I had a friend over on Sunday afternoon. She was waiting for her husband to finish helping my husband. (They worked really hard.) She had a box full of very ripe pears. So we made jam. She was remembering some pear jam a friend had given her once and that’s what we tried to recreate. We made four small batches, two using her boxes of Ball No-Sugar Pectin and the other two using my Pomona’s Pectin. We did all the sweetening with agave.
Chunky Spiced Pear Jam
Makes 2 pints and 1 half-pint, or 5 half-pints
- 3/4 cup agave
- 3 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder
- 4 cups ripe, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped pears
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons calcium water (included with Pomona’s Pectin package)
Put lids and rings in a pot that fits them. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let stand, covered. Put pints and half pints in a pot that fits them. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let stand, covered.
Fill water-process canner about half-way with water. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat so it is still simmering, covered.
In a glass measuring cup, measure agave. Add pectin powder and mix thoroughly.
Put pears, cinnamon, ginger, lemon juice and calcium water in stainless steel saucepot. Mash lightly with potato masher. Bring to a boil.
Stirring constantly, add the agave-pectin mixture into the pears. Bring to a boil. Still stirring constantly, let boil for 2 minutes.
Ladle hot pear mixture into hot jars. Fill 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe jars clean. Apply lids and rings. Transfer jars to hot water bath canner. Boil for 10 minutes, adding time if you are above 1000 feet in elevation.
Move jars to a clean towel on the counter. Let sit undisturbed for 18 hours.
For more information, refer both to the instructions in the Pomona’s Pectin package and the Ball Blue Book of Preserving.
Oh, yay, thank you Wardeh! I am buying a box of pears this next week from the CSA and was looking for ways to use them!!!! Thank you so much!
do you think this would work as freezer jam? I just never can carve out X time to do the canning AND keep an eye on Andrew to make sure he is out of trouble. but i have made freezer jam before. I have not used that pectin but will give it a try!
Yes, it will. When you get the Pomona’s Pectin, there are instructions in the package for making freezer jam. -Wardeh
Hi: Where does one get agave? and what is it? I would like to try this recipe but don’t know about the agave,nor the Pomona Pectin> Does it really work?
I have a wonderful date pear jam I would love to share. Maybe next time.
Thanks.
Hi, Joan. One would find agave with the natural sweeteners at a health food store or in the health food department of a regular grocery store — or through a natural foods co-op. The co-op is likely where you’d find the best price, as it can be expensive. For information about it, google “agave” or see Wikipedia: Agave. As with any sweetener, it should be used in moderation. It is 90% fructose.
The Pomona’s Pectin really does work. To get it the way you like it in recipes, be prepared to experiment. The only downside is that foods keep only about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. So you must consume it quickly, or it will spoil.
I would love to see your date pear jam. Sounds yummy! Please do share!
Hi Wardeh, thanks for the info on agave and also Pomona Pectin. Will do a little experimenting this Fall.
Hope there is enough room for the Pear Date Jam recipe:
1 lbs. each fresh pears (preferably Barletts) and dates (I use mejoolah), 3 TBS Madera (or Orange Juice is good too), juice of 1/2 lemon, 4 cups sugar, 1 pkg. powdered pectin
Pit dates, chop into chunky pcs. and put in processor (or blender if no processor). Peel, core and cut pears to join dates in processor. Finely puree with Madera and lemon juice.
In saucepan combine fruit and pectin and bring to boil. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 min. Remove from heat and skim with metal spoon. Rest 5 min. and skim again. Pour immediately into hot sterilized jars and seal tightly. Water bath jars in usual way for 7 but no more than 10 mins. Remove and cover (not touching one another) with tea towels for 24 hrs. Should set beautifully. I generally use 1/2 pint decorative jars for this recipe for gifts as jam is so sweet ‘a little dab’ll do ya’.
Hope this helps. Feel free to correct me if I left any step out in the processing part, or contact me if you have any questions.
Hope you all enjoy the results. I’ve had nothing but kadoos and hoohas with this recipe out of the many, many jams I make every year. I will look forward to your column again.
Joan
Joan, thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I hope I get the chance to make it really soon. I should be getting more pears from the Farmer’s Market tomorrow.
Hi Wardeh,
I was wondering…would honey work as well in place of agave syrup? The syrup isn’t available to us here, but there is a great honey farm down the road.
Hi, Rachelle! Honey would work very well! This jam is so good!