How To Make Pear Jam

Homemade Jam Recipes

Ingredients: Pear Jam Recipe

3 lb / 1,300 grams of firm pears
1 1/2 lb / 750 grams of white sugar
4 fl oz / 125 ml of tap water
2 lemons

Method - What To Do

Peel the pears and cut into small chunks, placing the central core and its pips into a saucepan. Scrub the lemons and squeeze their juice over the pear cores. Finely slice one of the remaining lemon skins and add that to the pot, together with the water, and boil strongly for ten minutes. After this time, strain the mixture into a bowl, saving the flavoured water.

Pour the lemon and pear liquid back into the saucepan and add the chopped pear. Simmer this for around 20 minutes, or as long as it takes for the pear to start becoming soft. When the fruit has been properly tenderised, briefly remove the saucepan from the stove and mix in the white sugar (ideally this should be granulated sugar). Keep mixing until there is no sugar left, meaning that it has dissolved and been fully incorporated into the mixture.

Place the jam back onto the stove and bring to a strong boil, leaving to boil for around ten minutes. Be sure to stir the pear mixture during this time, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the jam catching and potentially burning. The mixture should have now reached a decent setting point and this should be tested accordingly.

This is most easily done by spooning some onto a chilled dish or saucer - one that has come from a fridge or perhaps a freezer. Leave the scoop of jam for a minute and then pass your finger through it. If it has started to become a jelly and wrinkles, due to the early stages of a skin forming, then you will know that your jam has arrived and will achieve a good setting. If this is not happening, simmer for a few more minutes and test once more, and again if necessary, until you are happy that it is going to set properly.

Take the pear jam off the stove for the last time and leave to cool for a few minutes. If there is any scum in the pan, skim this off with a big spoon or mix in a tiny amount of butter, to encourage this to disperse itself. Finally, transfer the jam into your prepared jars (sterilised in boiling water or by a similar recommended sterilisation method). Place circles of wax paper (with the wax side facing down onto the surface of the pear jam) and quickly screw on the lid, to provide a double seal against potential bacteria from the outside world.

Pear Jam Recipe - More Jam Recipes.