Pear and Lemon Jam Recipe
Comments(113)
I spent ages trying to find a recipe for pear jam without success. One day moseying in the recipe section of Waitrose, I spotted a copy of the best selling Italian cook book The Silver Spoon
I made an excellent jam, not too sweet. A lemony taste with tiny explosions of pear. Everyone that tasted it wanted the recipe. It’s our favourite jam, good for breakfast or with a mild soft cheese.
The problem was that I hadn’t written the recipe down and wasn’t sure of the volume of water. When I returned to Waitrose “The Silver Spoon” was no longer on the shelves. Finding the book became a real mission. I saw it advertised on hoardings in the London tube but never found it in a shop. One happy day, I saw “The Silver Spoon”, twinkling from the supermarket shelves. I snapped it up and rushed home.
I was astonished to find that water was not an ingredient of the jam! I tried several versions, with different amounts of water, and this is by far the best.
Cottage Smallholder Pear and Lemon Jam Recipe
(inspired by a half remembered recipe in “The Silver Spoon”)
Ingredients:
- 2 kilos of pears (peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 medium lemons (strained juice and zest)
- 1 kilo of granulated jam sugar
- 1 litre of water
Method:
- Prepare the pears and place in a large covered bowl, to stop them browning.
- Remove the zest from the lemons carefully to avoid adding the bitter pith. Set zest aside. Squeeze the lemon juice and strain.
- Add the water, chopped pears, lemon zest and juice to a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Simmer very gently until the pears are just soft.
- Pour in the sugar and stir, over a medium/low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring the heat up to a rolling boil (what is a rolling boil? See Tricks and tips below). Allow to boil hard for ten minutes before testing for a set. If it has not reached setting point (what is setting point? See Tricks and tips below). Continue to boil rapidly, checking for a set every four minutes or so (set the timer for this). When the jam has set remove from the heat.
- Allow the jam to stand for a few minutes and pour into warmed sterilised jars (how do I sterilise jars? See Tricks and tips below). Cover with screw top lids or wax disks and cellophane tops. Label when cold. Store in a cool dry place.
Tricks and tips:
- Jam set or setting point’:
Getting the right set can be tricky. I have tried using a jam thermometer but find it easier to use the following method. Before you start to make the jam, put a couple of plates in the fridge so that the warm jam can be drizzled onto a cold plate (when we make jam we often forget to return the plate to the fridge between tests, using two plates means that you have a spare cold plate). Return the plate to the fridge to cool for approx two minutes. It has set when you run your finger through it and leave a crinkly track mark. If after a few minutes the cooled jam is too liquid, continue to boil the jam, testing it every few minutes until you have the right set. The jam is far more delicious if it is slightly runny. There are other indicators the the jam is setting, the jam will start to coat the back of thespoon and the sides of the saucepan. - Sterilising the jars:
We collect jars all year round for our jelly, chutney and jam making sessions. I try to soak off labels and store the clean jars and metal plastic coated lids in an accessible place. The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the jam, I quickly wash and rinse the jars and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160c/140c for fan assisted. When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The jars will stay warm for quite a while. I only use plastic lined lids for preserves as the all-metal lids can go rusty. I boil these for five minutes in water to sterilise them. If I use Le Parfait jars, I do the same with the rubber rings. - What is a rolling boil?
This is when you boil your jam (or jelly) continuously, very hard. This gradually evaporates the water enabling the jam to set.
I love gardening and I also love great tools, seeds and plants. My favourite online site is Harrod Horticultural because they stock really good quality items. Their service is top class. Give yourself or somebody you love a present that they will adore. Click here
Thank you for your comments. And a bit of silly bath time fun with the Frothing Sea Monster trick!
Cutting energy costs
Recipe for sausages baked with herby garlic infused beans, bacon and tomato
Tracing some of my ancestors has taken me on a long journey
Recipe for lamb shanks braised in red wine with shallots: slow cooker/crockpot
The cupboard was bare – so what was The Contessa going to eat last night?
FD
Hello,
Many thanks for sharing your recipe on your website! I, too, spent ages trying to find a recipe for pear jam… and I’ve feel I’ve struck gold when I found your site. I am going to try your recipe this week, as we have an early crop of pears here in my corrner of California right now. I wonder if you have tried it with the addition of any ginger? I am curious to try adding that flavor but afraid to overpower the rest of the jam. Any advice, given your experience? Thanks!
Hi Sarah Lee,
I haven’t tried adding ginger. I think that a little would work as it is quite a lemony jam, the pieces of pear add tiny explosions of pear flavour.
I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Thanks for posting the recipe. I was just given a couple of kilos of apple pears ( I think they are small Asian pears) and will try your recipe. After searching the web, it seems to be the only one that may turn out delicious jam. Thanks also for the great explanation for those who are not experienced in making jam.
Thanks for posting a reply, Nicola. I do hope that our recipe works out well for you.
The key is the pear (mini) chunks. You need the inclusion of pear to balance the lemony syrup.
thanks a million for the pear jam recipe I cannot wait to try it out. The pears in the garden are all being blown ooff the tree in the high winds so i now know they will not be wasted. I want to sell them at our church fete in November, as there is no pectin in (only natural) do you know if the jam will keep that long. a new fan.
does it matter what ‘make’ of pear you use? i have conference pears on my tree – but do have access to williams. i am new to this site – discovered it whilst looking for damson gin recipe. i am now hooked.
Hi Joanne,
The jam will keep for months in sterilised jars. Just like normal jam.
Hi Anne,
It works with any type of pear as long as the pear is ripe. Glad that you are enjoying the site.
I found this recipe really helpful – thank you! I sold out of this jam first at my last market day. I decided to add stem ginger and it was delicious. Only thing i found was that there was too much water in the recipe and I had to boil it for AGES! Am making more tomorrow so will let you know how I get on using less water. Thanks again
Hi Lynne
Glad that you liked the recipe. I think the water is affected by the amount of lemon juice and the ripeness of the pears.
I’d love to hear how you get on using less water.
[...] Tessa, I’ve never made it but found a link for you. The Cottage Smallholder » Pear and Lemon Jam Recipe __________________ http://www.attica-restaurant.com [...]
hi
the recipe itself sounds delicious
will surely try to make it
i wanted to know why do we add lemon juice ..does it acts as apreservative
also plzzz let me know which fruits to do not contain pectin
will be tring pear jam in a day or two
thks
Hi Vishakha
The lemon is added as it is high in pectin and helps the jam to set.
Here are two useful links regarding fruit and pectin
http://www.jamworld.co.uk/pec.html
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/Pages/pectin!opendocument
I am keen to make this recipe as last year I made a pear chutney with our pears from the garden…Normally my chutneys ‘fly of the pantry shelf’ but sadly I think this chutney was a little too tart. I was wondering what you would think if I used preserving sugar rather than many lemons and consequently if the recipe would work?
I would appreciate your thoughts!
hi, I have been given some pears but they are all pretty hard- too hard for eating. I notice you say the pears should be ripe, does this mean the recipe won’t work with the rock hard pears I’vw got? By the way, I made the plum and apple chutney yesterday and can’t wait to see how it’s revived. Thanks for your help
Hi Carolyn
The pears need to be soft and ripe for this recipe. Hard pears sound perfect for our Belgian Pear recipe – which is evcellent and so easy! http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=101
Hi Poppy
Apologies, I missed your comment.
Preserving sugar tends to give a synthetic taste. As the pear and lemon flavours are delicate it could ruin the jam.
hi, i never thought i would find pear jam, going to do it tomorrow, sounds delicious, where is apple and plum chutney recipe regards chrystal
Hi Chrystal
Great that you are going to try the pear jam. The plum chutney is here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=70
Hi
don’t know if you have tried to warm your sugar in the oven before adding to your pear mixture.
Looking forward to trying this jam sounds delicious
June
Hi there!
I made jam on Monday using your recipe (with Bartletts, I think?) and it turned out really great! It has a lovely caramelized colour and flavour which is lightly accented by the lemon and zest. It’s thick and honey-like, with the wonderful graininess of dried pears. And the pear chunks are like candy! (I am eating a spoonful out of the jar right now!)
One thing I’d warn others about: once it starts to thicken it spatters quite a bit, which makes the floor sticky but more importantly, is molten-lava hot! So be sure to wear a long-sleeved top, use an oven mitt while stirring, wear socks/shoes and cover the floor with newspaper.
Thanks for posting such a great and easy recipe!
I am enjoying your lovely selection of recipes. I will be making your pear jam recipe tomorrow. I also enjoyed your suggested books for reading and cooking. Thanks!
Excited to start….
Can I freeze the jars after they have cooled?
Thanks.
Can the jars be frozen?
Thank you.
Hi June
I have never tried warming the sugar in the oven but thanks for the nudge. I’ve heard that it makes the whole process easier.
Hello jubilant cerise
Thanks for the tips on splattering. I make this jam in an enormous high sided saucepan so don’t have a problem with splatters, to date.
Delighted that you liked the recipe!
Hi Phyllis
Thanks for leaving a comment. I do hope that the jam works out well for you.
Hi Fran
I’m not sure, as I’ve never frozen jars of jam. But we were given pate in glass jars today and the chef said that they could be frozen so why not jam. The only thing is you need to allow for expansion of the jam, so leave a decent gap between the jam and the lid (about an inch). NB I’ve just been told that glass jars break easily at freezer temperatures. Its best to use heavy duty canning jars (like Kilner or Mason jars). This jam will keep for at least a year if you seal and store it properly – without the need to freeze.
Hi, like many other visitors to your site, I have been looking for a pear jam receipe for about 3 years. Thank you so much for sharing this with us all. I am going to start my pear jam production next weekend – I will let you know how I get on – I have never made jam before but have always wanted to. I have a conference pear tree in the garden that produces masses of pears each year. I am also going to make a pear chutney for Christmas(I will look through your site for a receipe for that too!). Many thanks again. Debbie.
Thanks for the pear and lemon jam recipe. I’m on my second batch but finding it difficult to get it to set. Should I try using less water next time? Any suggestions gratefully received.
Wendy
I have just finished potting your Pear and lemon jam. Except for adding a half teaspoonful of dry ginger I followed your recipe exactly. It took a long time to reach setting point. I am delighted with the taste and appearance. I normally make just pear and fresh ginger jam, but decided a change was called for. I had thought that the cubed pear may all drop to the bottom of the jars, but it looks great. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Saddly i made this jam today using the last of our pears otherwise i would be making lots more!
I followed the recipe exactly and yes it does take a long time on a hard boil for the water to disappear all i can say is the wait is worth it.
Not only does it taste great it has a lovely colour.
Now what else can i make..
Thanks great recipe.
colleen
Wow, what a fabulously scrummy jam. I’ve just made jam for the first time since I was a child using some pears that we were just not able to eat as we had so many. I’d love to try adding stem ginger, though being a return to jam maker, I’m not sure how much.
Has anyone tried the recipe with less lemon? I have not made it yet but concerned it is too lemony since my family are not “lemony” people.
Jackie,
The recipe as it stands is just the right level of sweetness and not really lemony. Bizarrely it has a hint of spice, a bit like allspice even though it has none in it. I wonder whether that is a combination of the fruit and caramelised sugar.
Hello Debbie
Oded Schwartz has a good recipe for pear and tomato chutney! The problem with pears is the sweetness and delicate flavour. Why not try our Belgian pear recipe http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=101, well worth making as it brings out the taste of the pears.
Hi Wendy
A little more lemon juice might be the answer.
Hello Bluebell
Sorry that it took some time to set. Mine seems to set quite quickly, perhaps it’s something to do with the water. Ours is very hard.
Hi Colleen
Great that your jam set eventually! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Hi Jon
Bluebell added a tsp of dried ginger (see comments above). I reckon that you could add a flat tsp of grated (peeled) ginger to the mix for a bit of a kick. Thanks for answering Jackie’s comment.
Hi Jackie
Don’t cut down on the lemon – you need this to make it set. Why not add a bit of ginger? – Read the comments above.
Hi,
Great to find your recipe for pear jam. Have scoured my preserve and cook books and even the local second hand book shops without success. I ended up making kilos of pear chutney last year, which was a roaring success. However, have just been given about 10 kilos of pears off my dad’s trees, so will try making the jam instead. The pears are rock hard at the moment so hopefully they will be perfect by this time next week. Will let you know how it turns out.
Hello, A few days ago I made a batch of pear & lemon jam. It took ages to get to a setting point – I added more lemon in the end. It has turned out really well – a great taste and a lovely colour with pretty bits of pear. I’ll be giving some away as Christmas presents!
Hi, Just thought I would let you know that I have just made some of your pear and lemon jam. it is sublime. I will definitely be making it next year. Even my 22 year old son who doesn’t eat fruit (except bananas) loves it too.
Hello there, I made this recipe with Williams pears which had been blown off the tree and the pears were still quite green and hard. The pears were not storing well, so I thought I’d try the recipe anyway. It worked a treat. Thankyou so much – I’ll be making more batches of this one.
Hello Sally
Thank you so much for leaving a comment. You might like our recipe for Belgian Pears http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=101
Hi, Im all new to the jam world. So when you mean add the lemon zest, does that mean I have to also chop the lemon peal to pieces or do i put i add it as the full peal??
Hello Uzla
Lemon zest is the yellow part of the lemon skin. You usually remove it with a zester. Don’t add the pith (the white part of the skin. Just use the zest.
Hello Fiona
I have never made jam before, and tried this recipe yesterday. I had my pot on a hard boil for quite a long time, and was a bit worried about overboiling it. I thought it had passed the plate/fridge test but now I’m not so sure – the jam in the jars is still rather sloppy. How long does this jam usually take to set in the jars? Do you think I should re-boil with some more lemon juice?
Many thanks
Zoe
Hi Zoe
You could try reboiling a jar to see how it turns out but it will lose a lot of it’s freshness. All jams stiffen over time. I’d give this another 24 hours to settle.
Hello,
I’ve just made some Pear Jelly – or thats what it was supposed to be – no lemon used. It passed all the tests for setting, but now it has cooled it is still runny. My husband put a jar in the fridge and it has taken on the consistency of honey. Its actually very nice, but I do want to make Pear Jam, so will try your recipe next time.
I noted your recipe ingredients and only read the feedback comments after making the jam.
I made your pear & lemon jam today. As you said the original recipe did not have any water,so I did not add any, only the water on the pears after washing them after they had been peeled. I added the sugar at the start so it was moistened. The jam still took an hour and a half at a gentle boil to reach a very vague setting stage because of the grainy nature of the pear. I added about 25g of chopped crystalized ginger. The lemon & the ginger has not overpowered the pear. The jam is amber in colour with a natural texture unlike some shop bought jams. Such a simple, traditional recipe. Thank you for a way to use our homegrown pears that ripen all at once.
Hi
Nice to meet your Blog.
I was “Googling” for pear jam and yours came up, thanks for this lovely recipe.
With your permission I am taking your recipe.
Thank you very much x
Hi Janet
I do hope that the recipe worked for you.
Hi Janet (you are a new Janet!)
Thanks so much for your feedback. Love the idea of adding crystalised ginger to the mix.
It’s better to cook the jam slowly than to try and hurry the process and burn the lot, I reckon.
Hi Ana
Hope that you like our recipe
Hi there,ive just finished making this jam(1st ever jam) and ive burnt it so badly it set the smoke alarms off!where did i go wrong i left it for 10 mins then checked for setting point every 4 and it just kept getting worse and worse,which is a shame cause it tasted lovely before it was burnt.please help!xxx
Hi Christine
What bad luck.
When you add the sugar you need to heat the pan very gently, stirring all the time until all the sugar has dissolved. Then turn the heat up. If you did this and it still burnt you cooked it on too high a heat. I don’t leave the jam bubbling away I stand by the pot and give it the odd stir then I can tell if something isn’t going right.
There’s no going back if it’s burnt, I’m afraid.
I am going to get some more ingredients and try again,found it hard to tell if sugar was dissolved but thought it was,did have it on a very high heat to make sure it was boiling enough to get to setting point.thanks for the tips and the quick response,its greatly appreciated as i was so dissapointed it didnt work after it tasted so lovely to start off with.xxxx
Will make this jam this weekend when I am able to get some more jars. I have my work colleagues saving their jars for me as I am getting a bit carried away with the preserving.
As a thought, my pear jelly never set, just became a wonderful syrup so I poured it into a cordial bottle. We keep it in the fridge and it is gorgeous diluted or poured over fruit and ice cream. It really is like concentrated pear honey!
A couple of days ago, I made a jar of this with some leftover pears and lemon. Tried it for breakfast today – g o r g e o u s !
I’ll be off this afternoon for more pears and lemons…
Thanks for the lovely recipe!
Love your website, so useful. I have tried several recipes with the pears from my trees but the texture is too, too, too grainy! Short of cutting the two trees down and replacing them with something (or grass if my husband had his way) I’m very open to suggestions!
All best wishes
Karen – if you can’t find a way to enjoy these pears, you can graft (or have grafted, for a small fee) on the variety or varieties of pear you do like. That way you won’t waste all that root and truck structure. Grass indeed -hmpt.
CS – thanks for a great blog! – will be visiting often. and am going to try the pear-lemon Jam. Cheers from California
Cant wait to try the reciepe, never made jam before but I have pears, brambles and plums who they turn out, didnt think you could make jam out of pears will give it ago though. Juliex
Can you tell me why you need wax circles for jam making and can you freeze pairs if you wanted to make the jam later in the year. Thanks
Julie
Hi Julie
Freezing the pears would soften them too much I think. This is probably best made with fresh pears.
Hi there i am making your pear lemon jam as we speak the pears seem to be mushing up and the water doesnt seem to be going am i doing it right i have been boiling it for about an hour now
Hi Tracey
That doesn’t sound right at all. Are you boiling it high enough. A rolling boil sends up a layer of bubbles about the depth of the jam. It should set in minutes.
I think maybe i havnt cut the pears small enough i have turned the heat up a bit more is there anything else i should do
Hi Tracy
That should do the trick. Remeber to take the pan off the heat when testing for a set. A spoon from the freeezer is a great way of getting a quick result.
wohooo Ihave made jam, can not believe it, I halved the receipe to make sure i got it correct and didnt waste any ingrediants, going to make a full receipe next. Thank you Julie Teesside England.
Hi Julie
Brilliant that this recipe worked for you. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Sadly I think I might have missed the local pears here for this year (Wiltshire) but will keep an eye out. The jam sounds fab!
On the other hand, it would have to take its place in the queue behind crabapple chili jelly, marrow and ginger chutney, oh yes and someday those Seville oranges in the freezer need turning into marmelade… so many fruits, so little time!
I tried this jam, it is a very light set but I don’t care. It is the most delicious flavour. I have had several friends sample it and they all loved it.
I was frightened of over boiling it and of it sticking to the pan and burning as I didn’t want to spoil it wonderful colour.
HI
made this yesterday tastes absolutely DELICIOUS – a close second to the melon and ginger I recently made .
My only comments would be that I found it hard to get to set and it seemed like there was just loads of liquid to boil away; another time I think I would use much less water
Hi Bonnie
You sound just like me. At the moment I have the slow cooker bubbling away, the fruit steamer and two large saucepans simmering!
Hi Linda
Great that you liked the recipe. The set will firm up over the next few weeks.
Hello Shelly
Do you have a recipe for melon and ginger – it sounds delish.
I think that the last time that I made it, it set fairly quickly but I was using hard pears and preserving sugar.
Hi. Loved the jam. Just one comment. Putting the jam jars upside down into the oven is silly. Put them in the right way up. They are glass which will retain heat. You really do not want to be handling, even through oven gloves, hot glass jars. Not unless you want a quick visit to A&E to sort out seriously burned fingers.
The heat of the oven will ensure they are dry, and by not having to handle them unnecessarily you save time. Put them on a tray in the oven, then just lift the tray straight out, put onto a suitable heat pad, and decant the jam direct into the pots. Easier. Quicker. Safer.
Dave
First time I’ve ever made jam, but attempted it a few weeks ago due to my conference pear tree keeling over with the weight of fruit! Think they may not have been quite ripe enough but it worked great. Didn’t use any water except what was used in washing the pears, and had to use a masher after the pears were still a bit hard (after an HOUR!!) but overall well impressed! Will be trying again today now the pears are much riper. I added a cinnamon stick last time so may be trying it with ginger this time!!
Thanks for your lovely recipe. I have made some and it has the a lovely taste and beautiful colour.
Mine turned out a little runny so I think I will use less water next time. Not to worry it’s still a gorgeous jam! ;-D
Hi Dave
Thank you so much for the tyip about putting the jars in the oven on a tray – I tested it out and it was so much easier. Brilliant.
Hi Richard
Your conference pears would be perfect for Belgian Pears http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/bottled-fruit-belgian-pears-recipe-101
These are to die for.
Hello Big purple dragon
The jam should firm up a bit over the next few weeks especially if you used cellophane lids.
I used metal lids but i’m not worried about it. I used some in the base of a steamed sponge pud and every last crumb was scraped from the dish! I’m going to make another next sunday because it was such a big hit
Thank you so much. x
Great recipe, being a lazy cook, and due to the tiny pears, I just boiled them up, skins and all, then sieved them. Very Tasty Thank You
Hi BigPurpleDragon
Great idea using the jam on a steamed sponge pudding!
Hello Zoe
That sounds like a great idea. Thank you.
Good morning
Came visit to thank you for the recipe, absolutely delicious.
Its now posted on my Magic Flavours.
Have a great weekend x
Hi Ana
Thanks so much for dropping by. I still haven’t got round to making this jam this year so will have to hunt down some pears this weekend to make a batch.
Hello!
)
I wanted to make some of this jam at the weekend (first attempt jam making – am doing it for christmas presents!) and just wondered roughly how many jars this would make? (and roughly jar sizes too
Thank you!!
PS LOVE this site!
Hi Kirsty
I’m not sure – I reckon about 6-8 1lb/450g jars.
ace – thanks! just needed a rough idea so i didnt go overboard!
This is my first time i have made jam,im making it at this moment in time and it seems an easy recipe to follow.
my husband has tried making jams and marmalades but they never seem to set.
im hoping i get this right first time.
wish me luck!
Last year I made FIVE blueberry jam recipes. This was without a doubt the nicest one of all, having an elegant flavor infused thorughout (don’t think anyone would guess what it was if you didn’t say).
This summer I have tried Apple Pie Jam, French Apricot and now I will try yours. Would love to know what you think of the GMB Jam!
1½ quarts blueberries (5½ cups)
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
7 cups sugar
2 packages liquid pectin
¼ cup Grand Marnier
Place blueberries in large pot. Add water and lemon juice; mash slightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Add sugar and mix well. Place over high heat, bring to full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. You can add a teaspoon or two of butter to reduce skim fomration.
Remove from heat. Stir in pectin and Grand Marnier. Stir and skim for 5 minutes.
You can add the typical teaspoon of butter when you take the pot off the stove to help with foam.
This is my favorite jam to make every summer. It has the most exquisite background taste!
Thank you very much, Evelyn. That sounds absolutely scrumptious. I did a copy and paste into the jams section of our forum so that many more people will see it and hopefully try it out and report back
I boil my jams using a perforated mat between pan and heat source. Inexpensive insulation mats are available in the cookshops.
Seems to work for me.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Would it work to add a powdered pectin instead of waiting for the jam to firm up on its own? Or will adding the pectin make it too firm?
thank you!
Hi Ashlee
I’d let the jam firm up on its own as the cooking process enhances the taste of the fruit.
I’d been looking for a pear jam recipe to use the heap of conference pears in our new garden and this looked perfect. I made 1/2 quantity and it made perfect jam with a fresh pear and lemon flavour, even for me, a novice jam maker. It was yummy!
Then I did 1.5 quantity today and it look over 2 hours to boil to set. Jam OK but more like a sweet lemon marmalade than the lovely fresh pear flavour. Any ideas why? I even added extra lemon juice at one point to encourage setting.
Like Helen, I’d also been looking for a recipe for a while – I made 1/2 quantities yesterday and it tasted lovely, although I didn’t achieve the full set. I followed the advice above and reboiled the jam, but now it may have gone too far!
I used fairly unripe pears and the full amount of juice and it tasted lovely (until about half an hour ago!!!) I’ll definitely try it again though – a good recipe!
Thanks for posting this recipe, I’d made pear chutney and still had loads of pears left so it was a godsend!
I was a bit worried about the amount of water so used about 1/3 less and I’ve got a really good set, in fact my lemons were quite big so it’s almost too firm. The jam is absolutely delicious but my 1.5kg of pears only produced 2 jars of jam! Looks like I’m going to have to go pick some more pears!
Brilliant jam recipe. It did take an hour longer on a rolling boil to set and the quantity was only half of what it should have been but it was well worth it. This has to be the nicest jam I have ever had and I will be making more. Thanks!
PS. This morning the jam was like glue so I put it all back in the pan, added gradual amounts of hot water to get a better consistency, re-sterilized the jars and hey presto! Jam as it should have been had I not over-cooked it. Got another jar out of it too. I’ve only made jam once before so am gaining experience and I will definitely make this one again, it’s bliss.
Having not had much success with jams before i was a bit nervous about trying this jam. However it has turned out beautifully, it does take a bit of time to set and i did add a squeeze or two more of lemon, but i achieved a good set and now have three very large jars of beautifully subtle jam of which i am very proud! Brill recipe and my faith in jam making is restored!
Many thanks for the pear and lemon jam recipe. I searched for ages to find a yummy way of using up pears and this definitely works! Having spent most of the last week pickling – pickled red cabbage, beetroot chutney, marrow and apple chutney, tomato chutney – I now have over 80 small jars in storage. I wonder if you know where I can find a cheap supply of jars?
Just made this jam and am so delighted by how it came out. Lovely, complex flavor.
In US units, I used about 5 pounds peeled, cored and chopped pears, 4 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup water. It took about 45 minutes to set. I used comice pears which are very juicy so probably didn’t need the water. This made six 1/2 pint jars.
Thank you for the great recipe.
Hello Kerryanna
Thank you so much for giving the American cup equivalents for this recipe – much appreciated. Delighted that you liked my recipe
Hi Jude. I’ve found a great source of jars on ebay – kilnerclipdirect – is the seller. Really fast delivery and nice clip jars. The 200ml ones are great to use for gifts – I now have LOTS of damson jam and pear jam in the cupboard ready for Christmas presents!
Hi there,
Have made the jam two years running. This time I halved the water, as it took three hours last time to set. This time it took two! I wonder if you really mean one LITRE of water? It seems an awful lot! Really like the jam though,but feel it would be better if it wasn’t cooked for so long. Added 3 cardomon pods this time for a change.
I’ve made lots of jam in the past and I’m having difficulty in getting this jam to set too – boiled for over an hour. The quantity of water did concern me, but when trying a new receipe I do follow it exactly. It’s been 24 hours and the ‘jam’ still pours out of the jars as a liquid. Just wondering how long to leave it before trying a reboil. Any recommendations?
Last week Asda were selling clip-top jars in a pack of 3 in various sizes. I think I paid £2.50 for a pack of large jam jar size.
Hi Jane
It’s strange that this year some people are having problems with this jam setting – whereas in the past few years it has set fine. I’d suggest adding the juice of another lemon and sugar to taste and boil in half quantities.
[...] last month, from the Conference-type pears on our fan-trained tree. The recipe I tried came from The Cottage Smallholder, with the modification of not adding water. I’ll type out the recipe here, as [...]
Today I made the pear jam, with only the water from washing the pears, a teaspoon of ginger and it was all done to a beautiful consistency within 30 minutes. I was expecting at least an hour of roll boiling. The taste is wonderful and I’ll be making it again, with different spices. Ps this was my first attempt at making jam and I’m so pleased that I’m never buying shop bought jam again. Thank you
[...] and I made Wild Pear and Elderberry Jam. The recipe was based on the lemon and pear jam recipe at The Cottage Smallholder (which they based on one in The Silver Spoon). I made quarter quantity, using 400 grams of pear [...]
[...] How about brandied pears, fantastic spooned over ice cream as a simple dessert? A batch of pear and lemon jam will also hit the spot in the cooler months on a piece of toast in the morning. If you’re [...]
[...] back to the internet and came up with a recipe for Pear and Lemon jam … and in a fit of domesticity (most unlike me … it must be The Spaniard causing me to [...]
I made this jam yesterday and it is delicious. How long do I need to leave it before opening the jars?
I made this tonight, tastes fabulous, I expect the wife and son will be having some on toast for breakfast!
Luv it.
Looking for recipes and this was really good
did if in the micro wave such a beautiful colour
2lb pears 2 lemons 2lb sugar, pectin made 4lbs of lovely jam thanks for the inspiration
[...] and fellow jam maker Paula, I’m going to make Pear and Lemon Jam using the recipe from the Cottage Smallholder with the addition of some stem ginger to add a warming kick and a Pære og Valnøddekage (pear [...]
I made this jam using half the water and it’s so nice that I decided to try it again, using cooking apples instead of pears, with a half teaspoon of ginger. This made a fabulous jam – sweet at first with a tang at the end. Thanks so much for the recipe – can’t wait for more pears next summer!
we have a conference pear tree in our garden and we have just given the fruit away to friends and work collegues (we have lived here five years)This year the wet spring and the use of codling moth traps has given us a bumper crop, 50% of which were undersized, which prompted us to look for a use for these fruit and jamming was top of the list. I liked this recipe for its natural use of lemon as a source of pectin and its simplicity. The 1 litre of water does take a long time to boil down but this means it has a good long cooking time giving better results, the only deviation I made was to soften the pear chips on their own before spooning it into the blender (took five loads to do it all) to make a smoother mix, before pouring it back into the pan and adding the other ingredients. the result is better than I could have ever predicted, great taste and great consistancy! Currently making a second batch which has spent less time in the blender to make a medium mix and using 3/4 litre of water to cut the boil down time from 2 hours to 1 1/2 hours. Thanks for posting this recipe which has given me the confidence to give it a go!
[...] found a really good recipe for pear and lemon jam I’ve altered the recipe slightly, which produced better results than the original. Be [...]
Hmmm, just made this and I had to boil the jam for an hour before I achieved a setting point. The jam is now an amber colour so I hope the taste won’t ne impaired as I was hoping to donate it to a charity sale.
I have just made this and added no water at all. I used the juice from 3 average lemons and just dropped the pears in – it didn’t look dry so I left it. I would imagine it’ll never set if you add water. After the sugar dissolved I did a rolling boil for about 15 mins – 20 at the outside. I have an odd half jar over, which I can turn upside down with no movement, so it has set. The actual jam is soft to spread and absolutely lovely. I’ll be making this one again.
I made this last year and it was lovely so have actually made two batches this year, I always add the water and it has always worked and always set as it should. The only thing I do which is different to the recipe is to use a stick blender to make it smooth once the sugar has disolved. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!