PREP: 20 minutes PROCESS: 20 minutes MAKES: 6 pints

Spicy Ginger-Red Hot Pears

What You’ll Need

Ascorbic acid color-keeper

6 lb. firm, ripe pears

4½ cups water

2 cups sugar

6 cinnamon sticks

6 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

12 tsp. red cinnamon candies

How to Make It

1. Prepare ascorbic acid color-keeper solution according to package directions. Peel, halve, core, and cut pears into wedges, placing wedges in an ascorbic acid solution as soon as they are cut to prevent discoloration.

2. For syrup, in a 6- to 8-qt. heavy pot combine the water and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Drain pears; add pears to syrup in pot. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 4 minutes or until pears are nearly tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Place 1 cinnamon stick, 1 Tbsp. ginger, and 2 tsp. cinnamon candies in each of six hot sterilized pint canning jars. Ladle hot pears and syrup into jars with spices, leaving a ½-inch headspace (there will be syrup left over). Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

4. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 20 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. (Canning tips, pages 461–466.)

PER ½ CUP: 122 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 3 mg sodium, 32 g carb., 3 g fiber, 0 g pro.

Peel pears, cut them in half lengthwise, and cut out the core using a melon baller or small measuring spoon. Place the cut pears in an ascorbic acid solution to prevent browning.