Slow Cooker Vanilla Caramel Pear Butter
Posted on 04 October 2013
It’s October, the best month of the year! That means it’s slow cooker month!
J’adore the slow cooker. Frankly, I’m not sure why I don’t use it more often. Typical recipes made in the slow cooker are perfect when it’s chilly outside, but it’s also practical when it’s oppressively hot since cooking doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
But you know that I am a little crazy (cray-cray, if you will) for using the slow cooker to make fruit butters. Having been burned a lot by burbling fruit butters on the stove, I am willing — nay, eager — to endure the lengthy burn-free cooking times of slow-cooker fruit butters.
Last year for Can It Up, October brought what is possibly the most popular AFB recipe of all-time: Slow Cooker Vanilla Rum Apple Butter. This year, I adapted a different recipe for pears.
Have you ever heard of Warren pears? I hadn’t until this past weekend, but they may now be my favorite fall fruit. They are smooth, sweet, and buttery, unlike the gritty supermarket pears with which I was raised. Although I used uglies for this recipe (because you know I like a good deal), the bulk ended up being Warrens.
As the pear butter cooked down, Matt (a.k.a. Mr. Taste Tester) inquired what type of alcohol was included. The answer? None. The brown sugar caramelizes, thereby lending the pear butter a lightly toasted flavor with rummy overtones — but rum-free.
That means this preserve is perfect to share with your friends and family with children or those who otherwise appreciate booziness without the actual booze. Hooray!
What is your favorite fall fruit?
Last year: Slow Cooker Triple Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
Instructions
Adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
70 responses to Slow Cooker Vanilla Caramel Pear Butter
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I used the same ingredients as you. However, I went the much simpler route when actually making it (throw all of the ingredients in the crockpot for ten hours, wake up the next morning and use the immersion blender until smooth and then can the jars). It was delicious! Thanks!
Kim, yay! Glad that you were able to simplify the recipe for your own purposes!
[…] this vanilla caramel pear butter, recipe courtesy of All Four Burners. It is delicious, and easy, and cooks down in the slow […]
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I have a tree hanging so full of pears the limbs are breaking!!
I have to try this…and the pear sage preserves…my sage is knee high and l will be drying it soon so l need to do this this weekend!
Thanks for the great ideas!!
BeBe
BeBe, enjoy!
this was so easy and so amazing. I put the ingredients in the slow cooker overnight. I water-bathed canned the next morning before work. thank you for sharing.
Tracy, awesome! I’m glad that you enjoyed it.
I have some in the crockpot tonight and am wondering how to do the water bath canning….can you share? I’ll google it if you don’t see this in time.
Have you ever tried freezing fruit butters instead of canning? I have loads of pears from a tree in our yard but don’t have any canning supplies. I’m totally new at this! I tried plum freezer jam and it is delicious so I’m encouraged to try more.
Kari, I haven’t ever tried freezing fruit butters or jams, but my mother-in-law does it every year. It’s supposed to be way easier than water-bath canning since you don’t need to worry about the acidity levels. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
I’m making this today and am using 2 c. of sugar rather than 3-4 and it’s PLENTY sweet! I used a combo of Bartlett and some Japanese pear variety (which is super sweet). I just added all the ingredients to my slow cooker and hit it with an immersion blender when the pears got soft. Also I added the caviar of one Madagasgar vanilla bean and let the bean pod simmer in the pear mixture entire tim. I think this really enhances the deep caramel flavor! I plan to heat process can it and give it as holiday gifts.
Natalie, I’m glad that you liked the recipe. The sugar in canning recipes acts as a preservative, in addition to adding sweetness. Your pears may have been sweeter than mine.
Anyone tried doubling? Going to try this one later today but have more than 20 pounds.
Melissa, oh my! I would try making multiple batches. Otherwise, your cook time will be ridiculously long. Good luck!
Hi, I’m just about to try your recipe. I’m curious about the canning lid holder in your photo. Can you please explain about it and where you have it from. It looks like a great thing.
Thanks,
Heidi
Heidi, I assume you’re referring to this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CF39X/? It used to be that you had to soften the adhesive on canning lids for them to function properly. I’ve read more recently that Ball no longer recommends that, though I haven’t tried it myself. Sooo…that’s the holder, but maybe do some research to find out whether the adhesive on your lids needs to be softened.
Amanda, it should be on low. I updated the recipe to be explicit about that — thanks for the catch!