Pear Jam
Capture the taste of Autumn with my Easy Pear Jam Recipe without pectin. With just three simple ingredients – pears, sugar, and lemon juice – you can make golden, fragrant pear jam in only 30 minutes. Perfect on scones, toast, or even over ice cream.
Sink your spoon into softly set jam bursting with chunks of pear and full of the intense flavour of Autumn.
Got a pear glut ? My Pear Preserve Recipe is the perfect solution. Pears are notorious for their short shelf life and don’t store as well as apples. And if you leave pears too long on the tree, they’ll rot from the inside. And that’s without wasps enjoying a good old feast.
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I’ve used slightly underripe pears, as they naturally contain more pectin. Williams (also known as Bartlett) are my favourite because they hold their shape and don’t turn into pear butter. This means you don’t need to macerate them overnight in sugar, which can sometimes make the fruit chewy.
Every summer I look forward to jam making season, waiting for fruit to ripen so I can harvest on a dry sunny day. For many years jam making has been a large part of life here at the Kitchen Shed. My Pear jam, along with raspberry and strawberry jams, were bestsellers at local markets in Brittany and all remain firm favourites with family and friends. I hope you enjoy my Easy Pear Jam without pectin as much as we do.
Equipment you’ll need
- Preserving pan – wide and sturdy so liquid evaporates easily and your jam sets properly. If you make a lot of jams and chutneys, it’s worth investing in a solid pan. I use an 8.5 litre Penguin Home Professional pan.
- Two chilled saucers – for the wrinkle test.
- A jam funnel – saves a lot of mess and waste. (I definitely wouldn’t be without mine)
- Sterilised jam jars – 2 or 3 350g jars with lids.
- Jam thermometer – the quickest way to check the setting point of jam of around 104C / 220F.
How to Sterilise Jam Jars
- Sterilise jars shortly before use to minimise the risk of bacteria spoiling your pear jam. Make sure your jars are completely dry before filling.
- I like to sterilise jam jars in the microwave. Wash jars as normal and rinse but whilst they are wet, pop them in the microwave for two minutes on full power.
- Remember the jars will be very hot, so remove with care.
- Alternatively, wash jars in the dishwasher on a hot cycle.
What Ingredients do I Need ?
- Pears – I’ve used Williams (also known as Bartlett). For the best results, use slightly underripe pears. This recipe is without pectin. Using slightly under ripe pears helps as they contain more natural pectin than fully ripe fruit.
- Lemon – besides aiding the jam’s set, lemon brings out the full intense pear flavour and balances out the sweetness. You won’t taste the lemon itself.
- Sugar – I used granulated sugar.
What pears are best for making jam ?
- You need pears with great flavour which will keep their shape during cooking.
- Williams (also known as Bartlett) are tender and juicy and excellent for cooking. Comice, Conference and Anjou are also great choices for pear jam.
How to make Easy Pear Jam Recipe (no pectin)
- Peel, core and cut the pears into decent size chunks – place pears and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Add pears, lemon juice, and a little water to your preserving pan.
- Cover with lid and simmer until tender.
- Add the sugar and stir.
- Check the sugar has completely dissolved – the syrup should be free of any sugar granules.
- Bring to a gentle rolling boil and cook until setting point is reached. The jam surface should be covered with tiny bubbles.
- Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up too high as your jam may catch and burn on the bottom. Setting point is reached when the jam thermometer shows 104℃ or 220F. I also like use the wrinkle test to check for a good set.
- Remove your pan from the heat and drop a little jam onto a cold saucer. Return the saucer to the fridge for about a minute to cool the jam. Now gently push through the jam with your fingertip. If the jam crinkles (or at least holds the gap your finger makes) setting point has been reached.
- Leave your jam to settle for about 10 minutes before potting. This delay will help to more evenly distribute the pear chunks throughout your jam.
- Ladle into warm sterilised jars and seal tightly with a lid.
Canning and Preserving Notes
In the UK, we don’t generally use the water bath method for jams and jellies.
Jars and lids are sterilised before filling and once sealed the lids on jars of hot jam form a vacuum seal during cooling. Within the airtight jar, the sugar and acid content is high enough to preserve the jam or jelly.
If you do wish to water bath Pear Jam, follow your jar manufacturer’s instructions for canning. Follow the guidance in your own country, as best practice may vary according to where you are located.
Tips for Perfect Pear Jam
- Use slightly under ripe pears and pears that won’t break down completely during the cooking process.
- This recipe makes a small batch of pear jam (500 g of pears) but you can double it. Jam sets better in small batches, where 500g to 1 kg is the sweet spot. Jam in larger quantities is more difficult to set properly. Smaller quantities of jam reach setting point sooner and the faster the jam is made the fresher it will taste.
- A preserving pan is ideal for jam making, but a wide pan with sides at least 22 cm (9inch) deep also works. This will enable the jam mixture to come to a rolling boil more quickly. This way the liquid evaporates sooner, giving a fresh tasting jam.
- Sugar acts as a preservative in jams, so it is important to use the correct amount. Too little and the jam will ferment and go mouldy.
- Pears must be thoroughly softened before the sugar is added. Sugar has a hardening effect on fruits and there’s nothing worse than chewy fruit in a jam.
- Sugar must be completely dissolved before the jam comes to the boil otherwise it will crystallise.
Storing Your Jam
Once sealed, jars of pear jam will keep for up to a year in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.
Serving Suggestions
- Spread on buttered homemade scone.
- Perfect filling for a Victoria Sponge.
- Delicious on toast, waffles or pancakes.
- Spoon over ice cream or yogurt.
- Or simply on a slice of homemade bread and butter.
More Jam and Curd Recipes
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Pear Jam
Equipment
- Preserving pan – I use an 8.5 litre Penguin Home Professional pan.
- 2 saucers or tea plates – chilled in the fridge before you start making the jam.
- jam funnel – definitely something I wouldn’t be without as it saves a lot of mess and waste.
- 2 x 350g Sterilised jam jars and lids
- jam thermometer
Ingredients
- 500 g slightly under ripe pears – I used Williams also known as Bartlett
- 450 g granulated sugar
- 50 mls water
- 2 tbs lemon juice – juice from 1 lemon or bottled
- ⅛ tsp Optional: vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the pears – peel, core and cut the pears into decent size chunks and place in a bowl. Pour over lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Soften the fruit – empty pears and lemon juice into preserving pan along with 50 mls of water. Cover with a lid. Cook on a gentle heat for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Shake the pan a couple of times during cooking to prevent fruit sticking to the pan.
- Add sugar – remove lid and stir in jam sugar. Keep stirring until sugar is fully dissolved and no visible grains remain. Increase the heat to medium.
- Optional: crush some of the pear pieces to give more body to the jam.
- Boil to setting point – bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil and cook for about 10 minutes until it reaches 104°C / 220°F.
- Check the set – remove your pan from the heat. Test for setting point by dropping a teaspoon of jam on a chilled saucer. Return to the fridge for 1 minute. Push the jam gently with your fingertip – if it crinkles, (or at least holds the gap your finger makes) it’s ready. If not, reboil for a couple of minutes and repeat until setting point is reached.
- Optional – carefully stir in vanilla extract if using.
- Pot the jam – let the jam rest for 10 minutes to prevent fruit from floating to the top. Then carefully ladle into warm, sterilised jars, filling to within 10mm to 6mm of the top (⅜” to ¼”). Gently lift and tap the jars on a cushioned work surface to remove air bubbles before sealing tightly.
- Store in a cool, dry place out of the sunlight and use within 12 months.
Notes
- The recipe makes approximately enough to fill 2 x 350g jars.
- Serving size is based on one tablespoon – approximately 15g.
- Recipe is easily doubled.
- Keep to one kilo of fruit or less for each batch of pear jam. It will reach setting point in a few minutes and taste much fresher than if you boiled a large batch for a long time. Too long a boil produces chewy and tough fruit.
- Your Pear Jam will keep for up to a year. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 weeks.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.