I need advice on pressing pears!!!

[thedrunkdutchman]

I need advice!!! I ran a bushel of pears through my grinder and press setup and it was a bit of a disaster. I have a WhizzBang style grinder made from a kitchen disposal and a farm duty motor to replace the disposal's weak motor. And for the press I use a modified harbor freight h-frame press, used like a rack and cloth style press. I let the pears sweat for 5 days. Then after grinding them, I built my cheeses like I do with apples and as I started applying pressure, everything started sliding out the sides. Ended up doing one layer at a time, applying pressure very slowly, and it took half a day to get it all pressed. What could/should I have done differently? Would I have had the same problems if I used proper perry pears?

 

[gregbathurst]

I press my pears when they are still a bit firm.

 

[hawkwing]

Use a juicer instead. Works great on apples.

Just to add that a Breville centrifugal juice works a lot faster and doesn’t plug and is easier to clean than a Kuvings masticating juicer.

 

[DaveC73]

I've read that pears are notoriously difficult to press. Apparently adding rice hulls to the pomace helps, but I've never tried this so can't say for sure.

 

[madscientist451]

The only method that has worked for me is to freeze ripe pears whole (use buckets in a chest freezer),
then let the pears thaw and place whole in a basket press. I have a Breville juicer and I tried that, it didn't work for me, created too much foam. Grinding them like apples and pressing didn't work either, the pulp just wouldn't give up the juice.
One method I didn't try: Press apples in the regular way, but save the pressed apples, then grind the pears and mix with the already pressed apples.
I've tried to make perry 5-6 times using different kinds of pears I can get around here and the results have been disappointing, I've pretty much given up. When I have time, I cook down the pears and make pear honey which is good on toast. Perhaps pear honey could be mixed with water and fermented?
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/75639/pear-honey/