Wash five pint jars, lids, bands, and tools in hot soapy water and dry with a clean kitchen towel. Place the jars inside the water-bath canner and fill canner with enough water to cover the jars by 1-inch. Place canning pot on the stove.

Place the self-sealing lids in a small saucepan with enough water to cover the lids. Cover.

Make the pear honey. If you like smooth preserves, blitz the pears, lemon juice, and pineapple in a food processor and then place the puree in a large stainless-steel stockpot or enamel Dutch oven. Otherwise, use a potato masher to smash the pear slices and pineapple chunks with the lemon juice in the pot. Add sugar to the fruit. Stir to combine. Cook on medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Adjust the heat if necessary and stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Thirty minutes into cooking the pear honey, turn the heat on high under the water-bath canner. Turn the heat on medium-low under the small saucepan with the lids. Adjust heat if necessary under the small saucepan to maintain a simmer.

When the pear honey is as thick as you like and the water in the canner is boiling, get ready to can. Remove the jars from the canner and pour out any water. Place the jars on a towel-lined countertop. Ladle the pear honey into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Use a thin spatula to stir the contents of the jar to release any air bubbles. Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean damp towel. Place a lid on each jar and then twist on a screw band until tight.

Place the jars back in the canner and process for 10 minutes. When done, remove jars and place several inches apart on a towel-lined countertop. Let cool to room temperature. You should soon hear the "pop" of the lids, signaling a job well done. Pear honey can be enjoyed immediately.

Read the story + other recipes: Putting Up Pickles And Preserves

From Pickles & Preserves: a Savor the South® Cookbook by Andrea Weigl. Copyright 2014 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press.