Easy Poached Pears Recipe (With Video and Step-by-Step)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

8

If you're looking for a quick, hands-off way to cook one of autumn's most delicious fruits, try our easy poached pears. Poaching is a classic technique that involves submerging food in liquid and cooking it at a relatively low heat. This method ensures that ingredients don't dry out and cook as evenly as possible. Poaching is a particularly good technique for more delicate ingredients, including fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken breasts, fish filets, and eggs.

Pears are particularly fabulous when poached. They have a semi-firm, juicy flesh that holds up well to this cooking method. We poach sweet Bosc pears in a slightly tart, acidic apple cider poaching liquid flavored with fresh lemon, cinnamon, allspice, and black pepper. The pears cook gently, absorbing all the delicious flavors. Once they are tender, the liquid is cooked down until it is thick and syrupy. Whether you're serving this dessert for holiday guests or family dinner, top it off with a drizzle of leftover poaching liquid, add a dollop of whipped cream, and enjoy.

What Is Poaching?

There are two types of poaching methods—shallow and deep. With shallow poaching, the ingredients are partially submerged in the poaching liquid. Deep poaching requires the food to be completely covered in liquid. While the type of poaching method you choose will depend on what you're poaching, each technique will start with cold ingredients. By slowly heating the poaching liquid, the food will cook evenly and thoroughly each time.

Our poached pear recipe uses a shallow poaching technique. As the pears cook, simply rotate them occasionally to ensure they are cooking evenly on each side. We also use a piece of wax or parchment paper to cover the fruit as it cooks. This not only helps avoid oxidation and keeps the pears from turning brown, but it also helps trap some steam, which encourages even cooking.

When poaching fruit, we like to use a liquid that has both sweetness and acidity. In this recipe, we use apple cider, but wine is a popular choice.

The Best Pears to Use for Poaching

Our go-to varieties of pears for poaching are Bosc, Anjou, and Bartlett. Each of these types of pears is quite firm, so they hold their shape and texture when cooked.

When choosing pears at the farm stand or supermarket, look for ones that are still firm and just beginning to ripen. They will be packed with flavor but won’t dissolve or become mushy when poached.

Coring Whole Pears for Poaching

Coring a whole pear is a lot simpler than it might seem. Start by peeling away the skin with a vegetable peeler, leaving a smooth surface. Then, use a melon baller or a teaspoon measure to gently scoop out the core, starting from the blossom (non-stem) end of the fruit. You can do the same with other fruits like apples.

Working with a firm fruit will make this process easier since you can get a good grip on the pear without worrying about it turning to mush.

Can You Make Poached Pears Ahead?

Yes, you can and should make poached pears ahead of time. You need to allow them and their poaching liquid to cool down, so you can serve them chilled. We suggest making them up to a day ahead, but no longer than that. Keep the pears tightly covered to prevent any odors from the refrigerator from permeating the fruit.

How to Serve Poached Pears

Serve the poached pears with a drizzle of poaching liquid and a spoon and knife.
Place over a bed of mascarpone, ricotta, or crème fraîche.
Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and top with a generous dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet and a drizzle of store-bought or homemade caramel sauce.
Chop them up and use them as a condiment on a cheese board.

Directions

Grant Webster

Make poaching liquid:

In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.

Grant Webster
Poach pears:

Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife but not falling apart, about 20 minutes.

Grant Webster
Remove pears:

Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.

Grant Webster
Reduce poaching liquid and serve:

Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon.

Grant Webster
Add syrup to pears:

Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate.

Grant Webster
To serve:

Slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or lemon sorbet, if desired.

Grant Webster

Grant Webster

Frequently Asked Questions

How ripe should pears be for poaching?

Pears used for poaching should be ripe but firm. Pears that are too soft won't hold up well when submerged in liquid for more than a few minutes—they will become mushy.
Should I peel the pears before poaching?

Yes, you should peel pears before poaching. This is because the skin of pears can be tough depending on the variety, and it tends to have a bitter bite to it because of tannins. We use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin before poaching. Also, removing the skin makes the pears poach quicker.
How do you keep pears covered while poaching?

To keep pears covered while poaching, we use a piece of wax or parchment paper cut to fit the pan opening or a lid that is slightly smaller than the pot they are cooking in. Using a lid will weigh them down and keep them submerged in the poaching liquid. If they bob up out of the poaching liquid, exposing pear flesh, they will not cook evenly, and the exposed flesh may brown.
Can I reheat poached pears?

Yes, you can reheat poached pears. We enjoy them chilled, but if you do want to reheat them, do so gently in their poaching liquid on the stovetop. Cover and cook over medium-low heat just until warmed through. To check their temperature, insert a thin-bladed knife into the center of the pear for a few seconds, then pull it out. If the blade feels warm to the touch, they are ready.