Pear Preserves

I decided to make a few jars of Pear Preserves.  This recipe is adapted from the Ball Blue Book.  Making preserves is a 2 step process because you will need to let them set for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. 

Recipe yields approximately 6 half pint jars

Ingredients:

3 cups of sugar

3 cups of water

8 to 10 medium sized pears, peeled and diced

1 lemon thinly sliced and seeded

Wash and peel your pears.  Cut in cubes and save your peels to make pear honey with.

Put 1 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large pot.  Add the water and boil rapidly for 2 minutes. 

Add your pears and boil gently for about 15 minutes.

Add remaining sugar and lemon.  Stir this until the sugar dissolves. 

Cook rapidly until the fruit is tansparent.  Looks like this.

Cover and let sit in a cool place for 12 to 24 hours.

Stage 2:

Get your jars and lids ready.  Put lids in simmering hot water and place jars in canner to boil while you are getting the fruit ready.

Heat your fruit until warm and fill your hot jars. 

Cook your syrup until it starts to thicken. Should take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Ladle hot syrup over your fruit leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.

Wipe rims of jars with wet paper towel.  Place lids and rings on jars and tighten down finger tight.

Place jars in canner and bring to a boil.  Process for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Remove lid and wait 5 more minutes.  Place jars on counter to cool for 24 hours.

Label and Store.