Since we are in the season of preserving products for the winter, here are 2 recipes for making dried and marinated pears.
Dried Pears
Wash the fruits, slice them thinly, remove all of the seeds. Put them in a solution of 1% tartaric acid (2 tsp (10 g) of tartaric acid per 4 1/5 cups (1 L) of water) to prevent them from browning.
Next, blanch the fruits no longer than 2 to 3 min. There are 2 options for the actual drying - in the oven or outdoors.
If you choose the 1st method, know that the initial oven temperature needs to be about 190°F (90°C). Gradually, reduce the temperature to 150°F (65°C).
If drying them outdoors, the pears need to be out in the sun for the first 2-3 days. The next step is to move them to a shady, ventilated area.
Keep in mind that 22 lb (10 kg) of fresh fruits produce about 4 lb (2 kg) of dried pears.
Marinated Pears
For this recipe you need healthy pears with a dense fleshy part. Clean the fruits of their seeds and stems and cut them up. Any bruised parts need to be cut off, this is not applicable to fruits with a thin and smooth skin.
If you've chosen hard pears, you need to blanch them for 1 to 2 min. in boiling water, containing citric acid (2/5 tsp (2 g) per 4 1/5 cups (1 L) of water). If you've chosen fruits that are more ripe, blanching is unnecessary.
The next step is to pack the slices tightly in jars. Pour in a hot marinade, made from 6 1/5 cups (1.5 L) water, 2 cups (500 g) sugar and 2/3 cup (150 ml) vinegar. Additionally, add 2 cloves and 1/5 tsp (0.5 g) of cinnamon to each jar.
After closing the jars, sterilize them for 20 min. Afterwards, pour cold water in the container used for boiling.
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