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A mildly spiced and sweet pear chutney. It’s also really simple to make. Once you’re done with the chopping you can literally dump and simmer. There are countless ways to use this chutney, so it’s always worth making a decent batch!
What is it?
Chutney is a condiment which hails from the Indian subcontinent originally. Traditionally it’s made with fruit which is cooked for a long period and softened, although you can also get vegetable-based chutneys. Typically chutneys have a mixture of flavours – sweet, sour and spice.
This chutney combines sweet pears with apple cider vinegar and light brown sugar. Everything is gently simmered for a long period to help the flavours infuse and the juices to reduce into a thick sticky liquid that coats the pears. Delicious!
What can you eat it with?
This chutney is the perfect pairing for a cheeseboard. It goes particularly well with creamier cheeses such as brie or goats cheese, or tangier cheeses. You can also serve this alongside meats. I served this recently with this slow cooker pork belly and it was divine!
How can you thicken it?
If you are finding that there is too much liquid left in this chutney then most likely you need to cook it for longer. While I typically find around an hour is good to reduce the liquid, this can vary depending on the heat you have used and also the number of portions you are making.
More portions means more liquid, which will take longer to reduce (unless you increase the pan size, and therefore the surface area). I cook this at a fast simmer – which means constant bubbling. If you cook it at a lower temperature then it will take longer.
What pears are best to use?
You really can use pretty much any pears for this recipe. The most important thing is to make sure that they are a little under-ripe and firm. You want them to keep their shape while cooking and not disintegrate into a jam-like texture.
How should you store it?
Make sure you use a sterilised jar to store the pear chutney. To do this wash the jar well in hot, soapy water. Once washed place the jar in a warm oven (around 150C/300F) for around 20 minutes, until bone dry. Allow to cool and then spoon the chutney in a refrigerate.
The chutney will keep for up to 3 months in the fridge, or you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
Ingredients
For this pear chutney recipe, you’ll need a few simple ingredients. The main ones being pears and sugar along with some spices, garlic and ginger.
How to make it
First make sure you have chopped the pears into small, fairly uniform sizes. Add all the ingredients into a large saucepan and then place over a medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar has dissolved.
Adjust the mixture until it has reached a fast simmer – with constant bubbles reaching the surface, but not enough so that the mixture is aggressively moving and boiling. Leave to cook for around 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced. When you can scrape a wooden spoon through the bottom of the pan without liquid pooling into the gap you’ve left then it’s done.
If you are looking for more great chutney or dip recipes then check out:
Products that work well for this recipe:
Charcuterie Slicer
Linen Bread Bags – 2-Pack
Bamboo Lotus Serving Board
Pear Chutney
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
A mildly spiced and sweet pear chutney. Plus, it’s super simple to make! Works great as part of a cheese platter or smothered over crusty bread.
The default recipe makes around 8 portions
Ingredients
- 550g /19oz firm pears, peeled and diced
- 60g / 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 60ml / 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp allspice (or one whole allspice, crushed)
- 1 tsp ginger paste (or 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a large saucepan and season well. Stir to combine.
- Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a light simmer. Leave to simmer for around 45 minutes – 1 hour until the pears have softened (but not lost their shape) and the juices have reduced. You should be able to run a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pan and it to leave a gap along the bottom that doesn’t pool with the liquid.
- Allow to cool and then place into a sterilised jar (see notes below). The chutney will keep for 1 month in the fridge.
Notes
- To sterilise the jar wash it well under hot soapy water. Then transfer to a warm oven (around 150C / 300F). Leave for 20 minutes until dry and cool before using.
- While you can use more varieties of pear for this recipe, make sure to use ones which are a little under-ripe and firm.
- You can swap ground cloves for the allspice, cinnamon for the nutmeg and thyme for the coriander. Feel free to customise to make it based on your tastes/what you have in.
- The flavours in the chutney will develop more over time, so it’s actually best to make it a few days in advance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Chutney
- Method: Hob
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 72
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Protein: 0g
Keywords: pears, chutney, side, sauce, cheese plate, condiment
