Use up all those ripe pears this season by making my delicious Pear Vanilla Jam. I am partnering with Ball Canning for this recipe. All opinions are 100% my own. For more inspiration, check out these delicious Jam and Jelly Recipes.
Ever since I started making jams (which I can tell you has been at least 10 years now), I have fallen in love with it. I prefer making jam instead of jelly just because I love nice, thick, and chunky jam, so that is what I make. Nothing in the world can compare to smearing a big dollop of homemade jam on a fresh-baked biscuit for breakfast.
Nothing thrills me more than to make a big batch of homemade jam, like this Pear Vanilla jam, and then share it with friends and family alike. In the past, I have made blackberry jam, strawberry jam, and peach jam (just click those links and you can find the recipes there).
I am not a huge fan of pears per se, but I decided to make this jam and give them a try, and I am SO glad that I did. They taste fantastic! The tartness of the pear mixed with the sugar makes for the perfect combination. In fact, it tastes almost like applesauce.
How to Make Pear Vanilla Jam
My favorite jars to use when I can are Ball Canning Jars. My momma used them when I was a little girl (I was a farm girl at heart and grew up with nothing but canned food straight from the garden). I love being able to create a recipe to showcase my beautiful jars -- and I know that Ball Canning won't let me down.
If you are new to canning, be sure to grab a Ball Canning Preserving cookbook (I call it the Ball Canning Bible). There are so many recipes in there that will help you to be able to can as a pro.
Depending on the publication date, it might have a different cover, but they all have the same info on the inside. Get one because it has been my saving grace when I make jams and other canned foods.
This is how you know your jam is set and turned out delicious. It takes forever to fall off the spoon! Seriously -- I could eat this entire jar by myself.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Looking for other jam and jelly recipes? Check these out!
- Green Pepper Jelly
- Red Pepper Jelly
- 20 Minute Pumpkin Butter
- Orange Jelly
- Blackberry Jam
- Freezer Strawberry Jam
- Peach Jam
- Bacon Jam
- Crockpot Blueberry Butter
Best Pear Recipes
- Pear and Almond Tart from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Pear and Walnut Cheese Ball from Palatable Pastime
- Poached Pears from Art of Natural Living
- Spiced Pear Scones from Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
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What is your favorite jam recipe?
Pear Vanilla Jam
This jam is easy to make and perfect for fall when apples and pears are in abundance.
Ingredients
- 8 cups chopped pears
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups of sugar
- 1 pack liquid pectin
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven combine your chopped pears and sugar. If your pears have a thin skin, you can leave them on. They will add to the texture of the recipe later on.
- Now, simply cook over medium heat. Once you can smash the fruit easily with a potato masher, then you will know the cooking process is complete.
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break the fruit down into a rustic chopped/half smooth sauce.
- Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil. Let this boil for five minutes so that the pectin has time to activate properly.
- Once you remove from heat, add in the vanilla and mix well together.
- Fill the jars, leaving a ¼" headspace at the top. Be sure to wipe rims to remove any residual jam.
- Now, apply your lids and screw them on tightly.
- Process the filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. When the time is up, remove jars from pot and place the jars on a towel-lined countertop.
- Let them cool for at least two hours making sure you do not open or shake the jars at all. You want to leave them completely undisturbed.
- The lids will seal in this 2 hour time span. When you push the center down it should be firm. If not, it did not seal and you will want to eat these first.
- The jam will hold well in the fridge for 3 months or on a pantry shelf for up to a year.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
80Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g
This combines two of my favorite flavors! Pears are one of my favorite fruits and vanilla - well, enough said! This looks fabulous! Delish!
I've never made jam. It seems a lot easier than I had envisioned. Pear vanilla sounds absolutely scrumptious!
Hi there! Would it be possible to substitute blueberries for the pears? I’ve got several containers of berries I don’t know what to do with!
I am not sure if you could for this recipe. I have not tested that out so I am unsure if the ratios would be right. You would need to play around with it to find out.
I did make this recipe. I used powdered pectin instead of liquid. I thought the measurement is 2 Tablespoons powdered = 1 pouch liquid.Followed the recipe to a "T" and it came out liquidy/ runny. I am assuming it needed more pectin.
If you used powdered, you would need to have added it in the very beginning, not at the end.
You use two tablespoons of powdered regular pectin for every packet of liquid pectin. The difference in usage is that instead of adding the pectin at the end of cooking like you do with liquid, you whisk the powdered pectin into the sugar before you combine it with the fruit.
@Jennifer Sikora, reading this and using one packet of liquid pectin, mine still came out runny as well. I will use an extra pouch on my next batch. The taste… is wonderful!!
Let me know how it turns out.
I have powdered pectin. Any pectin is hard to get right now. Can I substitute with powdered?
For one pack of liquid pectin, you would use 6 tablespoons of powdered pectin.
Has anybody used brown sugar in this recipe?
They have not but I can experiment in a couple of weeks and see how it turns out with brown sugar.
@Carey, I used 3 cups sugar and one cup brown in my 2nd attempt at this recipe.. it’s much more delicious in my opinion, but I did have a consistency issue that I’ll use two pouches of pectin next batch
What kind of vanilla do you use please? Do you scrape a vanilla bean, or use vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract/essence?
Thanks so much ☺️
I used vanilla bean paste but you can use vanilla extract also.
What is the purpose of liquid pectin? What if I don’t have any? Is there a substitute?
The pectin helps the jam firm up to make it jelly like. Without it, it is a bit runny instead of firm. You can try cooking down a little more but the pectin is needed for most jam and jelly recipes.
Why only three months shelf life? I see that it is processed for 10 mins so I thought it would have a longer shelf life like other jams.
Thank you very much for sharing the recipe
The 3 months is in the fridge. Once it is water bathed and canned, it will have a longer shelf life.
What a delicious jam! Pears and vanilla are perfect together.
Yes they are.
Thanks for the recommendation on the "canning Bible!"
You are so welcome!
I love canning and can't wait to give this a try!
You will love it.
I've made pear butter, but not jam. I'm a total pear lover so I'll be trying this for sure. My aunt had a ball jar accident that was completely full of their blue glass. They're a classic jar!
Thanks so much!
I also had trouble with it ending up too runny. Is it possible to dump them and add more pectin, then reprocess?
Yes you should be able to do that without any issues.
@Jennifer Sikora, I tried that and it was still runny.
I am sorry. The best I can tell you is put it on the stove and use a little no sugar pectin and see if you cannot tighten it up that way.
Hi and thank you for the recipe
I have made it twice now but used one box pectin it turned out wonderful
One batch I added 2tea pumpkin pie spice and the family loved it
Good canning to you all
😊
I love hearing your additions. That sounds wonderful!
Hi, how many 8 ounce jars with this recipe yield?
Probably about 3
No lemon juice or citric acid needed?
I did not use any but you can if you want.
Hi. In one post you said 2 TBSP of powdered pectin per 1 packet of liquid pectin, but in another post you said 6 TBSP of powdered pectin per 1 packet of liquid pectic. so I'm confused. Is it 2 TBSP or 6 TBSP?
I'm looking forward to making this. It sounds delicious!
6 tbsp of powdered or 1 liquid pack of pectin.
Hi again, I have a couple questions.
How many jars for this recipe, and what is a boiling water canner?
Thank you for your help.
Lyle Glazer
Water bath canner. It is different than a pressure canner. I think mine made like 5 half pint jars?? If you want more just double the recipe.