Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: Bernardin
Safety reviewed: 09/18/2026
Processing details
Altitude adjustment: Use the exact altitude-adjusted schedule in the tested recipe card.
Source & provenance
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Safety classification
Tested recipe. Documented by Bernardin.
Processing details
- Method: Boiling-water
canning ; hot pack - Jar size: 250 ml jars
- Headspace: 1/4 inch (0.5 cm)
- Processing: 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m); follow Bernardin’s altitude guidance above that elevation.
Tested/documented source
Bernardin: Honey Pears — Bernardin. The primary source and WPRM card remain authoritative.
Preparation timeline
- Prepare the canner, jars, lids, and measured ingredients.
- Complete every preparation and cooking stage in the WPRM card.
- Hot-pack, process for jar size and elevation, wait 5 minutes, then cool upright for 24 hours.
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner with rack
- 250 ml jars with compatible lids and bands
- Large nonreactive preserving pot
- Jar lifter, funnel, and nonmetallic bubble/headspace tool
Visual method guide
- Prepare ingredients as documented.
- Cook to the source’s stated stage.
- Hot-pack and maintain 1/4 inch (0.5 cm).
- Process with jars covered by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of boiling water.
Safety essentials
Keep the tested pear, honey, orange-rind, and nutmeg proportions and the published 250 ml jar size.
Do not enlarge jar size or shorten processing time. Refrigerate any unsealed jar.
About this recipe
A thick pear preserve flavored with orange-blossom honey, orange rind, and nutmeg.
Before you begin
Read the complete recipe card and source, measure every ingredient, confirm your elevation, and prepare one tested batch at a time.
Altitude-adjusted processing
10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m); use Bernardin’s documented adjustment above that elevation.
Maintain a full rolling boil throughout processing.
Honey Pears — Bernardin
Ingredients
- 7 -1/2 lb (3.4 kg) medium ripe pears
- 1 cup (250 ml) orange blossom honey
- 1 tsp (5 ml) grated orange rind
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) grated nutmeg
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
Directions
- Place 7 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Keep jars hot until ready to use. Preheating Bernardin® lids is not advised.
- The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed.
- Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning. Wash and coarsely chop pears. Place in large, deep stainless steel saucepan. With a large spoon or potato masher, crush pears to release juice.
- Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat. Stirring occasionally, simmer about 20 minutes or until pears are soft. Pour cooked pears through a fine sieve, pressing with spoon to yield 10 cups (2.5 L). Purée pear sauce in food processor. (The purée step creates a silky smooth texture.
- If a more textured spread is desired, skip this step.) Return purée or strained pears to saucepan; stir in grated orange rind and nutmeg. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil; reduce heat and boil gently 45 minutes.
- Add honey; return mixture to a boil; boil gently again about 20 minutes or until Pear Honey mounds on a spoon or reaches desired thickness. Ladle hot pear honey into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar(headspace).
- Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more pear honey. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner.
- Repeat for remaining pear honey. When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 10 minutes.
- When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands. After cooling check jar seals.
- Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
- Processing: At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 10 minutes - 10 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 10 minutes
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Serving suggestions
Serve or use this preserve according to its fruit, condiment, or dessert profile.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a larger jar?
No. Use only the documented jar sizes and their matching times.
Can I change the formula?
Do not alter the tested formulation for shelf-stable storage.
Recipe context
A thick pear preserve flavored with orange-blossom honey, orange rind, and nutmeg. It is not interchangeable with an unprocessed refrigerator preparation.
Troubleshooting
Seal failure: Refrigerate the jar; do not store it at room temperature.
Spoilage signs: Discard the product without tasting.
Source and provenance
Primary source: Bernardin. Editorial organization changes only; tested directions remain in the WPRM card.