CARAMEL PEAR BUTTER RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine apple juice and 4 tablespoons lemon juice in heavy large deep pot.
• Peel, core, and cut pears, 1 at a time, into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces; mix pears into juice mixture in pot as soon as pears are cut, to prevent browning.
• Cook over medium heat until pears release enough juice for mixture to boil, stirring frequently, about 16 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are very tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes (mixture will splatter).
• Remove pot from heat.
• Press pear mixture through fine plate of food mill into large bowl.
• Return pear puree to same pot.
• Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt.
• Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until pear butter thickens and is reduced to 8 cups, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent scorching, about 1 hour.
• Ladle pear butter into 8 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars.
• Remove air bubbles.
• Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth.
• Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands.
• Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.

Steps:

• Wash the pears but do not peel or core them; slice pears into a heavy saucepan (at least 5-quart size).
• Add water, cover, and cook until tender (about 30 minutes).
• Remove from heat and press the pears through a colander or a food mill.
• Measure the pear pulp (you should have about 8 cups) and return to the pan.
• Using a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, stirring until it melts and caramelizes to a medium brown color.
• Pour immediately into the pear pulp (the syrup will sizzle and harden, but dissolve again as the preserves cook).
• Add the remaining sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Cook uncovered, until thick (about 45 minutes).
• Stir frequently as it begins to thicken to prevent it from sticking.
• Stir in lemon juice just before removing it from heat.
• Pour hot mixture into steralized 1/2 pint jars, put on lid, and crew band tightly.
• Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.