Recipe: Asian Pear Jam

Hi,

I am just about to make this recipe....heading to the kitchen next. We're using it in this month's public demo on exotic and tropical fruits. It does have 2 tablespoons of bourbon in it.....I think you can omit it without problems if you don't care for liquor in your preserves.

Enjoy!

Asian Pear Jam
Source: Jams, Jellies and Preserves
Yield: 5 half-pints

4 cups peeled, cores removed, and chopped Asian pears
2 cups fresh currants, carefully removed from stems
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
4 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon

Put all of the ingredients into a heavy 4-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and cook until a temperature of 218-220 degrees F. is reached, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard any foam that accumulates on the jam. To prevent the jam from separating in the jars, allow the jam to cool 5 minutes before filling the jars. Gently stir the jam every minute or so to distribute the fruit. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by sliding a nonmetallic spatula between the jar and food; press gently on the food to release trapped air. Repeat procedure 2 to 3 times around jar. Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth. Apply lids that have been treated according to manufacturer directions. Center heated lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly until a point of resistance is met-fingertip tight.

Process in a hot water bath at 190F for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; set them upright on a towel to cool. Bands should not be retightened. Let jars cool 12 to 24 hours. After jars are cool, test for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. If the lid does not flex up and down, the lid is sealed. Remove the bands. Wipe jars and lids with a clean, damp cloth. Label and store jars in a cool, dry, dark place.