Paula Deen Pear Honey

Paula Deen pear honey takes 20 minutes and four ingredients, pears, pineapple, sugar and lemon juice, to make a thick golden spread. Save this easy preserves recipe for holiday gifts, church suppers or Sunday dinner biscuits, because it's a small-batch canning project.

Cook the pears until they're completely tender and the mixture visibly thickens, which takes about 30 minutes at a steady simmer. Pull it off the heat too early and the honey stays runny and won't hold on a spoon or a warm biscuit.

The crushed pineapple does the heavy lifting here, since its syrup and soft pieces give the pears that honey-like body without any pectin. Pouring the mixture into sterilized jars while it's still hot and sealing right away is what keeps every jar safe on the shelf.

Paula Deen Pear Honey

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Chopped pears and crushed pineapple simmer with sugar until they turn soft, thick and glossy. Spooned hot into sterilized jars, the spread sets up into a sweet, golden honey that sticks to a biscuit.

Ingredients

• 1 (20-oz) can crushed pineapple with syrup
  

• 16 cups (about 6 lbs) pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
  

• 10 cups sugar
  

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  

Directions

• Prep the pears: Peel, core and chop about 6 pounds of pears until you have 16 cups. Then set them aside while you get the other ingredients ready.
• Combine the ingredients: Add 16 cups chopped pears, 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple with its syrup, 10 cups sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a large pot. Stir well so the sugar coats the fruit.
• Cook until thick: Cook the mixture for about 30 minutes, stirring now and then so it doesn't stick. It's ready when the pears are tender and the mixture has thickened.
• Sterilize the jars: Get your half-pint jars and lids sterilized while the pear honey cooks. That way they're hot and ready the moment the mixture is done.
• Jar and seal: Ladle the hot pear honey into the sterilized jars and seal them while it's still hot. This recipe makes 12 to 16 half-pint jars, so have extras on hand.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Ball regular mouth mason jars, 12 pack, OXO wooden spoon set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Is there actually honey in pear honey?

No, there's no honey in it at all. The name comes from the thick, golden, honey-like texture the pears and pineapple cook down into.

How do I know when the pear honey is thick enough?

Look for tender pears and a mixture that visibly thickens after about 30 minutes of cooking. It will keep thickening a little as it cools in the jars, so don't cook it down to a paste.

What kind of pears work best?

The recipe just calls for pears that you can peel, core and chop, so use whatever ripe pears you can get. Choose ones that are ripe but still firm so they cook down evenly.

How should I store pear honey?

Seal it hot in sterilized jars, as the recipe directs, and keep sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry. Once a jar is opened, keep it in the fridge and use it up within a few weeks.

Can I cut back on the sugar?

I'd leave the sugar as written, since 10 cups is what helps the mixture thicken and keep in the jars. Cutting it changes the texture, and the spread may turn out runny and spoil faster.