Pear/Vanilla Freezer Jam

I've always loved pears and in past years tried a few cooked pear jam recipes. Unfortunately, most of them seemed too much work for just a few cups of jam. Recently, Marian shared this wonderful recipe. It was easy and tastes wonderful!


PEAR - VANILLA FREEZER JAM

4 cups peeled, chopped pears (about 5-6)
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 c. + 2 Tb. fresh lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or substitute 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 pkg. pectin
4 c. sugar

Chop pears in food processor until finely chopped. Place pear, lemon rind, juice and vanilla bean (or extract) in a large saucepan. Stir in pectin. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in sugar; cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Skim foam from surface and discard. Remove vanilla bean. Scrape seeds into pear mixture; discard remainder of bean. Stir 5 minutes to evenly distribute fruit in jam. Cover and chill. Pour into containers.

Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 6 months.

NOTE: Although the original recipe calls for a vanilla bean, I was unable to locate one in the stores were I looked. In fact, most clerks had no idea what they were or where I would find one. An internet search recommended a 3/4 tsp - 1 tsp. vanilla extract substitution so this was what I used. However, an actual vanilla bean would have made a stronger vanilla flavor, and including the seeds would have left a dark fleck throughout the mixture that my jam didn't have.

Vanilla beans
(In case you want to know what they look like!)