4 to 6 pounds firm, ripe Bartlett or Bosc pears (about 10 medium)
3 cups sugar
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
- Core and peel pears. Finely chop enough pears to measure 8 cups. In a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, combine pears, sugar, honey, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in rosemary. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture sheets off a metal spoon, stirring often. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.
- Ladle hot preserves into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.
- Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Makes 7 half-pints.
Nutritional information per tablespoon: 44 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 0 g protein
