Keeping ripe pears for canning later

I picked my pears Labor day weekend like I always do but when I went to can them the following weekend only about 1/4 of them were ripe. Now the rest are all very ripe and there is no way I can get to canning them until Sunday (4 days). What is the best way to prevent them from being over ripe by then?

Best Answer

You could put them in the fridge, and hope they stay good, or you can blanch them and freeze.

Blanching:

Prepare the pears just like you would for canning (peel & cut).
Dip the pear in hot water (or water with sugar) for about a minute.
From the hot water, dip into an ice-bath.
Plastic bag/container and into the freezer.

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Quick Answer about "Keeping ripe pears for canning later"

Wash, peel and core each pear and slice it into thin, even wedges (no more than ¼” thick). Pre-treat pears to prevent browning by dipping them in a solution of ¼ cup lemon juice and 2 quarts water. Drain pears and load onto mesh dehydrating trays. Allow space around the wedges to ensure air flow.

How do you store fresh pears long term?

Pear Storage & Ripening Tips

Unlike other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out so by the time they are soft on the outside, the inside flesh may be overripe and mealy.

Ripe pears should be stored in a refrigerator set at 35 to 45 degrees.

Leave unripe pears at room temperature in order to induce ripening.

How do you preserve ripe pears?

Pears can be preserved in several ways: refrigeration, freezing, canning, or dehydrating. You'll want to choose the best method for you based on how long you'd like your preserves to keep. The most short-term method of preserving. Preserves can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months.

Can I raw pack pears for canning?

Raw packing pears simply means placing the peeled fruit in the jars without precooking them, filling the jars with syrup, and processing them in the canner. If you are preserving pears without additional added sugar (ex: sugar, honey, fruit juice), you must hot pack them.

Can you cold pack pears for canning?

Pack the pears into sanitized jars (leaving 1/2 inch space at the top) and cover with boiling sugar syrup leaving 1/2 inch head space. (If you don't cook or heat the pears first, this is called "cold packing"). Run a rubber spatula or table knife gently between pears and jar to release trapped air bubbles.

How to Can Pears with NO SUGAR - Step by Step Water Bath Canning Tutorial - Canning 101

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