Pear jelly is an easy homemade preserve, with all the flavor of the pear harvest in a rich spreadable jelly.
I’ll admit it, I’m all about chunky jams full of fruit. I want to see those big hunks on top of my toast, and I love lumpy jam. My kids though…not so much.
They’re all about jelly. I’ve started making a lot more homemade jellies. My go-to low sugar strawberry jam recipe has all but been retired in favor of a smooth spreading strawberry jelly.
To be fair, that strawberry jelly was so darn good that even I started to become a jelly convert. I’m starting to branch out, and this homemade pear jelly is the newest innovation!
Juice for Pear Jelly
There are a few ways to get juice for pear jelly. Assuming you’re working with whole pears to start, they can be pressed in a cider press as you do when making pear cider. That’s the most efficient method, but few people have a large cider press just hanging around at home (though you can build a DIY Cider Press relatively cheaply).
A small countertop home juicer also does the trick, though more of the pulp ends up in the finished juice and you may need to strain it before making pear jelly.
The most practical method for most people, that doesn’t involve any specialized equipment, is actually just cooking pear slices in a small amount of water until they release their juices.
This method is described in the Ball Book of Home Preserving. For every cup of finished juice needed, add 1 cup water and about 14 ounces chopped pears (roughly 2 medium-large) to a saucepan. Don’t remove the peels and cores, those have pectin and are great for pear jelly.
Bring the whole pot to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the pears are just starting to fall apart. Don’t stir or you’ll make pear sauce.
Pour everything into a jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined colander and allow it to strain for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Then proceed with the pear jelly recipe.
Honestly though, if I have whole pears, I’d much rather make homemade pear jam. I make this pear jelly when my kids open up too many jugs of juice and I find them hiding in the back of the fridge…so storebought juice works just fine too!
Refrigerator Pear Jelly
As with any jam or jelly recipe, canning is completely optional. It’s fine to prepare this recipe as a refrigerator or freezer recipe.
Just allow it to cool at room temperature and set up, then place the jars in the refrigerator (for immediate use) or freezer (for up to 6 months).
Be sure to use freezer-safe straight-sided jars if you’re freezing your pear jelly.
Canning Pear Jelly
While canning is completely optional, it’s really easy with homemade jellies. They only need about 5 minutes in a water bath canner to seal properly, and at that point, they’re shelf-stable for extended periods.
The new ball canning lids are guaranteed for 18 months, but practically speaking they’ll last on the shelf for years. You should, of course, try to eat everything within a year for best quality. While the food may be sealed and safe for years, it tastes best in the first year after canning.
To can pear jelly, simply fill canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and seal with 2 part canning lids. Place the jars in a water bath canner, which is just any deep pot filled with boiling water. Boil the jars for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
The jars can be removed immediately, but it’s best to leave them sit for another 5 minutes in the water to cool ever so slightly. This helps prevent siphoning due to temperature shock, which can happen if you take them right out of rapidly boiling water.
Once they’re out of the canner, allow them to cool to room temperature and then check the seals. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use, and the rest of the sealed jars of pear jelly in the pantry for later.
Pear Jelly Recipe Variations
My pear jelly recipe starts with pear juice and thickens it with Pomona’s universal pectin. That allows me to get the most pear flavor into each jar, without having to add boatloads of sugar.
Regular pectin recipes will require large amounts of sugar to gel properly, so I generally avoid sure gel and other full sugar pectins.
Beyond that, some types of pectin, namely liquid pectin sachets, contain preservatives like sodium benzoate. If I wanted that in my jam, I wouldn’t be going through the trouble of making it myself.
That said, there are plenty of ways to make pear jelly, and my way isn’t the only way. It’s just the way I do it. Here are a few more options:
Pear Jelly with Sure-Jell ~ The Ball Book of Home Preserving has a recipe for “traditional pear jelly” made with 4 cups of pear juice, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 5 1/2 cups sugar and a box of regular fruit pectin (sure jell). Everything’s put into the jam pot and boiled hard for 1 minute before it’s removed from heat and poured into jars.
Spiced Pear Jelly ~ This recipe starts with whole pears cooked in water, and then adds in ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The finished pear jelly uses low-sugar pectin, and about the same amount of sugar that I use.
Vanilla Pear Jelly ~ Pears and vanilla are a great match. Once you turn off the heat, add the scraped seeds from one vanilla bean or a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract. Don’t add them early on in the process or all the flavor will cook-off.
Pear Jelly
Pear jelly is easy to make at home, starting with either pear juice or whole pears.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Pear Juice (see note)
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (optional, but delicious)
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3 tsp Pomona's pectin
- 3 tsp calcium water (comes with pectin)
- (If Using Sure Jell instead, see recipe notes)
Instructions
- Bring pear juice, lemon juice and calcium water to a boil in a jam pot.
- Mix dry pomonas pectin into the sugar and evenly distribute to prevent clumping.
- Pour the sugar/pectin mixture into the boiling juice.
- Boil hard for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
- Pour into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Store in the refrigerator for immediate use, or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the canner and allow the jars to cool on the counter before checking seals and storing.
Notes
To Make Pear Juice ~ If starting with whole pears, first process into pear juice with a juicer or press. Alternatively, use the method described in the Ball Book of Home Preserving. For every cup of finished juice needed, add 1 cup water and about 14 ounces chopped pears (roughly 2 medium-large) to a saucepan. Don't remove the peels and cores, those have pectin and are great for pear jelly. (For this recipe, you'll need 3.5 pounds pears or about 8-9 medium fruits.)
Bring the whole pot to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the pears are just starting to fall apart. Don't stir or you'll make pear sauce.
Pour everything into a jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined colander and allow it to strain for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Then proceed with the pear jelly recipe.
Pomona's Pectin ~ This pectin comes in two parts, a dry powdered pectin, and calcium which you dissolve in water. The calcium activates the pectin even with low sugar, which means you don't have to add nearly as much sugar as you would with Sure-Jell. Follow the instructions of the package to make calcium water, and then add it with the juice. MIx the powdered pectin with the sugar so that it's evenly distributed and doesn't clump.
For Sure-Jell ~ If using sure jelly, the recipe will not work with lower amounts of sugar. For sure jelly pear jelly, add 5 1/2 cups sugar to every 4 cups of pear juice.
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Other Ways to Preserve Pears & Apples
Looking for more ways to preserve fall produce? Pears and apples can be used interchangeably in most recipes, so try these out with either one:
Suzanna
Hi we’re step by step in UK. We started canning some fruit this year trying each one through the winter to see if they smirked out ok! So far one yes one no!
Felicia
I tried the pear jelly with sure jell recipe. . It says 4 cups juice, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 pkg sure jell; 5 1/2 sugar. Mix all at once & hard boil. The recipe does not work. I made 2 cases. Now I have to try to fix it somehow so that it will jell. GRR
Administrator
So sorry that recipe didn’t work for you.
Doede
1) bring juice and pectin to a hard rolling boil for 90 seconds
2). Add all the sugar and lime juice all at once and bring to a hard boil again stirring constantly for 2 min.
3). Put in sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 min
Renee Maus
Do you add sugar when using pear juice in a bottle from store?
Administrator
I would look for pear juice without any added sugar and then you can follow the recipe as written.
Branna Snow
What do I need to do to add some hot peppers to your recipe?
Administrator
Here is a recipe that I found on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website for a Mayhaw pepper jelly. You could use the pepper measurements here to adapt this recipe. The juice measurement is the same.
Branna Snow
I had asked how to add peppers to your pear jelly recipe and you replied that you found a mayhaw recipe that I could use as a guide. However, the link to the recipe was not in your reply. Will you please resend it.
Administrator
I’m sorry I didn’t include the link in the original reply. The recipe is on the website for National Center for Home Food Preservation. You can go to that website and search lots of different canning recipes. Here is the direct link to the Mayhaw Pepper Jelly recipe. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/mayhaw_pepper_jelly.html
Bob
Temperature boys and girls. I hit 225F before the jelly began snotting off a cold spoon. Got up this morning and all was good. Labeled and stored five 8oz. jars.
Tony
Nope, something is amiss with this recipe. I’d advise others to look elsewhere as this one simply doesn’t make “jelly”. I made the 1st batch exactly as shown and taking advise from Bob, boiled until it hit 225 degrees for two minutes on my faithful digital fudge thermometer. I now have 3 12oz jars of pear syrup. Since jelly and jams depend on pectin as the sole thickening agent, I double downed on pectin in the 2nd batch. I now have 3 12oz jars of thicker (like apple sauce) pear whatever you want to call it.
It won’t go to waste as I’m sure it will be delicious on pancakes, french toast or vanilla ice cream.
Administrator
Did you make your own juice from the pears or did you purchase store-bought juice?
Nicky
My jelly did not set. I used juice I made from the peels and cores of pears I preserved. I used the pomona’s pectin recipe. The only thing I did different was omit the lemon juice.
Administrator
The lemon juice has additional pectin that is necessary for it to gel properly.
Pupmom
I have pear juice leftover from making pear butter. I used my Instant Pot, so it is almost pure juice. I started with 1/4 c of water. Do you think I could make jelly using that and the Ball less or no sugar needed pectin and the apple jelly recipe?
Administrator
I don’t see why not.
Sr. Christin
I’m thinking it could use more lemon juice – like 1/4 c. This will add the needed acid to help it gel.