Pear Butter

Remember all those pears I got? I promise this is the last time you'll see them.  This is the first thing I thought to make with my pears. When I was growing up we always loved eating my grandmas apple and peach butter when I was growing up. I was just going to use her apple butter recipe, using pears instead of apples of course. Then, I came across this recipe for pear butter in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. I thought I would give it a try.  It's very different from apple butter, but it is very delicious. It's very sweet, but I thinks that's because my pears were overly ripe and extra sweet.  I'd make this stuff again.

Pear Butter

• 6 - 7 lbs pears (about 20 medium)
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel.
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup orange juice.

To prepare the pulp: wash pears. Core, peel and slice pears. Combine pears and 1/2 cup water in a large sauce pot. Simmer until pears are soft. Puree using a food processor or food mill being careful not to liquefy  Measure out 2 quarts pear pulp.

To make the butter: Combine the 2 quarts pear pulp and sugar in a large sauce pot, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Process 10 minutes* in a boiling water canner.

*10 minutes for below 1,000ft

  1,000-3,000 ft add 5 minutes

  3,000-6,000 ft add 10 minutes

  6,000-8,000 ft add 15 minutes

  8,000-10,00 ft add 20 minutes