Pear Chutney
Chutney is the bridge between sweet and savory that belongs on every cheese board, alongside roasted pork, or spooned over a block of cream cheese with crackers. This version uses fall pears and warms them up with ginger, mustard, and vinegar. It improves with age — make it now, enjoy it all winter.
Time: 45 minutes · Yield: About 3 half-pint jars
Ingredients
- ●4 large ripe pears (Bartlett or Bosc), peeled, cored, and diced
- ●1 small onion, finely diced
- ●½ cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
- ●¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ●½ cup packed brown sugar
- ●1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ●1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- ●½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ●¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ●¼ teaspoon salt
- ●Pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
- Combine everything in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes. The pears will soften and the liquid will reduce to a thick, jammy consistency. The chutney should coat a spoon and hold its shape.
- Taste and adjust — more vinegar for tang, more sugar if the pears were very tart, more cayenne for heat.
- Ladle into clean jars while hot.
- *Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 1 month. For canning, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Properly canned, it keeps for a year.
- *Seasonal note:** Pear chutney is one of those things that tastes good when you make it and tastes incredible after a month in the jar. The flavors meld and mellow. If you can resist opening it immediately, you'll be rewarded. Use Bosc pears for a chutney that holds its shape, or Bartlett for one that breaks down into a smoother consistency.
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