Freezing Pears

[cecil39]

Have any of you good people ever frozen pears? and was it a success? I have so many robin and conference pears that I am giving them away, and would like some idea's of what else to do with them, we have just had some poached in clove and Demerara syrup but can't have that every day.

[Buenchico]

A quick Google Shopping search for 'frozen pears' doesn't bring up any results, which strongly suggests that frozen food manufacturers don't think that it's a commercially viable way of preserving pears. So, if the likes of Bird's Eye, Findus, Farm Foods and Iceland don't think that it worth doing, you probably shouldn't expect great results.

However there are plenty of websites which suggest that it's possible if you freeze the pears in syrup. (Commercial companies probably think that it's easy to tin pears in syrup, rather than to freeze them in it). See here
http://www.pickyourown.org/freezing_pears.htm
and here:
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/freezing-fruit/qt/How-To-Freeze-Pears.htm

[dzug2]

You can stew or poach them and freeze the result in individual or larger portions

[society]

You could make a pear compote and add a bit of prunes in it.
I make this every year when pears is in season. I serve it on ice cream, in hot cereals or as a snack when I feel peckish.

[cecil39]

Thanks, that's all very helpful,

[boxtops]

I'd cook them and bottle them - they keep for ages

[quizzkid]

We have just taken all our Conference Pears off our tree, bumper crop this year, so I stew them add a little sugar then when cold I put them into pudding size portions ready for crumbles or I add them to a pack of cooking apples, which I have already made into apple sauce, and make pies with them. I have never tried bottling.