This recipe yields 7 quarts

Prepare for Canning

• Fill a canning pot with water, set the lid in place, and heat on high heat until boiling. It can take awhile for the water to come to a boil, so get it started before you begin.
• Gather the jars you'll use, making sure each is clean and free of nicks in the rim, which could impede sealing. Wash jars and place empty jars into the canning pot. This keeps the jars warm and helps avoid temperature shock when pouring hot ingredients into the glass jars.
• Bring a small pot of water to a simmer and turn off the heat. Drop the rings and flat lids into the water and leave them there until you're ready to screw them onto the filled jars.

Canning the Pears

• Combine sugar and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut pears into halves, quarters, or chunks. To prevent darkening, put cut pears into a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid or 6 crushed vitamin C tablets (500 mg) per gallon of water.
• When sugar water boils, drain pears and add to the pot of hot syrup; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer hot pears into quart sized jars, leaving 1/2" head space. A canning funnel makes this easy. Add syrup to cover, maintaining that ½” headspace.
• Run a de-bubbling tool, plastic knife, or chopstick between the jar and the fruit to release trapped air. Re-check headspace and add more syrup if necessary.
• Wipe jar rims to remove any syrup that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
• Place lids centered on the jar rim. Screw bands on finger tight.
• Use a jar grabber to gently submerge jars into hot water in the canning pot. Water should cover the top of the jars by an inch or two. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a boil and then set the timer for appropriate process time.
• Process pints for 20 minutes, quarts for 25 minutes 0-1,000 feet altitude; 25/30 minutes 1,001-3000 feet; 30/35 minutes 3,001-6000 feet; 35/40 minutes above 6,000 feet.
• Remove jars from water using the jar lifter and transfer to a solid, towel-covered surface. Listen for the popping sound of the lids sealing (a canner's favorite sound!). Check seals after an hour or so. Lids should be solid and pulled down tight. (If they flex and pop, the jar didn’t seal; put unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use those first).

  Allow sealed jars to cool for 24 hours.
• Remove rings and wash outsides of jars. Store in a cool dark place.