8 Sweet and Savory Pear Recipes That are Pear-fect for Fall (2024)

FAQs

What are the best pears for cooking? ›

You'll want to choose pears that hold together well when making poached, baked, or grilled pears. Look to the crispest raw pears to find those that can withstand heat. The popular Bosc pear is the best option. Anjou pears are another top choice and Concorde and French butter pears are also reliable.

Culinary Uses

Try a sliced Bartlett atop a garden green salad with your favorite dressing. Or, simply serve freshly sliced Bartlett wedges with cheese for an appetizing snack. Always remember that any recipe calling for apples can be made using fresh pears... and Northwest Bartlett pears are an excellent choice!

Bartlett Pears: Bartlett pears are a classic choice for fresh eating. Look for pears that are yellow or greenish-yellow with a slight blush. They should yield slightly to gentle pressure near the stem when ripe. Comice Pears: Comice pears are exceptionally sweet and buttery, making them perfect for snacking.

Remember, don't refrigerate an unripe pear!

Ripened pears can be used at once or put under refrigeration (35º to 45º F) until you want to use them. Refrigeration will delay further ripening but will not stop it altogether, giving you adequate time to include fresh pears in your menu planning.

Comice. Comice pears were originally cultivated in France. They're known as the sweetest pear variety, and are often the variety shipped in gift boxes. Because of this, they're sometimes given the nickname “the Christmas pear.” Comice pears have light green skin with a blush of pinkish red.

Traditional galbi marinade uses Asian pears which help to tenderize the meat. Although canned pears are typically Bartlett pears, they are an excellent substitute for this recipe, plus they are cost-efficient and have a sustainable shelf life..

Prepare by washing with cold water before eating. No need to peel, just slice pears in half and take out the core with a knife or melon baller. This fun fruit is high in fiber – which helps keep you full – and potassium, a powerful player in hydration, muscle and nerve functioning and regulating blood pressure.

Anjou pears are especially great for baking because they can withstand high temperatures. We love using them for pies and tarts.

Use Bosc pears in any recipe calling for cooking pears in which you want the whole, halved, sliced, or chopped pear to hold its shape while cooking. Use them to make desserts like a pear tart. Bosc pears are also delicious raw, especially sliced into salads.

Bosc pears have a more firm, dense flesh than other pear varieties, so they are ideal for use in baking, broiling or poaching. They retain their shape and texture better than other varieties, and their flavor is less likely to be overwhelmed by the use of strong spices like cinnamon, clove or nutmeg.

What are the best pears for sauteing? ›

Use any variety of pear you like including Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc, or any other variety. You can use firm unripe pears and also softer ripe ones. The only difference is how long they take to cook—unripe pears will take a little longer to soften up.