Poached pears in red wine are one of the simplest desserts to make for adults but are so elegant they’ll impress any dinner guest! Perfectly seasoned, tender and naturally delicious!
Poached pears in red wine
The poaching process is one of the simplest ways to transform fresh fruits or vegetables into something delectable. These perfect poached pears in wine are the best way to complete your meal! Make your next holiday party or dinner party unforgettable by surprising your guests with this incredibly simple but elegant dessert recipe.
You might think poaching pears in red wine is an idea designed for people with cooking skill, but it’s really easy to make, and the result is one of the most delicious desserts you’ll ever eat.
Other fruit desserts you will love:
- Blood orange bundt cake
- Sugar free no bake lemon pie
- Fried apple fritters
- Apple roses in puff pastry
- Baked pears
What is best red wine for poaching pears?
Pears can be poached in either red or white wine, though for this recipe we’ll focus on how to perfect red wine poached pears. If you want to try it with a white wine though try a Pinot Grigio and some fresh ginger! For these poached pears in red wine there are a few different wines that would work well depending on personal taste and preference.
If you want more of the pear flavor to come through opt for a lighter Pinot Noir. If you prefer to taste more of the spiced wine flavor in the pears try a Zinfandel, and for an even balance a Cabernet Sauvignon should do the trick!
Which pears are best for poaching?
The type of pear used also makes a big difference when it comes to poached pears in red wine. Try to use pear varieties that are firmer and do not bruise easily like Bosc or Anjou. Forelle pears also work well for wine poached pears. These types of pears work well because they stay firm and hold their shape when cooked.
I would recommend avoiding Bartlette pears as much as possible, they’ll lose their shape quickly and become mush in the poaching liquid. Also try to find pears that are not overly ripe but more on the firm side; it’s okay if they’re not quite ripe because when you poach the pears in wine, they will become soft and sweet on their own!
How do you keep peeled pears from browning?
Once your poaching liquid is ready, you’ll add your pears! Be sure to peel them right before adding them to the poaching liquid so they don’t turn brown while you wait for your wine. If you need to peel the pears a bit in advance you can always submerge them in cold water and lemon juice to keep them from oxidizing and turning brown before you poach the pears in red wine.
You’ll also want to leave the stems on so your wine poached pears have a beautiful presentation! This will also help you in the poaching process as a place to grab and move the pears without damaging the fruit itself.
What is the best pan to use for wine poached pears?
It’s a good idea to use a deeper sauce pan for your wine poached pears. This way you will have enough room in the pan for the pears to be submerged properly and a little wiggle room to poach evenly. Since the pears are larger near the bottom, I recommend placing them in the pan upright to begin with.
After about 10-15 minutes gently tilt the pears on an angle to poach the smaller top section. It’s also a good idea to turn them every so often just to be sure the pears in wine poach evenly.
How do you eat poached pears in red wine?
Table manners indicate that you should eat these desserts with a fork and a knife and I could not agree more as this is the best, easiest and cleanest way to serve pears in wine. Simply cut the fruit into slices, around the core and eat.
A spoon could be used too, if fork and knife are not available. In this scenario, handling the fruit from the stem with the opposite hand turns out to be of great hep!
How long do poached pears keep?
These poached pears in red wine will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Save the liquid and before serving the pears, warm them up in the liquid if you want to serve them warm or hot. They’ll taste great when served cold too.
Can you freeze poached pears?
You can freeze pears in red wine for up to 3 months if you freeze them together with the liquid. Place them in an air tight container that is freezer friendly, together with the liquid. Thaw in the fridge the night before then warm them up in the liquid before serving.
Tips for making the best poached pears in wine
When making poached pears in red wine you’ll want to begin by simmering your wine with the sweetener of your choice. There are many different options of sweetener you can use to sweeten the wine up: white sugar, brown sugar, honey or even artificial sweeteners.
You’ll also want to add your spices to your wine while it simmers to let all of the flavors come together before you add the pears. If you want your wine poached pears to taste a bit fruitier try adding some fresh blackberries and raspberries to your wine! Just remember if you choose to add the fruit, you’ll want to strain the pulp and seeds out before you poach the pears but leave the spices.
If you want more of a punch with the alcohol flavor you can even add a splash of whiskey or bourbon to the wine! Since it’s simmering most of the alcohol should cook out.
Time to get down to the cooking, let’s prepare a dish with a lot of taste which is incredibly delicious, and very quick to prepare.
What do you need to make poached pears in red wine?
- Firm pears (I used Bosc pears)
- Red dry wine (I used Merlot)
- Granulated sugar – you could replace with brown sugar, honey or sweetener
- Orange juice
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whipped cream – optional, for serving
- Ground cinnamon – optional, for serving
How do you make red wine poached pears?
- Start by peeling your pears. Make sure to leave the stems on.
- In a medium size pot, add the red wine, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Make sure to stir occasionally so the sugar dissolves.
- Once the wine cooks, bring the heat down to low, add your pears and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender and dark red/burgundy in color.
- Let the pears cool off completely before serving. You can serve it with whipped cream and cinnamon, or vanilla ice cream.
I hope you liked this recipe and decided to give it a try! I would love to know your thoughts on this recipe so feel free to leave a comment bellow!
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Poached pears in red wine
Equipment
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 firm pears I used Bosc pears
- 1 bottle red dry wine I used Merlot
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange juice
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Whipped cream optional
- Ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Start by peeling your pears. Make sure to leave the stems on.
- In a medium size pot, add the red wine, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Make sure to stir occasionally so the sugar dissolves.
- Once the wine cooks, bring the heat down to low, add your pears and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender and dark red/burgundy in color.
- Let the pears cool off completely before serving. You can serve it with whipped cream and cinnamon, or vanilla ice cream
Adele Aiken says
If I plan to freeze the pears, would it help to slightly undercook them. Can they be frozen whole or is it better to halve them
petro says
Hi, Adele. I wouldn’t undercook or halve them them before freezing.