This pear butter recipe is an old recipe from a dear friend who added orange and nutmeg for a delicious flavor. It tastes so good!
Ingredients
- medium pears, quartered and cored: 4 pound
- water: 0.5 cup (or as needed)
- sugar: 2 cups
- orange zest: 1 tsp (grated)
- ground nutmeg: 0.25 tsp
- orange juice: 0.25 cup
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Place pears into a large pot over medium heat; add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot and keep them from sticking, about 1/2 cup. Cook until the pears are soft, about 30 minutes. Press pears through a sieve or food mill, and measure out 2 quarts of the pulp.
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Pour pear pulp and sugar into a large saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in orange zest, nutmeg, and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture is thick enough to mound in a spoon. When mixture begins to thicken, stir frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom. This process will take about 1 hour.
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Ladle pear butter into hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles by sliding a metal spatula around where the pear butter touches the glass. Wipe jar rims clean, and seal with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. The water should cover the jars by 1 inch. Check with your local extension for exact processing times for your area.