HELP! Pear canning question.

**Surilda** · 10-18-2009, 12:11 PM

My first batch of pears I got for canning were stored where
it was too cold and alot of them blackened and began to rot
from the inside out. I only got 11 quarts from the first batch.

I have a very large new batch, picked from the top of the tree,
but they are not quite ready to can. These are in the living room,
but it is cold in here too, although not as cold as the enclosed porch where my first batch was. Most of these are very nice large
pears but they are still very frim.

I have read that pears need time to develp their sweetness. My BF thinks that if I cook them a bit longer than the 5 minutes my recipe calls for and use a medium syrup that this will take care of that problem. I have been using a light syrup as the taste of the pears
alone is awesome.

Does anyone know if that would work or will I just have to wait
and take my chances?

**littleplum** · 10-18-2009, 01:36 PM

Try asking on this board.

http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages...ing_club/7.php

They have posters that know pretty much everything you need to know about canning.

I know that if your pears are too firm, they will not turn out quite right after canning.

**frugalfranny** · 10-18-2009, 03:40 PM

Can't help surilda...but hope you find a good answer.

WOW......little plum that looks like an awesome site.......thanks for posting it......and recipes too! YAHOOOO!

**Surilda** · 10-18-2009, 08:01 PM

I guess I got my answer. I was going to cut up a few of the
pears with the most yellow in them, process them and then
try them to see how they taste.

I could barely get my knife through the first one! I tasted it
and it made your jaws feel like when you eat something sour.

I would get tendonitis trying to cut them up!

I went & bought a radiator heater today, which I needed, but
got it today to keep my pears from getting too cold....lol NOW,
it is supposed to be 71 degrees tomorrow!

**littleplum** · 10-18-2009, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by Surilda

I guess I got my answer. I was going to cut up a few of the
pears with the most yellow in them, process them and then
try them to see how they taste.

I could barely get my knife through the first one! I tasted it
and it made your jaws feel like when you eat something sour.

I would get tendonitis trying to cut them up!

I went & bought a radiator heater today, which I needed, but
got it today to keep my pears from getting too cold....lol NOW,
it is supposed to be 71 degrees tomorrow!

Isn't that the way of it?

My quick trip through Google University says pears are ripe enough to process when the stem end gives a bit.

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 10-20-2009, 03:19 PM

I like to can my pears when they are still firm, but ripe...if they are too ripe then they will be soft when canned. My way of deciding if they are ready to can is if they are ready to eat, then you can can them...end of story. If they are not ripe enough to eat then you wouldn't want to can them. Cooking them longer will just make them softer, imho. Using a meduim syrup will make them sweeter, but if the taste of the pair (while raw) is good, you probally do not need it. Good luck.