Old-fashioned Ginger Pears

jar of ginger pears

Pears are in season, and I’m always looking for tasty ways to serve them, so was intrigued by a hundred-year-old recipe for Ginger Pears. This is a recipe for canned pears with ginger. The sweet, warm, slightly peppery tang of the ginger added a new dimension to the pears, and turned what could be a mundane canned fruit into a taste treat.

Here’s the original recipe:

Jar of Ginger Pears — Source: Good Housekeeping’s Book of Menus, Recipes, and Household Discoveries (1922)

I assumed that “green ginger root” was just a more detailed term for ginger root.

And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Ginger Pears

Servings: 3 -4 pints
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: moderate
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4 pounds hard, green pears (about 12-15 pears)

3 pounds sugar

2 ounces ginger root, peeled and very finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

juice from 2 lemons

Peel and core pears, then thinly slice. Put the pears in a bowl and cover with sugar; let sit for two hours. Put the pears, including any liquid in a Dutch oven or large pan; add lemon juice and chopped ginger root. Bring to a boil using medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the pears are translucent and the syrup clear and thick (about 20 minutes). Periodically, gently stir while cooking.

Pack the pear slices and syrup into hot pint jars; fill to 1/4 inch of top. Wipe jar rim and put lid on. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com