Red Wine Pears
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus steeping
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 6slightly underripe small pears
- 1(750-milliliter) bottle medium-bodied dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
- 1¼cups/250 grams granulated sugar
- 1teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 4whole cloves
- 1(2-inch-long) cinnamon stick
- Crème fraîche or ice cream, for serving
- ⅓cup pomegranate seeds, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
371 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 70 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 58 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 10 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel the pears top to bottom, leaving them whole, with stems attached and the core intact.
- Step 2
Put the pears in a large, wide nonreactive pot (enameled or stainless steel) in one layer. Add the wine, sugar and spices. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted encounters no resistance. Remove from the heat and transfer the pears to a deep container, leaving the liquid in the pot.
- Step 3
Heat the poaching liquid over high and boil down until it is reduced by half. (You should have about 2½ cups syrup.) Pour syrup over pears, and refrigerate overnight if possible.
- Step 4
To serve, put each pear in a soup plate and spoon over a little of the red wine syrup. Add a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of ice cream, and finish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Kathy Watson
I live in the country's greatest pear growing region, Oregon's Hood River Valley, so I make these frequently, but with a few amendments/variations. I often add strips or orange or lemon zest, whole allspice berries, a few tablespoons of brandy, or use late harvest Gewurztraminer instead of red wine. For a more savory dessert, serve with a wedge of blue cheese instead of the creme fraiche.
lee
If you use a melon baller to take out the the core (go in from the bottom) it makes it easier to eat and the syrup flavours the pear from the inside and outside.
JoAnne Trimbur
I make a variation on this with ground cardamom and orange peel instead of the cloves and peppercorn, using a mix of sugar / honey / orange juice as my sweetener. I have served it with crème fraîche, or ice cream, or mascarpone cheese. This is one of my go to holiday desserts
Jennifer
Bosc pairs work. Regardless of the type, I slice the pear in half and scoop out the core with a melon ball scoop. This is an awesome dessert btw.
Dr Alana
I made this today so haven’t tasted it yet because it is sitting overnight. After also looking at my old Time Life French cookbook, I cut the pears in half and cored them before putting them in the wine spice brew and added vanilla.
Gina
I have made these pears for many years. I core them before cooking, and, before serving, slice them into fans, and serve on top of an almond-scented and -flavored custard (frangipane), chilled, with a drizzle of red currant sauce (jam, heated and thinned a bit with some brandy), OR I make a plain vanilla custard and drizzle the pears with dark chocolate sauce.
WK
Poaching pears in wine syrups is one of autumn's pleasures. Red wine is lovely, but so is a white wine syrup with a vanilla bean in which pears and slices of quinces simmer, the quince turning the syrup a beautiful coral color.
AD
I served these to guests last night; so easy and utterly delicious! I'll definitely be making them again.
Casey
A friend and I made a version of this a long time ago. He fixed Bosc pears in a red wine syrup and I made a pound cake. The combination, with a little whipped cream, was so delicious! The pound cake absorbed the syrup on the plate. One of my favorites. Can’t wait to try this version!
Sue
Any! I prefer them at room temperature, but chilled is refreshing (and helps dampen the sweetness, if they came out a bit sweeter than you'd prefer), and even warm is possible if you want mulled wine vibes.
Ron Nemirow
The reason that there are so few notes to this recipe may be because there’s nothing to add. Really good and easy.
Almost Pearfect
Learned the hard way to not reduce the sugar content in the syrup -- it's too runny without the full complement of sugar! And despite the refrigeration, these pears are best served warm
Polly
Does this make an actual simple syrup? It doesn’t seem like enough sugar.
Elizabeth
I’ve made poached pears over the years, often with a vanilla bean, some lemon peel, or some creme de cassis among the ingredients. When I chose this recipe I feared it might be too plain but it’s absolutely delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing. The syrup is quite sweet so creme fraiche goes very nicely along side the pears. Such a lovely dessert.
Laura Berg
Halve pears (lengthwise) to poach.
shelleytee
These are just wonderful and super easy to prepare. I made a couple of slight changes. I cored the pears slightly (with a 1/4 teaspoon) and added a strip of orange zest. I found that the pomegranate seeds were unnecessary. I garnished mine with a bit of good quality dried and sweetened orange slices and dollop of plain yogurt. I forgot the ice cream. I didn't miss it at all.
DKLA
Beaujolais was perfect with Bosc pears, orange peels -then finish with vanilla ice cream and the wine reduction syrup - definitely a hit!
Elisheva
I had an excess of small pears and decided to try this recipe. I made this almost as written. We only drink wine on Friday nights so I had what was left of the bottle, and used that with a little water. Pears were very small so I used 7. They were actually very ripe, so I was worried they'd fall apart, but they held up well. Anyway I did the recipe otherwise as written (so minor changes only). The red wine sauce is truly delicious, and my whole family enjoyed this with vanilla ice cream.
Dr. Z
Core the pears from the bottom; it makes for much easier eating & less waste. Coring will reduce cook time; monitor doneness accordingly. After reducing the syrup volume, pour the liquid through a sieve to remove the peppercorns & whole cloves. They often embed in the pear flesh and are unpleasant to bite down on. I’d hate for that to happen to a guest, ruining their delight in eating these gems! I then add some ground cloves & black pepper to the liquid, pour over the pears.
Ron Nemirow
The reason that there are so few notes to this recipe may be because there’s nothing to add. Really good and easy.
MTM
Help me with the math. A bottle of wine is 3 cups. To get 2 1/2 cups of syrup after reduction means that you would have to have 5 cups of wind after any loss due to poaching. What have other cooks done?
ParkCooking
Any thoughts about using Asian pears? Thanks!
WK
Poaching pears in wine syrups is one of autumn's pleasures. Red wine is lovely, but so is a white wine syrup with a vanilla bean in which pears and slices of quinces simmer, the quince turning the syrup a beautiful coral color.
Abby
What temperature are these best served at?
Sue
Any! I prefer them at room temperature, but chilled is refreshing (and helps dampen the sweetness, if they came out a bit sweeter than you'd prefer), and even warm is possible if you want mulled wine vibes.
Steve Muni
I sometimes take this in a different direction using a sweet white wine, lots of strips of lemon peel, and about an inch-long knob of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks. Leave the pepper but pull the cinnamon and cloves. I will core the pears from underneath with a melon baller, or if I'm lazy, just peel, quarter and core them.
RobinF,CA
Love the gewurztraminer suggestion!
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