My Favorite Pear Recipes

Pears happen to be one of my favorite fruit throughout the Fall Season! My mother would always purchase and cook with the Bosc pear. It has a thick brown peel, and can be reliable when poaching or sauteeing. As you know, pears come in many varieties but the most common are Bartlett, D’Anjou and the Bosc. I saw my first pear just recently in Portland, on this old tree in a neighbors front year. It took my breath away, and I’m still talking about my first glance at that tree! Pears can be used in many ways, sliced, grilled, sauteed, poached and made into sauces. More information can be found at USAPears.

Here is why Pears are so nutritional!

They provide small amounts of folate which helps in energy productions, vitamin A, and niacin. They provide a good source of minerals, such as copper (immunity, nerve function, and cholesterol), and potassium (muscle and heart support) as well.
These fruits are an excellent source of polyphenols (antioxidants) which protects against oxidative damage.
The flesh is also very beneficial, so eat the entire pear!

Bosc

D’ Anjou

Bartlett

One recipe that I make frequently during the Fall, is my pear pie. This recipe was an old recipe from a friend who happen to bring it to a garden party many years ago. But it’s still my go-to pie for pears.

Best Bosc Pear Pie

This pear dessert is using the poaching method and can be served with ice cream as a dessert! It came from Yiayia Helen, my wonderful mother-in law! She used a specific wine, but you can use fruit juice or water.

YiaYia’s Poached Pears in Sauternes

Let’s add pears to our salads with any cheese of your choice! This is a potato and pear salad that is refreshing to eat and full of new flavors. And yes, those are grapes to add a fall touch.

Fall Idaho Potato-Pear Salad

Pear Jam Preserves from USAPears

If you know me well, I love to make jam preserves! Over the years, I have added every type of fruit, or vegetable to my collection. I found this on USAPears and you may want to try it. This pear jam is simple and versatile – you can use different varieties of pears each time you make it. Some batches might be faintly floral, others more tart, depending on the pear varieties you use. The fine quality and great taste of USA Pears will shine through in every batch of this delightful homemade jam!

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds USA Bartlett, Bosc, Comice, or Anjou pears, ripe and slightly under-ripe (firm)
1 fresh lemon, zested and juiced
4 cups white sugar

DIRECTIONS

If preferred, peel pears. Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and remove cores and stem ends. Chop pears into chunks, bigger for chunky jam, smaller for a smooth batch.
Combine pears, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir well to combine and cover. Let the mixture sit on the counter at least one hour, but preferably 8 hours, or overnight.
After letting the mixture sit, stir well, scraping any sugar that may have collected on the bottom of the bowl. Place pear mixture in a heavy-bottomed non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir the fruit gently while cooking to reduce foaming.
After about 10 minutes the fruit should be soft. Mash the pear chunks with a potato masher if you want smaller pieces, or mash completely for a smooth jam. 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.
Once desired thickness has been achieved, remove the preserving pan from the heat and spoon mixture immediately into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace for canning, or 1 inch if you plan to freeze. Look for any bubbles and use a plastic knife to pop them.
At this point you can either cover jars with tight-fitting lids and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months, or you can process by following the next steps: Wipe rims of jars spotlessly clean and cover with sealing lids. Screw bands on finger-tight. Place jars on rack in boiling water bath canner, ensuring that tops of jars are completely submerged in hot water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Remove jars from canner using jar-lifter tongs and gently set aside to cool on a kitchen towel in a draft-free place. Let rest for 24 hours, then check for a proper seal before storing.

Enjoy Fall and Bring In Pears,