MARTHASTEWART.COM

Slow-Cooker Pear and Apple Butter

Place this spread in decorative jars for gifts, but save some for yourself -- it's great on toast or pancakes.
Everyday Food, December 2010
  • Yield Makes 6 cups
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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 5)
  • 2 1/2 pounds McIntosh or Gala apples (about 5)
  • 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Directions

  1. Peel, quarter, and core pears and apples. In a food processor, finely grate fruit (in batches if necessary), then transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in dark-brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on high, 4 hours.
  2. Remove cinnamon stick and reserve. Transfer mixture to processor (in batches if necessary) and process until smooth. Return to slow cooker, along with cinnamon stick, and cook on high, uncovered, until mixture is thick and browned, 4 hours. Discard cinnamon stick and let mixture cool. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate, up to 3 weeks, or freeze, up to 3 months.

Recipe Reviews

  • Phwoosh
    4 Jan, 2013

    After reading the reviews, I decided to turn the heat to low and simmer it for 2 additional hours with the lid off. It gave it the perfect consistency, but it also reduced what I got by half. Instead of 6 cups, I got just over 3. Worth the tradeoff? I'll let the people I give it to decide.

  • GldnGrl72
    18 Aug, 2012

    Too runny. I was looking for a consistancy of something heartier than a sauce/puree. Perhaps I will try draining the pear juice prior to throwing them into the crockpot.

  • JShoe64
    28 Feb, 2012

    I've not made this, but it sounds wonderful. Amy, since you said it turned out more like a "sauce" than a "butter". Do you think it it cooked longer or with the lid 1/2 off it would thicken up to be more of a butter or do you think it is missing something to thicken like corn starch?

  • AmyGressell
    5 Jan, 2012

    I made 15 beautiful jars for Christmas gifts this year. Mine turned out more like "sauce" than "butter" but it was still easy and delicious!

  • jjwelsh72
    5 Nov, 2011

    I made this last year and intend to make it again this year. It's a very easy recipe and the end result is incredibly delicious.

  • titab
    2 Mar, 2011

    This was very easy to make and my kitchen smelled wonderful all day while it cooked. I reduced the sugar from one cup to 1/2 cup as I don't like things too sweet. The flavor was good, but the sweetness was still pretty intense. The brown sugar kind of overpowered the flavor of the fruit. Next time I will reduce the sugar further to 1/4 cup.