Ball® Salted Caramel Pear Butter
This post is sponsored by the makers of Ball® home canning products.*
I love when the pears ripen in the fall, don’t you? Their subtle sweetness and velvety texture inspire me to bring out the cinnamon and brown sugar and start baking. In an attempt to save the small amount of pears that we could gather this year, I thought they would make a wonderful fruit butter. Fruit butter is simply cooked down fruit with sugar into a thick, sticky spread that resembles the consistency of butter. Traditionally, it is made without pectin and simmered over low heat on the stove for several hours. This recipe for Ball® Salted Caramel Pear Butter is perfect for a beginner because it is made in a slow cooker! You can simply let it cook in the crockpot and walk away until it’s ready for canning. How nice is that?
ingredients & recipe:
MAKES ABOUT 4 HALF-PINT JARS (8 OZ):
• 4 lbs. Pears, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup apple cider
• 2 Tbsp. bottled lemon juice
• 2-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp. Sea salt or kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
Place chopped pears, apple cider and lemon juice in a 4-6 qt. Crock-Pot®. Set the heat on high and simmer, covered, until pears have softened; about 40 minutes. Turn heat off.
Process pear mixture using an immersion blender, or in batches in the bowl of a food processor, until puree is smooth.
Combine pear mixture with brown sugar and salt in the Crock-Pot®; turn heat to high and place lid on a diagonal over Crock-Pot® allowing steam to escape at both ends. Simmer on high, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until puree thickens, darkens in color, and holds it’s shape on a spoon; about 3-4 hours.
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
Ladle hot pear butter into a hot jar leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 12 hours. Lid should not flex when center is pressed.
This pear butter tastes like a salted caramel dessert, and we could barely keep our hands off of it! I had to hide these jars from everyone in the house, or they would have gobbled it all up. This fruit butter will be a lovely treat to enjoy in January or February, when we are reminiscent of autumn days gone by. I hope that you give this recipe a try!
CLICK HERE TO SHOP BALL® HALF-PINT JARS.
xoxo Kayla
This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.
