Pears are one of the easiest fruits to put up for winter. Under tested USDA procedures, halved pears go in a boiling-water canner. No pressure canner needed.
The key is following tested times. Here’s how to do it, using the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, available from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and Oregon State University Extension.
Pick the right pears
Bartlett, Bosc and Seckel pears can well, according to OSU Extension. Canning pears should be ripe but firmer than pears for eating fresh. Very soft pears are better for sauce or butter.
Ripen pears at room temperature (60 to 70 degrees) and check them daily. They’re ready when the flesh near the stem gives to gentle pressure and they smell like pears.
How many you need: About 17½ pounds of pears fill a canner load of 7 quarts. About 11 pounds make 9 pints. A 50-pound bushel yields 16 to 25 quarts.
Prep and keep them from browning
Wash and peel the pears, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the cores. Drop the halves into an anti-browning solution as you work. OSU Extension recommends 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid powder, or 3,000 mg of crushed vitamin C tablets, per gallon of water.
Choose your liquid
You can pack pears in very light, light or medium syrup, or in apple juice, white grape juice or water. For a 9-pint load, OSU Extension gives these syrup amounts:
| Syrup | Water | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Very light | 6½ cups | ¾ cup |
| Light | 5¾ cups | 1½ cups |
| Medium | 5¼ cups | 2¼ cups |
Syrup helps pears hold their shape, color and texture, according to OSU Extension. If you’d rather skip the sugar, the USDA guide also allows juice or plain water.
Use a hot pack
The USDA guide says raw packs make poor quality pears. Use a hot pack instead:
- Drain the pears and boil them for 5 minutes in your syrup, juice or water.
- Fill hot jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims and put on the lids.
- Process in a boiling-water canner using the times below.
- Turn off the heat, take off the canner lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.
Processing times (boiling-water canner, hot pack)
| Altitude | Pints | Quarts |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 20 min | 25 min |
| 1,001–3,000 ft | 25 min | 30 min |
| 3,001–6,000 ft | 30 min | 35 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 35 min | 40 min |
Not sure of your altitude? Look it up before you start. Higher elevations need longer processing times.
A warning about Asian pears
Asian pears, also called apple pears, are a different fruit and need extra care. The USDA guide says all home-canned Asian pears must be acidified. Add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint or 2 tablespoons per quart.
Other ways to save them
OSU Extension says freezing fresh pears generally isn’t recommended. Drying works well: peel, slice ¼ to ½ inch thick and dry at 130 to 140 degrees until leathery. Soft pears make good pear sauce.
The bottom line
A bushel of pears and an afternoon at the stove can fill your pantry shelf for months. Use firm-ripe fruit, a hot pack and the tested processing time for your altitude, and you’ll have homegrown dessert ready long after the trees go bare.
Sources
- National Center for Home Food Preservation: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 2 (Fruit)
- Oregon State University Extension: Preserving Pears