Homemade Pear Jam is a delicious condiment spread for your baked goods, dessert, and charcuterie board! Just three ingredients gives you a great way to celebrate the classic fall and winter fruit.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Homemade jam is so special and so easy to make! It is a great recipe to use when you have an abundance of pears or are looking for an edible gift idea. With homemade jam, you can control how much sugar you use and if you want to flavor it, such as a cinnamon pear jam!
All you needs is three ingredients and you can make jam that lasts all year. We will use natural pectin from the fruit to thicken the jam.
Use it on everything from breakfast and brunch items like toast or English muffins, to a spread for your charcuterie boards. It also makes a great gift for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Full quantities and details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You only need a few ingredients for this easy pear jam recipe:
- Fresh Pears – use pears that are ripe for optimal flavor. Any variety will do (Bartlett pears are classic).
- Granulated Sugar – you could also use brown sugar if you want more sweetness
- Lemon Juice
Equipment
To make the jam, you will need:
- Small Pot
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Potato Masher
- Mason Jar (or container for storing) – I like to use half-pint jars as they are smaller (8 ounce jars)
Instruction Overview
Peel the ripe pears if desired and remove the stems and cores. Cut them up into large chunks.
Put the pears, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot and heat over medium high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer the pears.
Mash the pears as much or little as desired with a potato masher to create a jam consistency. Use a cold metal spoon to test consistency.
Let jam set and cool to room temperature before storing or canning. The jam will continue to set as it cools.
Canning
You can use a water bath canner to preserve the jam in jars for shelf storage.
I recommend searching online for specific proven instructions on how to do this as it is very important to do it properly.
In this process you place jars in a boiling-water canner to seal them properly with minimal air bubbles. This with the proper acidity is important for it to be food safe.
If you need your pear jam to be more acidic per those instructions, you can add an acid like a bit of lemon juice or lime juice.
Make sure the top of the jars are clean where they seal so you get the proper canning seal to preserve the jam.
Modifications and Substitutions
Add some warm spice like cinnamon or nutmeg to the pear preserve for a fun flavor!
Frozen fruit will work just fine, it just might take a little longer to cook since it has more moisture.
Kim’s Tips
The jam will thicken a little more as it cools, so stop cooking when it is a touch thin or put some on the back of a frozen spoon (which will immediately give you the cooled consistency) to know when it is ready.
FAQs
How long does pear jam last?
How do you thicken pear jam?
How can I thicken pear jam without pectin?
Are pears high in pectin?
What is the difference between jam and marmalade?
More Jam Recipes
Homemade Jam Recipes
Some of our homemade jam recipes for desserts, breakfast, and more.
Pear Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound pears
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and cut the pears into large chunks, removing the stems and cores.
- Place the pears, sugar, and lemon juice in a small or medium saucepan.
- Bring the fruit to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the fruit as much or little as desired.
- The jam is done when it is thick and more of a clump when put on a cold spoon or cold plate and tilted. If it runs like honey, it is not thick enough yet and you need to heat it longer. You want the jam to move slowly when tilted.
- Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Or freeze.