Homemade spiced pear chutney recipe made with fresh pears and apple cider, flavoured with ground spices and cinnamon. A simple and delicious chutney that can be made and jarred in under an hour. Use with cheese and biscuits, serve up with roast chicken or pork casserole or why not save for using as a Christmas chutney or for a lovely foodie gift.
Add chopped shallots to a large pan with a little oil and fry gently until soft.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 medium Echalion shallots
Next add the chopped pears, apples and ginger to the pan and mix together.
3 large conference pears, 2 red Gala apples, 2 cm piece fresh ginger
Then add the cider, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mixed spice and cinnamon stick. Stir well and bring to the boil
350 ml apple cider, 75 ml white wine vinegar, ½ a lemon juiced, 250 g demerara sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 1 cinnamon stick
Simmer for 30 minutes, check and stir occasionally
After 30 minutes or so, the chutney should have started to thicken. Use a masher to help mush down any larger pieces of apple or pear. Continue to simmer, allowing the liquid to reduce, until you are happy with the consistency.
Transfer the hot pear chutney to sterilised jars. Screw the lids on right away so a tight vacuum seal will form as the sauce cools.
If you plan to eat the chutney that day or week then once the sauce has cooled, transfer to a dish or container, cover and keep the fridge until needed.
Notes
Pears: This recipe uses conference pears but any variety of pear will work well in this chutney.Apples: This recipe uses red eating apples, which keep their shape better than baking apples so results in a chunky textures chutney.Vinegar: Use a vinegar with at least 5% acetic acid. This will ensure proper preserving of the chutney and prevent spoilage.Demerara sugar: Sugar of course helps to sweeten the chutney but its also an important part of the preserving process, so don't leave it out.Cider: Cider gives a fantastic flavour to this pear chutney, however if you'd prefer an alcohol free version just replace the cider with apple juice.Mixed Spice: This is a ground spice mixture of cinnamon, coriander, caraway seeds, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. For a simple substitute use ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg.What makes chutney a chutney? Chutney is usually fruits or vegetables preserved in vinegar and sugar.Which vinegar is best for chutney? Any vinegar will work well in chutney as long as its contains at least 5% acetic acid, which will kill any bacteria and allow the chutney to be preserved without spoilage. The type of 5% vinegar you choose will be down to taste. For a lighter taste opt for white wine vinegar, for something stronger and sweeter choose an aged balsamic vinegar.To test the consistency: Spoon some of the chutney onto a small plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes. If you are happy with the thickness of the cooled chutney you can remove the pan from the heat. If not, continue to simmer if too thin, or add more cider/apple juice if too thick.Handling hot sterilised jars: For ease, use rubber gloves for handling hot jars and to ensure a tight grip when screwing on the lids.How do you sterilise jars? To sterilise the jars wash them thoroughly in soapy hot water, then rinse and place on a baking tray in the oven for 5 minutes at 150°C/300°F (until dry). Alternatively, put them through the dishwasher.How to seal the jars? Place hot pear chutney in hot sterilised jars (use a jam funnel for ease) and seal immediately by screwing on the lid. As the chutney cools a vacuum will form, pulling the lid in nice and tight.How to store? You can check the seal of the jars by pressing on the lid to make sure it doesn’t depress any further. Jars of pear chutney can then be stored in the cupboard for up to 6 months. If the lid does depress and a seal hasn’t formed you will need to use a water bath to ensure proper processing or alternatively store in the fridge for 4-6 weeks. Once opened, after proper sealing, refrigerate and eat within 1 month.