Using Homegrown Pears

[Don_Coyote]

I just picked some homegrown pears i plan to press and mix with my apples for cider. I've read that:

• the pears should be ripened some to produce the best flavor for cider
• the pears will be over ripe after a week
• the pears will not ripen properly unless exposed to temps around 30*F
• the pears will produce more juice if frozen

I don't want to press them for a few weeks, after i have all my apples picked. I figure i should freeze the pears to preserve them. Should i freeze them immediately? Do i need to thaw them a few days before pressing to allow them to ripen?

 

[BargainFittings]

Most varieties of pears do not ripen on the tree like apples. They will get a gritty texture:

Here is a good guide to pick and ripen up your pears:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/413

I pick my pears and ripen them in my walkin cooler at around 68 F

Then process them as desired. This year I steam juiced mine and made some perry.

 

[Don_Coyote]

That was one of the articles i had read that lead me to ask my questions. Unfortunately it is written more like a human interest piece than an academic article.

'Cooling' is a relative term, what temperature range are we talking? He mentions commercial growers cooling them at 30*F, are you saying you get good results at 68*? More generally, this and everything else i could find talk about how to make pears the right texture for eating- i suspect conditions for pressing are different or at least less demanding.

I've read around some more and it looks like the pears i have, being apple-shaped, are probably asian pears: http://www.epicurious.com/archive/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/visualguidepears It sounds promising for more interesting cider, but if so none of the information i am finding about pears in general would seem to apply...

 

[BargainFittings]

The cooling at 30 is for storage and to set them up to ripen. Cooling them to the 60s helps develop the sugars and they will ripen slowly.

All of that process if for texture for eating.

I just put them in my cool room to ripen as I am not looking for a perfect texture for eating.

 

[BargainFittings]

These were green a week ago

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