Ginger Pear Butter Preserve

Jars of canned Ginger Pear Butter

Ingredients
4 cups of pear pulp
1 1/4 cup Pear or apple juice
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
zest of one medium size lemon
1.5 tsp ginger*

Chopped pears in steamer

Pulp Directions
To make the pulp place chopped  pears into a pasta pot or blancher to steam.  Steam until very soft.  If you use a pasta pot to steam the pears; the water in the bottom of the steamer will have enough flavour to use as the juice in this recipe. (If it lacks flavour substitute apple juice for the liquid).

Once the pears are soft place them into a food sieve and sieve until you have removed all pulp.

Making pear pulp with a food sieve

Pear Butter Directions
In a heavy Dutch oven on low -medium heat mix all ingredients.   You need to stir often to make sure the mixture does not burn.   Once mixture comes to a simmer you will stir continuously until the mixture pulls away from the bottom of the pot.

Demonstrating pear butter that pulls away from the bottom of a pot

  This is a slow process.  This batch took approximately  two hours to get to the proper consistency.  Test the mixture, if it stays on the spoon similar to the picture below you have achieved the correct consistency.

Spoon test for pear butter consistency

Pour into clean jars (leaving 1/2 inch space from the top )that have been in boiling water to sterilize.  Place jars into a boiling canner making sure jars are completely submerged.  Process (boil) 15 minutes.

*you can substitute vanilla beans in place of the ginger which is equally delicious.