These Port Poached Pears are delightfully flavourful with the perfect balance of wine, warm spices, sweet and fruitiness. They can be easily made ahead of time for a simple and elegant holiday dessert that everyone will love!
Choosing the right type of pears to poach is important. Firm pears like Bosc or Anjou work the best. They keep their shape when cooked and are mildly sweet which works perfectly for pairing with other flavours. Make sure they’re ripe by checking if the skin near the stem is a bit wrinkly and has a slight give. I’ve used 4 large pears for this recipe, but if your pears are small you can probably poach 6-7. You’ll need a large pot that will keep the pears submerged in the wine and still have a bit of room to move around.
What Is Port?
Port wine is a type of wine from northern Portugal that is usually served at dessert. It tends to be a bit sweet, which is why I personally like it. If you don’t have Port any red wine that you love to drink will certainly work too.
Tips For Making Poached Pears
- Use only ripe firm pear varieties like Bosc or Anjou (not Bartlett pears!)
- If you want to serve the pears standing up, cut a small flat slice off the bottom before you cook them.
- Port can be substituted with any type of red wine that you love to drink.
- Handle the pears gently when you’re rotating them in the wine as they mark and get dents very easily.
- Let the pears soak overnight in the wine mixture in the fridge. This will give them a deep red stain and enhance the spices.
- Make sure to drink the leftover wine. It’s delicious when sweetened and warmed.
Why You Will Love These Port Poached Pears
✓ Elegant and sophisticated dessert
✓ Great for entertaining as it can be made a day before
✓ Filled with delicious warming winter spices
✓ Equally delicious served warm, cold or with vanilla ice cream
✓ And we can’t forget that gorgeous deep shade of red!
I hope that these poached pears become a holiday favorite in your home as they are in ours and happy eating always!
Port Poached Pears
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe Bosc pears (or any firm variety)
- 1 bottle port
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cloves
- 1 star anise
- peel of half an organic orange
- juice of one orange
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel half of the orange trying not to get too much of the white pith. Place the peels in a large pot along with the Port, red wine, sugar cane, spices, orange juice and bring to a low boil. Use a pot that will keep the pears submerged in the wine and still have a bit of room to move around.
- In the meantime peel the pears. If you want to serve the pears standing upright, cut a small slice off the bottom of the pears so that it is flat.
- Once the wine mixture has come to a boil turn down to a low simmer and add the pears. Let them simmer for about 30 minutes, gently rotating the pears periodically so that all the sides get submerged. They're ready when they're soft enough that a knife can easily pierce through.
- Take the pot off the heat and let it cool to room temperature, keeping the pears in the pot. (This will help stain the pears a darker red). Once they are at room temperature they can be eaten but I recommend leaving them to soak overnight in the wine mixture in the fridge. They will become a deep red and the spices will be enhanced.
- Serve them cool from the fridge or at room temperature. They're delicious as is but are even more so when served with vanilla ice cream. The leftover wine is delicious to drink warm. Heat to a low simmer and add more sweetener if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
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