How to Store Pears Using 3 Simple Methods

A pear is an edible fruit grown from a tree of the same name belonging to the rose family. The fruit is known for its bell shape (wide on the bottom and tapered up top), thin exterior skin, and soft, juicy flesh. Pears are mostly water, so their biggest nutritional offering is dietary fiber. Pears are a popular fruit tree for the home garden because they’re low-maintenance, have beautiful blossoms, and are easily trained to grow in a small space. Mature trees often produce large yields, so before you plant a pear tree in your garden, it's important to know how to harvest pears and prep them for long-term storage.

There are two main types of pears that are grown for consumption: European and Asian pears. The ripening process will vary greatly depending on the variety of pear you have.

1. 1. European pears: European pears include some of the most common pear varieties in North America. They have delicate skin and soft interior flesh. They can be further broken down into two categories based on their harvest time: summer and winter. Though most pear varieties need to be kept in cold storage before ripening, there is one exception: Bartlett pears. Bartletts are the only summer pear variety known to have a decent storage life. Winter pears—including Bosc, Anjou, and Comice—must be harvested once they reach a mature size but are still unripe. The unripe pears are held in cold storage for four to eight weeks to slow down the ripening process and allow the fruit to develop gradually.
2. 2. Asian pears: Asian pears bear a close resemblance to apples both in appearance and texture. They mature and ripen on the branch and can be eaten directly from the tree. They do not require cold storage, but cold storage methods can help extend their shelf life by about three months.

Fully ripe pears will stay fresh in the refrigerator for three to five days. To ripen pears, remove them from cold storage and keep them at room temperature on the counter or in a fruit bowl. They should ripen within three to ten days. To speed up the ripening process, store pears in a brown paper bag along with other fruits that produce ethylene gas (the gas responsible for ripening fruits), such as avocados, bananas, or ripe apples. Check if the pears are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your thumb to the neck of the pear. Once the stem end of the fruit gives slightly, the pear is ripe and ready to be eaten.

Proper pear storage is vital for extending the fruit’s shelf life. Once harvested, fresh pears can be kept in the refrigerator or another cold storage area like a cellar to continue ripening. Simply place the whole pears in a perforated plastic bag or a paper bag and place them in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. Winter pears and Bartlett pears will last up to two months in cold storage, while unripe summer pears may last up to a week in the fridge. Avoid keeping mushy, bruised, or blemished fruits in cold storage as they will quickly rot.

Freezing pears at peak ripeness allows you to continue enjoying them even in the off-season. Pears can be frozen using two different methods, one of which involves freezing your pears in sugar syrup. The syrup slightly sweetens the pears for a delicious treat all year round.

1. 1. Prep your pears. Begin by first rinsing the fresh pears in cold water. Continue prepping your pears for freezing by peeling, coring, halving, and slicing them into quarters. To prevent discoloration, soak them for three minutes in a solution consisting of one quart of water and one of the following: three quarters of a teaspoon of ascorbic acid, three tablespoons of lemon juice, or one quarter of a tablespoon of citric acid. Finally, drain your sliced pear pieces.
2. 2. Make the sugar syrup. Depending on how sweet you want your pears, you can make a light syrup, medium syrup, or heavy syrup. For a light syrup, mix one and two thirds of a cup of sugar with four cups of water. For a medium syrup, mix two and two thirds cups of sugar with four cups of water. For a heavy syrup, mix four cups of sugar with four cups of water. Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Chill the syrup.
3. 3. Place the pears into freezer-safe containers. Cover every two cups of fruit with two thirds of a cup of cooled syrup. Leave a half-inch of headspace for pint containers and one inch of headspace for quart-sized containers. Place the containers of pears and syrup in your freezer and use them within eight to ten months.

Also known as flash-freezing, dry packing is a quicker way to freeze pears.

1. 1. Rinse your pears. Begin by rinsing the fresh pears in cool water.
2. 2. Prep your pears. Prep your pears by peeling, halving, coring, and slicing them into quarters.
3. 3. Prep a baking sheet. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
4. 4. Freeze the pears. Place the sliced pears on the sheet pan, and place the pan in the freezer. Freeze the pears overnight, then transfer the frozen pears to freezer-safe bags. Use your frozen pears within eight to ten months.

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