From the last of the first batch of pears, I made my first vinegar. It isn't 'done' yet, and I don't know how it will turn out, so I haven't told you about it. But it looks right according to all of the pictures I've looked at and all of the information I have read. I'm excited to finally try making vinegar. I wanted to and had to because my friend Grace also tried her first batch out of the same pears, and she started hers before I did. Today she is making her first ever batch of soap, too, something we have yet to do. Good for her, I hope it turns out perfect.
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| Bowl of very ripe pears, vinegar crock, pig bucket, pan for pear sauce |
After I brought home the last batch of pears, I decided that pear sauce would be a good thing to make. Since we aren't eating any sugar and haven't in almost a year, I was thinking pear sauce, made out of the really ripe, dripping pears would make a good sweetener for things like winter squash pie. Pears have a good amount of carbohydrates like sugar, but there is no processing or additives in these pears. The tree hasn't even been pruned, sprayed or fertilized for, well for as long as anyone can remember. The only thing I did to make pear sauce, was peel and core the pears and cook them down. The vinegar got the peels and the pigs got the cores and seeds. I did add a tablespoon of citric acid powder, just because. The sauce has cooked down to a beautiful golden brown. It was canned in the water bath for 20 minutes. I think the next time I try making a pie, without a crust, I'll add about 1/4 cup of pear sauce for sweetener and see how that tastes.
Since the first batch of vinegar seems to be doing it's thing correctly, it actually made some 'mother'. I decided that I should start more vinegar, this time in the five gallon crock instead of the one gallon. I'll give you many more details about the vinegar once the first batch is 'finished' and I find out if it actually worked. For now, know I am once again experimenting on us an hope it works and doesn't make us sick. That is always one of Frank's concerns, and rightly so, but I just tell him we're not dead yet.
The pigs really, really like the pears, and so do the chickens. I am truly grateful for this abundance of food, for us and the animals, and the people that are so willing to share. I hope I am able to share something with them sometime that they will enjoy as well.
Until next time - Fern
Nice post. I was looking out a window this morning into rather heavy snow storm at the apples still hanging on the trees, I think I am pretty much done for the season.
ReplyDeleteCarl in the UP
Thank you, Carl. Enjoy the beauty of the snow and keep a watchful eye upon the world.
DeleteFern
Many years ago when living in IN we had a huge pear tree. I made pear sauce the same way you did. I used it in recipe that called for applesauce and didn't add any sweetener. We used it as a condiment on the table - was very good with pork and chicken. We added it to oatmeal. Cooked some down even more for pear butter - that we used on home-made bread as snacks, on biscuits with a slice of ham for breakfast and truth be told just on a spoon when we needed something sweet.
ReplyDeleteGreat information, Bellen, thank you for sharing it with us. It makes me hungry just reading your comment!
DeleteFern
We learn something new every day, and today was my day to learn about pear sauce. I had not heard of pears being used in that way before. Pear trees are not plentiful in my neck of the woods, but I wonder if other sweet fruits could be used in the same way. I am interested to see how your vinegar turns out, for that is something I would like to try. Thank you, Fern, for continuing to broaden my education. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed you get such a good harvest with no care. I have just planted three pear tree seedlings and am hopeful--but I expect to have plum curculio problems. A nearby apple tree put on a good crop, but I had to cut around substantial insect damage in some of the apples.
ReplyDeleteI have never used suga when I make applesauce and was surprised when I found people did. The tart apples made a tart and tangy sauce good for using with pork and meats...the sweeter apples made dessert and suace to add to cakes and treats. I do occasionally add cinnamon or nutmeg.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your vinegar experiments as we have the three unknown apple trees we will hopefull be getting apples from next season. As to my sauerkraut...I think the storeroom may be bit too cool for fast fermenttion but we did try it and it is "Krautish".
It is so good for ones brain to do these experiments in the old skills we all used to have. God Bless you!
I'm thinking - pigs + vinegar + pears = pulled pork w/ homemade pear bbq sauce! ~~Sassafras
ReplyDeleteI hope you share how the vinegar turns out. I have never thought to make vinegar!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post at Our Simple Homestead Hop this week :)
I will be going an article on the vinegar once it is 'finished', Sandra. It is a very interesting process. Thanks!
DeleteFern
Looking forward to your vinegar article, especially to hear how you will use it. I have some apple cider vinegar fermenting (is that the correct term?) right now.
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