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–+ servings
quart mason jar of pears.
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Simple Canned Pears

This recipe will guide you through the process of waterbath canning pears. When done right, you'll have jars of pears that you can enjoy year-round.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fall, Pears, Waterbath Canning, waterbath canning pears
Servings: 4 quarts
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • 4 quart jars or 8 pint jars
  • New canning lids and rings rings can be reused
  • Large pot with rack
  • Canning Accessories funnel, jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter

Ingredients

  • 10-12 pounds ripe pears any variety

For soaking pears after slicing

  • 1 gallon water
  • ½ cup lemon juice

For the syrup

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 8 cups water

Instructions

  • Prep Jars and Lids. Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Place jars in a large pot of hot water or in the oven while you prep the fruit. The jars do not need to be sterilized, but they need to be hot and clean. Keep everything hot until you're ready to use.
    canner fillled with water and jars.
  • Prep Pears. Fill a large bowl with water and a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning. Wash pears well. Peel, core, and slice pears into halves or quarters. Place cut pears into the bowl with lemon water to keep them from browning while you work.
    sliced pears in bowl of lemon water.
  • Make Syrup. In a large pot, mix 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
    saucepan of sugar syrup.
  • Pack Jars. Drain pears from the lemon water. Use a jar lifter to take a jar out of the hot water. Place on a towel. Use a canning funnel and ladle to pack pears into jars. Pour the hot syrup over the pears, leaving 1/2-inch space at the top.
    fillilng jars with fresh pears and syrup.
  • Put on lids. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean towel. Place a new lid on the jar. Screw on the ring until fingertip-tight.
    wiping jar lid and placing lid on top.
  • Process Jars. Put the filled jars back into the large pot of boiling water, making sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Boil for 25 minutes for quart jars, or 20 minutes for pint jars. Use a jar lifter to remove jars from water. Place on a towel.
    gridof 3 images showing mason jars being submerged in canner.
  • Cool and store. Let jars cool. You may hear a popping sound as lids seal. Once jars are cool, check to make sure lids have sealed by pressing down in the center of each lid. If it doesn't pop back, it's sealed. Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
    overhead view of canned pears.

Notes

This is a basic recipe. You can add spices like cinnamon or cloves to the syrup if you want.
This is a 25% sugar syrup, which is a light syrup.  See the chart below the recipe to change the sweetness of your syrup.
Nutrition facts are for 1/2 jar and consuming half of the syrup.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg