I’ve seen plenty of recipes for pear butter, but most of them look like apple butter to me, heavily spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Pears are more floral than apples. I wanted to see them with ginger, and nutmeg, and maybe some cardamom. So when my pal Hank offered me a a bagful of Bartletts freshly picked from his backyard tree, I was all over it. This pear butter is similar to apple butter in that it is a spicy, sweet, tangy spread, great over buttered toast (there is no “butter” in apple butter or pear butter), but with a distinctly different taste coming from the pears (obviously) and the seasonings of star anise, ginger, lemon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Chinoise or food mill
For canning
6 to 8 half-pint glass canning jars
6 to 8 new canning lids and rings
Flat steaming rack
Large stock pot or canning pot
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the pears are completely soft, anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard remaining solids (seeds, stems, tough parts). Add the cardamom, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the batch. Place a steamer rack in a large stockpot, and place 6 to 8 half-pint canning jars on the rack. Fill the jars and the pot with enough hot water to cover the jars by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Wash the lids in hot, soapy water. If you plan to store the pear butter outside of a refrigerator, follow proper canning procedures. Lower the filled jars into the stock pot with canning tongs. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. The sealed jars will keep for a long time, but are best consumed within 1 year.
