When I was a kid I hated pears. The texture, the taste, even the look of a pear was something I absolutely hated. Not until I was an adult did I finally discover the joy of pears and all the possibilities.
The turning point for me came one warm summer afternoon when Hubby and I were enjoying a barbecue at a friend’s house. After the grill was through spouting smoke, our hostess brought out dessert. The moment we saw it, Hubby exclaimed, “Oh good, apple pie my favorite!” You see, Hubby loves pie and especially apple pie.
With a coy smile however, our hostess replied, “Not quite.”
We were intrigued. It sure looked like apple pie. The beautiful brown sugar topping with the perfect slices of apple peeking through — what else could it be.
Well, when I took my first bite, I immediately knew what it was — pear. Very smooth and mild with just a hint of spice. A nice change from the traditional apple pie.
Although I love pear pie on its own, I really like it with a little zip in it and that’s where cranberries come in and thus this wonderful new pie filling for the pantry shelves.
Pear-Cranberry Pie Filling
- 11 lbs. Pears (mixed varieties)
- 3-12 oz. Bags Cranberries
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 2 Cups Clear Jel
- 3 Cups Water
- 6 Cups Apple or Pear Juice
- 12 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Nutmeg
Wash, peel, and core pears. Slice pears 1/4 – 1/2 inch wide and soak in water containing lemon juice to prevent browning.
Boil water and blanch pears and cranberries for 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep warm fruit in a covered bowl.
Combine Clear Jel in water and mix until smooth. Add the Clear Jel slurry, sugar, spice, and apple or pear juice in a large stock pot. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Fold in drained pears and cranberries and fill hot jars with mixture, leaving a 1-inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims, adjust lids, and process immediately for 25 minutes at a full boil.
This recipe made 7 quarts of filling plus a pie to enjoy right away.
As with my apple pie filling, I use a variety of pears with varying textures and sweetness to really make this filling pop. This pie filling is absolutely wonderful on its own, but to switch it up I might add a jar of apple pie filling on occasion. This gives me even more dessert possibilities, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
Simply Grateful Housewife 