Homemade Peach-Pear Chutney: Preserving Summer’s Sweet & Tangy Bounty

Capture the essence of summer’s generous harvest with this delightful Peach-Pear Chutney. This bright, fruit-forward condiment is a symphony of sweet and tangy flavors, designed to elevate an array of dishes. By canning a batch now, you’ll secure a supply of this exquisite homemade chutney, ready to enhance your meals and delight your friends throughout the colder months.

The peak of summer brings an unparalleled abundance of fruit to our orchards and local markets. For weeks, I’ve been indulging in luscious cases of sweet California pears and succulent, golden Okanagan peaches. There’s nothing quite like biting into a perfectly ripe piece of fruit – eyes closed, juice dripping down your chin, lost in pure, unadulterated pleasure. This seasonal ritual, savoring fruit at the very pinnacle of tree-ripened perfection, is one of life’s simple joys. It always renews my vow to resist buying peaches in the dead of winter, a promise I inevitably break, only to be met with the familiar disappointment of tasteless, straw-like fruit. Oh, how we never learn!

But right now, in the heart of harvest season, those peaches and pears are nothing short of heavenly. This is the moment to enjoy them fresh to our hearts’ content, and crucially, to preserve their vibrant flavor for the months ahead. A couple of weeks ago, I dedicated time to making several batches of my zesty spicy peach salsa. Now, it’s time to bring back an old family favorite: this delectable Peach-Pear Chutney.

This sweet and tangy peach and pear chutney has been a cherished family staple for years, made in large double batches long before our children were even born. We rely on it to add a burst of flavor to countless meals throughout the year. It’s a permanent fixture on our canning shelves, and if I ever find myself down to the last jar – a rare and slightly alarming occurrence – I know it’s time to spring into action and make another batch, pronto! The satisfaction of seeing those beautiful, jewel-toned jars lined up is truly immense.

When tomatoes are heavy with their intense, unrivaled “tomato-ness,” pears are sweet and buttery, and peaches are juicy, tangy balls of sunshine, transforming them into jars of this heavenly chutney requires little more than some vinegar and sugar. The natural sweetness and acidity of the fruit do most of the work, creating a condiment that is both complex and refreshing.

This isn’t a fiery, intensely spiced chutney, like many traditional Indian or British varieties. Instead, it’s a lighter, fresher take, brimming with generous chunks of fruit. This approach allows the natural flavors of the peaches, pears, and tomatoes to truly shine, offering delightful bursts of sweetness and tanginess. It’s an incredibly versatile accompaniment, exceptionally good with any type of grilled, roasted, or pan-fried meats and poultry. Imagine it alongside a succulent pork chop, a perfectly seared chicken breast, or even a robust holiday ham.

The original recipe I’ve used for years yields double the quantity provided here. I’ve thoughtfully halved it for you to make it more approachable for first-time canners or those with less fruit to process. Personally, when I have my canning equipment out and am in the rhythm of chopping, I still tend to make at least a double batch. We consume a significant amount of it, and these glowing jars of Peach-Pear Chutney make absolutely lovely, thoughtful hostess gifts. Plus, properly sealed and processed jars will easily keep their quality for up to two years, ensuring you have this taste of summer whenever you desire.

Crafting Your Own Peach-Pear Chutney: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making this chutney is a rewarding process, involving a few simple steps: preparing your produce, cooking down the ingredients, and finally, sealing it for long-term enjoyment. Let’s walk through the journey of transforming fresh fruit into this delicious preserve.

Gather Your Vibrant Produce

The foundation of any great chutney is fresh, high-quality ingredients. You’ll need beautifully ripe peaches, succulent pears, and juicy tomatoes. Complementing these fruits, you’ll also incorporate crisp red bell pepper and aromatic onions, which add depth and balance to the flavor profile.

The Art of Peeling: Tomatoes and Peaches

To ensure a smooth, pleasant texture in your chutney, peeling the tomatoes and peaches is an essential step. This is made incredibly easy through blanching. Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While the water heats, prepare your tomatoes: score a small ‘X’ into the bottom of each one. This simple cut allows the skin to loosen and peel away effortlessly once blanched.

Carefully immerse the scored tomatoes into the boiling water for just a few seconds – usually 30 to 60 seconds is enough. Immediately transfer them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. This rapid cooling halts the cooking process, making the skins incredibly easy to slip off. Repeat this process for the remaining tomatoes. The results will be perfectly peeled, ready-to-chop tomatoes.

Apply the same blanching method to your peaches (for detailed peach peeling tips, see here). Once peeled, prepare the tomatoes by cutting them horizontally across their equators. Gently squeeze each half to remove excess juices and seeds. This step is crucial for preventing a watery chutney. Next, coarsely chop the tomatoes, peel and dice the pears, and dice the peaches. As you dice the fruit, immediately transfer them to a large pot or bowl and toss them with the vinegar. This simple trick helps prevent the pears and peaches from browning, preserving their beautiful color and freshness.

The Spice Bundle: Infusing Flavor

A key element of any great chutney is its aromatic spice profile. To easily infuse these complex flavors without having whole spices dispersed throughout your finished chutney, create a small spice bundle. Lay out several layers of cheesecloth or a piece of clean cotton muslin fabric. Pile your whole pickling spices onto the center of the fabric.

Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie them securely with cotton kitchen string, forming a tight bundle. This little packet will allow the spice flavors to permeate the chutney as it cooks, and you can easily remove it before jarring. Drop this fragrant bundle into the pot with your prepared fruits and vegetables, ensuring it’s submerged to release its full aromatic potential.

Simmering to Perfection

With all ingredients combined and the spice bundle submerged, it’s time to cook your chutney. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer. Allow it to cook, uncovered, for about an hour. During this time, the chutney will thicken, and the flavors will meld beautifully. Remember to stir occasionally, especially as it thickens, to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pot. You’ll know it’s ready when the chutney has reduced sufficiently and is bubbling with a rich, glossy consistency.

Filling and Sealing for Longevity

Once your chutney has reached its perfect consistency, it’s time to preserve it. This involves carefully filling and sealing your canning jars. Ensure your jars are sterilized and hot, and your snap lids are simmering in water to keep them hot and ready for sealing. These critical steps ensure food safety and long-term storage of your delicious homemade condiment.

Your meticulous efforts will be rewarded with a magnificent treasure trove of jewel-toned jars, each containing the vibrant essence of summer’s bounty. This Peach-Pear Chutney will be a delightful addition to your pantry, ready to be enjoyed all year long, bringing a touch of sunshine to even the dreariest winter day.

Beyond Chutney: More Peachy & Peary Delights

If you find yourself with an abundance of peaches and pears, or simply can’t get enough of their delightful flavors, explore these other fantastic recipes:

• Vanilla Canned Peaches
• Spicy Peach Salsa
• Hot Curried Peaches (Perfect for holiday feasts!)
• Gourmet Pear & Pastrami Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Nourishing Buddha Bowl with Grilled Pear, Quinoa, and Tangy Pear Vinaigrette
• Elegant Sautéed Pears with Rich Chocolate Sauce
• Comforting Ginger Pear Tarts
• Healthy Kale Salad with Cranberries, Pear, and Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Festive Poppyseed, Pomegranate, and Pear Salad
• Unique Artichoke, Pear, and Pine Nut Pizza with Homemade Mozzarella
• Irresistible Bacon Bundles – Pear and Bacon Appetizers
• Delicate Confetti Crepes with Fresh Pears, Toasted Hazelnuts, and Chocolate Lentil Creme
• Rich Spiced Pear Cranberry Sauce with Red Wine and Honey

It’s the perfect season to get your peach, pear, and tomato on!

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Kitchen Frau Notes: My original recipe for this chutney was very mild, with no chili flakes. Over the years, I’ve found that adding just a touch of chili flakes enhances the depth of flavor without introducing significant heat. However, if you prefer a spicier chutney, feel free to increase the amount of chili flakes to suit your personal taste. Remember, the beauty of homemade is that you can always adjust to your preference!

Peach-Pear Chutney Recipe

Yields 7 pints, plus a small amount for immediate sampling

Ingredients:

• 10 large ripe tomatoes (~5 lbs / 2.27 kg)
• 5 large ripe peaches (~2½ lbs / 1.13 kg)
• 5 large ripe pears (~2½ lbs / 1.13 kg)
• 3 large onions (~1¾ lbs / 0.8 kg)
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1½ cups (360 ml) distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups (400 grams) sugar (organic evaporated cane sugar recommended for best flavor)
• 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes / crushed red pepper (adjust to taste for more heat)
• 1½ tablespoons mixed pickling spice
• Cheesecloth and cotton kitchen string (for the spice bundle)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Separately, prepare a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. Using a sharp knife, score a small ‘X’ into the skin at the bottom of each tomato. This scoring helps the skins loosen easily during blanching.
2. Once the water is boiling rapidly, carefully drop about half of the tomatoes into the boiling water. Allow them to heat for approximately 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, swiftly remove them from the boiling water and immerse them directly into the ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Blanch the remaining tomatoes in the same manner. Do not discard the blanching water yet.
3. After a brief cool-down in the cold water, the skins should slip off the tomatoes effortlessly. Peel each tomato and remove the core. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally (around their equators), then use your finger to gently scoop out and discard the watery juices and seeds from each section. Place the tomato halves, cut side down, onto a plate to drain any remaining liquid. Once drained, coarsely chop them and transfer them into a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot.
4. Prepare the Peaches: Reheat the same pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop the peaches into the boiling water. Leave them in the water for 30 to 60 seconds (depending on ripeness), then immediately remove them to a bowl of ice water. After a short cool-down, the peach skins will easily slip off. Cut the peaches in half around the pit, gently twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them, and then remove the pit. Cut the peaches into wedges, then dice them into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes. Add the diced peaches to the tomatoes in the stock pot. Immediately add the distilled white vinegar to the cut fruit to prevent the peaches from darkening and to maintain their vibrant color.
5. Prepare the Pears: Peel, core, and dice the pears into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes. Add the diced pears to the mixture of tomatoes and peaches in the stock pot.
6. Prepare Other Vegetables: Dice the onions, and core and dice the red bell pepper. Add these diced vegetables to the fruit mixture in the pot.
7. Add Sweetness and Spice: Stir in the sugar, fine sea salt, and dried red chili flakes (if using, adjust quantity to your spice preference).
8. Create the Spice Bundle: Lay out several layers of cheesecloth or a piece of clean cotton muslin fabric. Pile the mixed pickling spices into the center. Gather the corners of the fabric and tie them securely with cotton kitchen string to form a tight bundle. Trim down any excess fabric at the top of the bundle. Drop this spice bundle into the chutney mixture, ensuring it is fully submerged under the fruit and vegetables. This will allow the spices to infuse their complex flavors without scattering whole spices throughout the chutney.
9. Cook the Chutney: Bring the peach-pear chutney mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for approximately 1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent the chutney from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to ensure even cooking. The chutney is ready when it has thickened considerably, reduced in volume, and is bubbling gently with a rich consistency.
10. Prepare for Canning: While the chutney is simmering, sterilize your canning jars (refer to the “HOW TO STERILIZE CANNING JARS” section below for various methods). Place your new snap lids into a small pot of barely simmering water to keep them hot and ensure a proper seal. Wash, rinse, and drain your jar screw-rings and have them readily accessible.
11. Fill and Seal Jars: Carefully ladle the hot peach-pear chutney into the hot, sterilized pint (500ml) or half-pint (250ml) canning jars. Fill each jar, leaving a ½ inch (1 cm) headspace from the top rim. Use a clean butter knife or a specialized canning tool to gently run down the sides of the inside of each jar. This helps release any trapped air bubbles, which is crucial for a proper seal.
12. Wipe the rims of the filled jars thoroughly with a clean, damp cloth to remove any chutney residue, as even a small particle can prevent a seal. Place a hot, sterilized snap lid on top of each jar. Screw on the lid rings until they are “finger tight” – meaning only as tight as you can get them using just your thumb and index finger, without overtightening.
13. Process in a Boiling Water Bath: Immediately transfer the filled and sealed jars to a boiling water bath canner (refer to “HOW TO PROCESS JARS IN A BOILING WATER BATH” below for detailed instructions). Process the jars for 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude if necessary).
14. Cool and Store: After processing, remove the jars from the water bath and place them on a clean towel on your counter. Allow them to cool completely and undisturbed for 12-24 hours. During this time, the lids should “pop” as they seal.
15. Check Seals: Once cooled, check the seals: the center of each lid should be concave and not flex when pressed. If any jar has not sealed, store it in the refrigerator and consume it within a month or two.
16. Final Storage: Tighten the rings on all sealed jars and store them in a cool, dark place. This chutney will keep for up to several years.
17. Flavor Development: For the best flavor, allow the jars to rest for at least one week, preferably two, before consuming. This allows the flavors to fully meld and deepen.

Guten Appetit!

HOW TO STERILIZE CANNING JARS (4 convenient methods):

Sterilizing jars is essential for safe canning, eliminating bacteria and ensuring your preserves last. Choose the method that best suits your equipment and preference:

• Dishwasher Method: Run your clean jars through the hottest cycle of your dishwasher. Leave them inside the dishwasher with the door closed after the cycle finishes to keep them hot until you are ready to fill them. Remove only a few jars at a time to maintain their temperature.
• Boiling Water Method: Wash your jars thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinse them well. Place a clean dishcloth on the bottom of a large stock pot or canner (this prevents the jars from bouncing and cracking). Carefully place the rinsed jars into the pot, ensuring they are completely submerged under water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and boil the jars for a minimum of 10 minutes. Keep them in the hot water until ready to fill.
• Oven Method: Wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse them. While still wet, set them upright (without lids) onto a clean cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in a preheated oven at 225°F (110°C) for 20 minutes or more. Keep them in the warm oven until you need them, removing a few at a time to fill.
• Microwave Method (for individual jars): For quickly sterilizing a single jar, wash it in hot soapy water and rinse. While still wet, place the jar (without a lid or metal ring) into the microwave. Microwave one jar at a time on high power for 60 seconds. This method is not recommended for multiple jars simultaneously.

HOW TO PROCESS JARS IN A BOILING WATER BATH:

Water bath canning creates a vacuum seal that safely preserves high-acid foods like chutney:

1. Prepare the Canner: Place a rack in the bottom of a large canner or a deep stock pot. If you don’t have a canner rack, a clean dishcloth laid flat at the bottom will work to prevent direct contact with the pot and reduce rattling.
2. Load the Jars: Carefully place your hot, filled, and sealed jars onto the rack in the canner. Ensure there is sufficient space between jars for water circulation. Do not overcrowd; you may need to process in several batches.
3. Add Water: Pour hot water into the canner until it covers the tops of the jars by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). If necessary, add more hot water.
4. Boil and Process: Bring the water in the canner to a full, rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover the pot with its lid. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a vigorous boil without boiling over. Process the jars for 15 minutes. Note: If you live at a higher altitude, you may need to increase processing time. Consult a reliable canning guide for altitude adjustments.
5. Cool Down: After the processing time, turn off the heat. Carefully remove the canner lid. Allow the jars to rest in the hot water for about 5 minutes before removing them. This helps prevent siphoning and aids in a stronger seal.
6. Remove and Cool: Using canning tongs, carefully lift the hot jars straight out of the canner. Place them upright on a clean towel or cooling rack on your counter, ensuring there is space between each jar for air circulation. The towel helps prevent temperature shock that could crack the hot glass jars when placed directly on a cold counter.
7. Check Seals: Do not disturb the jars for 12 to 24 hours while they cool completely and seal. You will often hear a ‘ping’ sound as the lids seal. After cooling, check each seal by pressing down on the center of the lid. If the lid is concave and does not flex up and down, it is sealed. If a lid is still slightly bulged upward or moves when pressed, it did not seal. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use them within the next month or two.

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You might also like these vibrant preserves:

Sweet ‘n Spicy Peach Salsa

Classic Saskatoon Pickle

Fresh Saskatoon and Green Apple Chutney

Zesty Fresh Mango Salsa