Pear butter. Questions. Help

[ValerieJ]

Here. Open your Avatar. I'll spoon you a taste.

 

[Sequel]

Not round like Asian pears. Definite pear shaped, but no clear shoulder definition. Just goes from fat on the bottom to kinda fat on top (kinda like me). No picture. Thought I took one, but its not there. I think I may have a couple of bad ones left on the tree that I can at least get a representative picture of tomorrow.
I will put the lid on the crockpot before bed. Im just the impatient type, and I want it to reduce to a paste as quick as possible.

FWIW I just use a heavy bottom pot on the stove, you’d have to watch it closely but it sure would be faster.

 

[Xerocles]

FWIW I just use a heavy bottom pot on the stove, you’d have to watch it closely but it sure would be faster.

Since 2:00pm yesterday
7:30 am now. Still only reduced to thick applesauce stage. Just put some in fridge to seeif it thickens with cooling. If not....in a pot on stovetop.

 

[Xerocles]

22 hours and counting. Its holding slight peaks before settling. I might win this one yet. When I think of the hundreds of pounds of pears this tree offered me this year.....wasted!
And before next fall I will have a strainer. Thanks @MarilynHukill
So, heres 3 pics of a small one I found.

 

[Sequel]

One pear that comes to mind that’s quite round and large is Comice. It is a late pear, very sweet and buttery when ripe. They are or were used a lot in fancy gift boxes.

I would check with the county extension service and find out if you have any local fruit experts. I have old fruit trees and only 3 out of 6 have been reasonably identified. Kinda fun!

 

[Xerocles]

Yeah. I have to contact my County Extension agent by early winter anyway. Two pear trees. Both need desperate pruning to get them under control. And I don't know what I'm doing on pruning. Ask the expert. The other tree had what I think is Hawthorn Cedar fungus. International Orange pustules about 3 millimeters on each fruit. None of the fruits had a chance to get any bigger than my little finger. Leaves didn't seem to be affected too much. But how do you spray a 50 ft tall tree? It has to be cut back severely, so I can treat it next spring. Not even sure I can cut it back enough without killing it. But I'm not getting any pears from it anyway. That's what the extension agent is for. To tell me to prune it back. or take it out.

 

[wyoDreamer]

When I made apple butter, I put the lid on the crock pot - but put a spoon under the edge of the lid to let the steam out.

Those look like good pears! I wish I had a pear tree in my yard!

 

[imnukensc]

My guess is you have a Kieffer pear tree. They seem to be all over SC. We had a couple in the yard when I was a kid growing up. Not much for eating out of hand due to the coarse, tough texture, but my mom made great pear pie (think apple pie) out of them.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Sound like you have a Kieffer Pear tree. They are an older, storage variety. Super hardy, super prolific.
This is my favorite Pear Jam recipe: https://pomonapectin.com/recipes/pear-vanilla-jam/
If you have not heard of pomonas low sugar pectin before, it is the BEST! I never use any other type of pectin (pectin is what makes jams/jellys thick) The Vanilla is optional in the above recipe. If you like things a little spicy, add a couple of tablespoons of Ginger to the mix.

Also, I never peal my pears either, once you puree everything you'll never know they're in there, and it saves a ton of work.

 

[ValerieJ]

Yeah. I have to contact my County Extension agent by early winter anyway. Two pear trees. Both need desperate pruning to get them under control. And I don't know what I'm doing on pruning. Ask the expert. The other tree had what I think is Hawthorn Cedar fungus. International Orange pustules about 3 millimeters on each fruit. None of the fruits had a chance to get any bigger than my little finger. Leaves didn't seem to be affected too much. But how do you spray a 50 ft tall tree? It has to be cut back severely, so I can treat it next spring. Not even sure I can cut it back enough without killing it. But I'm not getting any pears from it anyway. That's what the extension agent is for. To tell me to prune it back. or take it out.

When we bought this place the fruit trees had been neglected for years. They weren't even producing fruit anymore. So, we trimmed them way back, at least half of each tree. We cut all branches growing straight up and branches crossing other branches, sort of making a canopy. They started producing fruit the very next year. We do still have some fungus problem, but that's because we are in a rain forest. I understand we will never be rid of it, but will be able to control it. We've been working on that for 4 years! The fruit is edible, but the skins aren't pretty. Maybe next year. If nothing else, they make a great shaded run for our chickens to run around in.