Tomorrow night I’m serving my version of the Van Tassel feast that Washington Irving wrote about in his famous spooky story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I’m serving ham and cheese hand pies, roasted chicken in a pumpkin, spiced peach cake, and to accompany it all I’m also making my favorite spiced pear chutney.
This chutney works great with chicken, pork, and duck and can also be served on a charcuterie board with rustic crackers and your favorite cheeses. Then, after dinner, we are off to walk our local Halloween Haunted Trail–with a flask of hot chocolate, of course. I hope you all have a wonderful Halloween-inspired weekend!
Spiced Pear Chutney
This is a delicious accompaniment to roasted chicken, pork, and duck. It's also wonderful with sliced ham and used as a spread on sandwiches. It's easy to make and is easily canned into 10 half pint jars.
Ingredients
- 6 lbs ripe pears peeled, cored & chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups golden raisins
- 1 lemon washed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 chile pepper washed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 Vidalia Onion small and finely chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
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In a 5-quart heavy saucepan, stir together all of the ingredients. Place on stove and bring to a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to simmer. Meanwhile prep 10 half pint canning jars and lids.
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Lower the heat to low and cook the chutney, stirring often, for 45 minutes, until the pears soften and begin to fall apart while you stir.
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The pears will now be soft and the mixture slightly reduced. So increase the heat to medium-high, stirring often. Cook until the mixture has been reduced by 1/3, about another 20-30 minutes.
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While the pear chutney is cooking down, prep the water bath canner. Sterilize the jars and two-part canning lids. Fill the water bath canner with water and bring to a boil.
Once the chutney is finished (if you move a spoon across the bottom of the saucepan, separating the chutney, it should take a few seconds for the thick mixture to fill in the space you made), spoon the chutney into the 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.
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Using a damp paper towel, clean off the jar rims until dry and clean. Place the lids on top and finger tighten the rings. Place the jars in the water bath canner. Process for 10 minutes. Meanwhile lay out towels on the counter.
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Remove the jars and place on towels on the counter. Wait at least 12 hours to check for a good seal. Place jars in a cool, dark cabinet until ready to use.
