Pear and Lemon Jam Recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Jam Jelly and Preserves | 152 comments
A pear hanging on our pear tree
I spent ages trying to find a recipe for pear jam without success. One day moseying in the recipe section of Waitrose, I spotted a copy of the best selling Italian cook book The Silver Spoon
I made an excellent jam, not too sweet. A lemony taste with tiny explosions of pear. Everyone that tasted it wanted the recipe. It’s our favourite jam, good for breakfast or with a mild soft cheese.
The problem was that I hadn’t written the recipe down and wasn’t sure of the volume of water. When I returned to Waitrose “The Silver Spoon” was no longer on the shelves. Finding the book became a real mission. I saw it advertised on hoardings in the London tube but never found it in a shop. One happy day, I saw “The Silver Spoon”, twinkling from the supermarket shelves. I snapped it up and rushed home.
I was astonished to find that water was not an ingredient of the jam! I tried several versions, with different amounts of water, and this is by far the best.
| Pear and Lemon Jam Recipe |
- 2 kilos (4 and 1/2 pounds) of pears, peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 medium lemons (strained juice and zest)
- 1 kilo (5 and 1/4 cups) of granulated jam sugar
- 250ml water
Method
- Prepare the pears and place in a large covered bowl, to stop them browning.
- Remove the zest from the lemons carefully to avoid adding the bitter pith. Set zest aside.
- Squeeze the lemon juice and strain.
- Add the water, chopped pears, lemon zest and juice to a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Simmer very gently until the pears are just soft.
- Pour in the sugar and stir over a medium/low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring the heat up to a rolling boil (what is a rolling boil? See Tricks and tips below).
- Allow to boil hard for ten minutes before testing for a set.
- If it has not reached setting point (what is setting point? See Tricks and tips below) continue to boil rapidly, checking for a set every four minutes or so (set the timer for this).
- When the jam has set remove from the heat.
- Allow the jam to stand for a few minutes and pour into warmed sterilised jars (how do I sterilise jars? See Tricks and tips below).
- Cover with screw top lids or wax disks and cellophane tops.
- Label when cold.
- Store in a cool dry place.
Tricks and tips:
Jam set or ‘setting point’
Getting the right set can be tricky. I have tried using a jam thermometer but find it easier to use the following method.
Before you start to make the jam, put a couple of plates in the fridge so that the warm jam can be drizzled onto a cold plate (when we make jam we often forget to return the plate to the fridge between tests, using two plates means that you have a spare cold plate).
Return the plate to the fridge to cool for approx two minutes.
It has set when you run your finger through it and leave a crinkly track mark.
If after a few minutes the cooled jam is too liquid, continue to boil the jam, testing it every few minutes until you have the right set.
The jam is far more delicious if it is slightly runny.
There are other indicators the the jam is setting, the jam will start to coat the back of the spoon and the sides of the saucepan.
Sterilising the jars
We collect jars all year round for our jelly, chutney and jam making sessions. I try to soak off labels and store the clean jars and metal plastic coated lids in an accessible place.
The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the jam, I quickly wash and rinse the jars and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160c (320F) 140c fan assisted).
When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The jars will stay warm for quite a while.
I only use plastic lined lids for preserves as the all-metal lids can go rusty. I boil these for five minutes in water to sterilise them. If I use Le Parfait jars, I do the same with the rubber rings.
What is a rolling boil?
This is when you boil your jam (or jelly) continuously, very hard. This gradually evaporates the water, enabling the jam to set.
Leave a reply
Thank you for this recipe! I hope to use it this weekend. A friend made pear and lemon preserves for me a few years ago and I was hoping to find a similar recipe but thicker. I believe your recipe will be perfect. The lemon makes for a wonderful combination. Cheers!
Hello, I have made this recipe time and time again and everyone raves about it. I am now handing the recipe on to others, as they have enjoyed eating it so much. I spotted this recipe while we were working in England. Now back home down under in New Zealand.
I’m a novice jam maker and this is my first attempt. Made it last night a bit pink in colour but not burnt but I found it to be very sweet.
Can I gently reheat the jam and add some spices to counteract the sweetness?
If so what spices would you recommend and how much?
Otherwise I think I did a good job and not to much jam splatters over the kitchen.
I am so pleased to find you recipe, we have a pear tree, very old growing up the wall and maybe been here for a hundred years. I have so many pears I need to preserve them somehow and Jam is always a good thing to have. Going to try this weekend to make the jam.
I successfully made this jam a couple of years ago and it was lush! I think I might have done it with a little less water, and although it set a little on the runny side but still firm enough to lift from the jar to toast easily. I don’t think I used jam sugar either… have you amended this element of the recipe?
So just getting ready to make this wonderful jam again.
I am going to try it two ways this year, one as per recipe, but also as I am supposed to be eating less sugar, so I want to try it without sugar…. with a good source of apples, I think I am going to reduce some apple juice down and use this instead, will let you know if I have any success… in the meantime whilst I am waiting for the pears to ripen, if anyone has any other tips for sugar-free jam would love to hear them. Although I will pass on any recipes with sweeteners, as I will be going for an au naturel jam if possible.
Lastly to add, the pears of my parents tree are dreadful if eaten raw, but delicious once cooked, not sure if this has something to do with it, but the jam made from these pears is a beautiful deep red/purple colour, you would never know until you taste it that it came from pears. mmmm can’t wait….
I bought 10 kilos of Conference pears on the market yesterday. I’ve pickled some and can’t wait to try out your recipe later. Your site is a real gem! Thank you
I was given 75 kilos of pears. After sorting them into degrees of ripeness I had 8 kilos suitable for jam. The litre of water took over 2 hours to boil off to the point the jam will set. I tried a second batch – still with the litre of water but also added 2 packets of jam setting mix. A long boil time was still needed. I would make this very good tasting recipe again but without any water. I think the water gets in the way of the pear pieces remaining intact enough to give he “flavour burst” mentioned in the lead article.
🙁 I messed this up so badly, totally my fault! I was having problems getting it to set at all, so left the kitchen while leaving it boiling for another 4 minutes and came back to the kitchen to a dark brown mixture where the pears had slightly caught on the bottom of the saucepan so gutted!!! going to try and get some more pears tonight from the CSF fingers crossed and try again will also get larger lemons as I think my may have been too small!!!
I made this last year and it was lovely so have actually made two batches this year, I always add the water and it has always worked and always set as it should. The only thing I do which is different to the recipe is to use a stick blender to make it smooth once the sugar has disolved. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
I have just made this and added no water at all. I used the juice from 3 average lemons and just dropped the pears in – it didn’t look dry so I left it. I would imagine it’ll never set if you add water. After the sugar dissolved I did a rolling boil for about 15 mins – 20 at the outside. I have an odd half jar over, which I can turn upside down with no movement, so it has set. The actual jam is soft to spread and absolutely lovely. I’ll be making this one again.