Best 9 Cathies Pear Jam Recipes

SURE.JELL PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Peel and core pears. Finely grind or chop fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.
• Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar; stir. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

APPLE OR PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cover fruit and any add-ins (see note) with 4 cups/960 milliliters of water. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until water is reduced by about 3/4, and fruit is soft and tender (or even falling apart slightly), 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as the jam cooks and juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has really started to break down, another 30 to 40 minutes.
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing any chance of the fruit burning.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and incorporate any of the add-ins and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. At this stage, the jam should look like a coarse, shiny applesauce. But if you'd really like to be sure, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it doesn't, cook it a few minutes more.
• Using a spoon or other utensil, pick out any spices or vanilla beans. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space from the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE AND CASSIS

Steps:

• Combine wine, honey, and crème de cassis in a medium saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into wine and add pods.Add cinnamon stick and raisins and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a bowl with water and add lemon juice. Peel, quarter and core pears and drop into the acidulated water. (This prevents the pears from discoloring.)
• Drain pears and add to simmering wine. Bring back to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes more, until pears areslightly translucent. Turn off heat and remove cinnamon stick. Add almonds. Serve warm or chilled.

SPICED PEAR JAM

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until thick, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir more frequently as the mixture thickens. , Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Carefully ladle into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• 1. Peel, core and dice pears. (Be sure to chop the pears relatively small, as they'll remain close to that size in the finished jam.) 2. Toss the pears in lemon juice and sugar, cover and refrigerate for overnight (12 to 24 hours). This step is important, and at an absolute minimum, they need 4 hours, preferably more. 3. Prepare a water bath canner (if canning, skip for a freezer jam). 4. Place pear mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil on high. The mixture will foam, so be sure your pan is big enough to handle foaming to avoid overflows. 5. Stir the mixture occasionally, watching for overflows, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. If pear pieces are too large, crush slightly with a potato masher (optional). 6. Cook until the pear jam reaches gel stage, using an instant-read thermometer or testing a small amount on a plate placed in the freezer. (Gel stage is 220 degrees F at sea level and a bit below that at higher elevations. The finished temperature drops by 1 degree for every 500 feet above sea level. I'm at 1000 feet, so my jams finish at 218 F.) 7. Once the jam reaches gel stage, immediately remove it from the heat and pack it into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, sealing with 2 part canning lids. 8. Store the pear jam in the refrigerator for immediate use, or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes. Turn off the canner and allow the jars to sit an additional 5 minutes before removing them to a towel on the counter. Check for seals after a few hours, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator. Canned pear jam should last 18 months or more at room temperature if properly sealed (refrigerate after opening) Refrigerated jam should last at least 2-3 weeks.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Mix pears, fruit pectin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and lemon juice in a large heavy pot; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar all at once, stirring, and bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Mix in butter to settle foam.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the pear jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Place 5-1/2 to 6 cups chopped pears and the lemon juice in a heavy pot.
• Mash pears with a potato masher to desired chunkiness. If you like it fine you can coarsely grind it. But a food processor will make it too pureed for this recipe.
• Stir-in the powdered pectin, spices and ginger.
• Bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute.
• Add the sugar.
• Bring back to a boil and boil hard for 4-minutes stirring frequently.
• Ladle into sterile jars, seal and process for 10 minutes.
• Yield 7 half pints.

CATHIE'S PEAR JAM

Steps:

• 1. peal, core & chop pears. Place in food processor for a couple of pulses - you want it chunky.
• 2. place in large pot and add lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut and sure-jell; bring to a full rolling boil over med high heat. Add sugar. Bring to full rolling boil for minute. remove from heat and add amaretto. Skim and fill jars.

PEAR PRESERVES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans. Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg; set aside. Toss pecans in 1/2 cup flour; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks one at a time. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in the pecan mixture and the pear preserves.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Make Frosting: In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups sugar and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. Place remaining 1 1/2 cup sugar in a cast iron skillet, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and becomes a golden syrup. Remove from heat and carefully stir in butter. Gradually pour syrup mixture into milk mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches soft ball stage (240 degrees F/ 115 degrees C). Remove from heat and beat at medium speed of electric mixture for about 5 minutes or until thick enough to spread. Spread immediately on cooled cake.