Pears, 2018

A couple of years ago I got some Kieffer pears to try different preserving methods with.  I canned them, made preserves, and dehydrated some.  Last year there was no pear crop because of a late-March frost, which came after pears had bloomed but before apples started opening.  So this is the first crack I've had at them since that first time.

I got about 20 pounds and put half into the dehydrator.  This time I didn't peel any of them.  I quartered them, cutting out the core and seeds as previously; I only needed to use the melon baller on some.  Usually, once they are quartered, cutting the in- or less-edible portions out is pretty easy.

Next they went into the dehydrator for about 3 days at 135, emerging with dark brown skins and--as I recall from last time--a few sharp tips from the tops of the quarters.  They have to be eaten carefully or they can scratch gums and tongue.  Using an apple corer/slicer might work better, and I may try that at some point.  For now, this is okay, and the flavor is pretty good, as I noted before.  It's a good preservation method.