peel. Blend pears in batches, using the juice to help get the puree started. Pour all the pear puree in the pot of your slow cooker.

Add the sugar and spices, mix thoroughly.

Set slow cooker to high for 4 hours, stirring 2-3 times. Make sure the lid is elevated so that the steam can escape. Sitting the lid on two butter knives works perfectly (see picture above).

Now set on the low setting for 8-10 hours, you can stir if you like, but is not necessary. The mixture will reduce by about half. We like it on the thicker side so I usually leave it in the slow cooker overnight. Store in jars in the freezer or can them to be used later.

 

Yield: 3-4 pints

 

*This recipe works great for apple butter, but you will need to cook the apples first. I use my pressure cooker to do this because it only takes 2 minutes, it can be done on the stovetop as well, just cook them with the liquid for longer.

 

**The liquid is a place to have a little fun with flavors. I have used both apple and pineapple juice with great results. Try water and lemon for an added bite, or guava nectar for a tropical treat.