Pear Jam Recipe: How to Make, Serve, and Can Pear Jam

Pear jam is a fruit spread made from chopped pears cooked with sugar and an acid, such as lemon juice. Pears are naturally high in pectin, a soluble plant fiber that thickens the mixture during cooking. You can make this jam with most pear varieties, including Anjou, Bosc, or Bartlett pears.

Before making the jam, taste the fruit and adjust the amount of sugar to your preference. There’s no need to peel the fruit, as the delicate skin will dissolve in the mixture as it cooks or lend a subtle texture to the jam.

Pear jam might be too subtle to pair with peanut butter, but there are other ways to use this delicious spread:

1. 1. On baked goods: Pear jam is a natural condiment for baked goods like scones, biscuits, and turnovers.
2. 2. With butter: Serve homemade jam on a slice of toast or English muffin with cultured or unsalted butter. Garnish the bread with flaky sea salt.
3. 3. With cheese: Serve pear jam with a cheese board, where its smooth consistency and warm sweetness highlights everything from wedges of Brie to goat cheese and aged gouda.

Store pear jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a month. To store pear jam for longer periods, seal the jars using a safe canning process and keep them in a cool, dry spot until you’re ready to use the flavorful spread.

If you plan to store your pear jam for longer than one month, use a boiling water canner to prepare your jars for up to one year of storage.

1. 1. Sterilize the jars: Wash the canning jars in hot, soapy water, and rinse. Place the clean jars in a water bath canner or other deep, large pot. Cover the jars with hot tap water and simmer them over medium heat for ten minutes. Keep the jars in hot, simmering water until it’s time to fill them. Place the lids in a bowl and pour hot water from a sterilizing pot over the top. Once you’re ready, remove one sterilized jar from the water and place it on a clean kitchen towel.
2. 2. Pour the jam: Pour the jam into the jar using a ladle and funnel, and leave a quarter-inch of headspace at the top.
3. 3. Remove the air bubbles and seal: Release any trapped air bubbles by poking the jam with a clean chopstick or wooden skewer. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth and screw on the lids.
4. 4. Add the jars to the water bath: As you fill and close each jar, use a jar lifter to place it gently in the canner. Be sure that the jars do not touch each other; you may need to remove some water as you add them to the pot. Cover the jars with one inch of water, then cover the canner and bring the water to a full rolling boil.
5. 5. Boil the jars: Boil the jars for ten minutes. (Processing time may vary depending on altitude.) Remove the jars from the boiling water, place them on a towel-lined counter, and let them cool to room temperature. You should hear the jars ping upon removal from the pot. The sound is from the seals being formed—the center of the lids will become concave as the vacuum seal takes hold, creating an airtight seal.
6. 6. Test the seal: After cooling the jars, test the seals by pressing the center of the lids. If the lid pops up and down, the jar is not properly sealed. Store unsealed jars in the refrigerator for up to one month. Store sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.