When pears are ripe, get busy making this flavorful pear chutney. This recipe for pear chutney calls for a spark of heat from cayenne pepper to balance the sweetness from golden raisins and brown sugar. The chutney makes a great dipping sauce for homemade egg rolls or an accompaniment to roast pork.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Processing time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 pints
3 pounds pears
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 onion
1 cup golden raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Peel the pears with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.
Remove and discard the core and stems.
Dice the pears into 3/8- to 1/2-inch pieces.
Place the vinegar and brown sugar in a 4- to 5-quart pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Finely chop the onion.
Add the pears, onion, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper.
Stir to combine.
Return the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat, simmering the mixture until it thickens and the liquid reduces by 1/3 to 1/2, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Keep the jars and lids hot.
Ladle the hot chutney into the prepared jars, leaving headspace of 1/2 inch.
Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive tool.
Add more chutney, as necessary, to maintain a headspace of 1/2 inch.
Wipe the jar rims.
Seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
Process your filled jars in a water bath for 15 minutes from the point of boiling.
Remove the jars from the boiling water with a jar lifter.
Place them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels away from drafts.
After the jars cool completely, test the seals.
If you find any jars that haven’t sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two months.
