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Best Easy Canned Spiced Pear Preserves Recipe

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These easy canned spiced pear preserves are made with ripe pears, warm spices like cinnamon and star anise, and a touch of vanilla. Perfect for gifting or enjoying on toast, they come together in under an hour with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds ripe but firm pears (Bartlett or Bosc work best)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract added at the end)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks (preferably Ceylon cinnamon)
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. Prepare your pears (20 minutes). Peel the pears using a vegetable peeler. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the core with a melon baller or small spoon. Cut the pears into 1/2-inch chunks—some variation in size is fine, just try to keep them relatively uniform so they cook evenly. You should have about 8 cups of chopped pears.
  2. Combine ingredients (5 minutes). In your large pot, add the chopped pears, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Toss everything together gently with a wooden spoon until the pears are coated. Add the vanilla bean (if using), cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and nutmeg. Give it one more gentle stir. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes while the sugar starts drawing out the pear juice—this helps everything cook more evenly.
  3. Bring to a simmer (10 minutes). Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Don’t crank the heat to high—you want the sugar to dissolve slowly and the pears to soften gradually. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom to make sure nothing’s sticking.
  4. Simmer until thickened (25-30 minutes). Once the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it cook uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes or so. You’re looking for the liquid to reduce by about half and become syrupy. The pears should be tender but still hold their shape. If using a thermometer, it should reach 220°F (104°C). The preserves should coat the back of a spoon and not run off immediately.
  5. Test for doneness (2 minutes). Put a small plate in the freezer before you start cooking. When you think the preserves are done, drop a spoonful onto the cold plate and let it sit for 30 seconds. Tilt the plate—if the preserves move slowly like thick syrup, they’re done. If they run quickly, cook for another 5 minutes and test again.
  6. Remove spices and vanilla bean (2 minutes). Using tongs, fish out the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and vanilla bean. If you used a vanilla bean, rinse it off and let it dry; you can reuse it in sugar or another batch of preserves.
  7. Add vanilla extract (if using) (1 minute). If you used vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, stir it in now.
  8. Fill the jars (10 minutes). If you’re making fridge preserves, ladle the hot preserves into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp towel, and screw on the lids. Let them cool to room temperature on the counter, then refrigerate. If you’re canning for shelf stability, process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).

Notes

Don’t overcook the pears—they should remain tender but hold their shape. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer to avoid burning. Skim foam that forms on the surface for clearer preserves. Let the preserves sit for a week in the fridge for best flavor. For a lower-sugar version, use 2 cups sugar and 1 packet low-sugar pectin. For bourbon-pear preserves, stir in 3 tablespoons bourbon after removing from heat.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiced pear preserves, easy canned pears, homemade preserves, pear jam, fall preserves, gift preserves, vanilla pear preserves

Find it online: https://forkmila.com/best-easy-canned-spiced-pear-preserves-recipe/