Pears aren’t a fruit I normally come by during the canning season, which is why I was so excited when my husband’s aunt let us have access to her pear tree this year. I immediately knew what I wanted to make with her pears: pear-cinnamon jam from Food in Jars blog. I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a long time, and can safely say that it exceeds expectations.
So this year, for our annual Thanksgiving gathering, I thought I’d bring a gift basket with two or three jars of the pear-cinnamon jam, along with some homemade buttermilk rolls and crackers. And because this jam tastes so good with cheese, I thought I’d add a little brie, too. Delicious.
Pear Cinnamon Jam
by Marisa McClellan at Foodinjars.com
Makes 3 pints (fills six half pint jars)
• 8 cups cored and chopped Bartlett pears (or any smooth, thin-skinned pear. There’s no need to peel.)
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine chopped pears and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the fruit can easily be smashed with the back of a wooden spoon. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break the fruit down into a mostly-smooth sauce.
Add cinnamon and lemon juice and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the jam looks thick and passes the plate test.
Fill jars, wipe rims to remove any residual jam, apply lids (heat canning lids in a small pot over very low heat while you’re preparing the jam to ensure a good seal) and screw on the rims.
Process the filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start the timer when the pot has returned to a boil). When the time has elapsed, remove jars from pot and place the jars on a towel-lined countertop. Let them cool undisturbed for at least two hours. During this time, the lids should seal. Check to ensure the jars have sealed by pushing down on the center of the lid. If it feels solid and doesn’t move, it is sealed.
To package my jars, I used sunflower tags and labels in the style Katniss.
Helpful Links
- Circle Hang Tags • I chose the new style, “Katniss” in Sunflower.
- Circle Jar Labels • I chose the new style, “Katniss” in Sunflower.
More homemade gift ideas from Lindsay Jewell…
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Lindsay is a writer/blogger from Oregon who loves crafting, cooking, gardening, and simple living. You can find her writing about all of this and more on her blog A Wooden Nest.
What is the plate test?
Kara, it’s when you plop a spoonful of your jam on a cold plate and let it cool a cpl minutes. Touch the center.
If it has a film over it and seems to be solidifying then it’s done. Check out this link here : http://foodinjars.com/2010/07/canning-101-how-to-ensure-that-your-jam-sets/
Can you use bottled lemon juice and what measurement would that be in tablespoons or cups?
@Kara: Caryn’s right about the plate test. Thanks Caryn!
@Nicole Ryan: You can use bottled lemon juice, and around 1 tablespoon to replace juice from 1/2 a lemon.
I don’t have a canner. Is there another option? Could I use a very large pot? If I made them just before giving, would they need to be canned? Thank you in advance and I’m loving your site!!!
Hi Becky, thanks for the feedback! To answer your question, yes you could make them without the canner if you’re giving them as gifts right away, but you’ll want to play it safe and keep them in the refrigerator (and to tell your gift recipients to refrigerate the jars as well).
As for canning with a large pot, you might be able to get away with it, but it’s generally best to use a canner with a rack to keep the jars off direct heat. It prevents them from breaking in the water bath as easily.
Hope that helps!
Lindsay
Do you know why this recipe doesn’t call for pectin and some other ones do?
Hi Jennifer,
Some people prefer to use pectin because they like a nice, stiff jam. I prefer my jams on the runnier side, however, so I tend to leave it out.
Hope that help!
Lindsay
Hi there, fellow Lindsay!
I was wondering if you could ball park how many pears I’d need for this recipe?
Thanks,
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
I would say 10-12 pears to be on the safe side. It really just depends on the size of your pears though.
Hope you enjoy the jam!
Lindsay