Pear Honey

INGREDIENTS

• 6 pounds fresh ripe USA Bartlett pears, about 12 large
• 1 fresh ripe pineapple
• 2 fresh lemons, juiced (or ¼ cup bottled lemon juice)
• 8 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS

Note: Prepare canning jars and keep hot until ready to use; prepare lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If macerating the fruit and sugar mixture overnight, you will want to wait until the next day to prepare the jars.)

1. Peel, core, and cut pineapple into chunks, trying to retain as much juice as possible. Place chunks and any juice into a large bowl. (I cut chunks on a cutting board with an outer groove that collects the juice.)
2. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze their juice over pineapple in bowl. (Or add bottled lemon juice.)
3. Peel, core, and cut pears into chunks and add them to the pineapple and lemon juice. You should have approximately 12 cups of fruit.
4. Add sugar to the fruit mixture, stir well to combine and cover. Let it sit on the counter at least one hour, but preferably 8 hours, or even overnight. The longer it sits, the more juices will be pulled from the fruit, forming a wonderful syrup in the bowl.
5. After letting the mixture sit the desired time, stir mixture together well, scraping any sugar that might have collected on the bottom of the bowl.
6. Place mixture in a heavy-bottomed non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir the fruit gently while cooking to reduce foaming.
7. After about 20 minutes, the fruit should be softening, and you can use an immersion blender or potato masher to periodically mash the chunks and create a smooth texture.
8. Boil for 5-15 more minutes, stirring, until the jam either thickens to your liking or until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. You can also use the sheeting test.
9. Ladle jam into clean hot jars to within ¼” of the top, wipe rims spotlessly clean and place a lid on top of jar. Next, screw a band onto the jar until finger tight.
10. Process for 10 minutes* in a boiling water bath.
11. Turn kettle off and let jars rest in kettle for 5 more minutes.
12. Remove jars from kettle using jar-lifter tongs, and gently set aside to cool on the counter, on a kitchen towel, in a draft-free place.
13. Let rest for 24 hours, then check jars for a proper seal before storing.
14. If jar lid seals, it will keep for one year in a cool, dark place. If jar doesn’t seal, place in your refrigerator and eat within 3 months, and within one month after opening.

Important: Check lids for a proper seal by pressing down on the middle of the lid with a finger or thumb. If the lid stays down, it is sealed and will easily keep for up to one year in a cool dark place. If the lid springs up when you release your finger, the lid is not properly sealed.

*0-1000 ft: process 10 minutes
1,001-6,000 ft: process 15 minutes
Above 6,000 ft: process 20 minutes