Pear Season- Pear Butter

Pears are another fruit that is in season this time of year.  I have noticed that there aren't really alot of things that you can do with pears as far as preserving them goes.  Last year I found a really good deal on pears and bought several pounds.  My grandmother used to make this Pear Butter with the pears in her yard.  It was always sooo good and sort of reminded me of honey.

Pear Butter
 8 cups peeled, cored and chopped pears
 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
4 cups white sugar

Directions

   1. Place chopped pears into a large pot.( I use a food processor to make them smoother)  Pour pineapple juice over them to prevent the pears from browning. Stir in sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Stir frequently to prevent scorching. When the pears are at a full boil, reduce heat to medium low for about an hour then back to medium until it is the thickness you want , and  the mixture is the color and texture of honey. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets. Cooking time varies so just keep an eye on it until it looks "wonderful" to you!  Generally it takes about 2-3 hours.

   2. Ladle into hot sterile jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal jars with lids and rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, or the amount of time recommended by your local extension for your area.

It is important to stir frequently as the mixture WILL scorch if you are not careful.  You can also cook this in the crock pot.  Just cook on high for 2-3 hours on high and then on low for an additional 2-3 hours.

I made several different batches and varied the recipe a couple of times.
Try a bit of cinnamon and a few cloves if you like.  I also tried it using 3 cups of sugar and one cup of brown sugar. It makes the butter darker but is really good too.

 It also makes great Christmas gifts!  And NO its not to early to start thinking about Christmas!

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