How to make slow cooker poached pears (video)

I have never canned anything in my life, but I hate food waste, so I use other preservation methods to give things a longer, though by no means indefinite, shelf life. Poaching fruit is one such technique. It’s great for preserving, adds subtle sweetness and can transform almost any fruit into a dessert. The result is elegant sweetened fruit that makes a lovely dessert or breakfast.

My favorite fruit to poach is pears. They absorb the liquid without losing their shape, and they become fork-tender without falling apart. You can poach fruit in almost any liquid (wine, tea, fruit juice), but a simple mixture of water, sugar, lemon and spices is my favorite, adding sweetness and warmth to the pears without overpowering them. Serve these plain or with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. You can also pair them with Greek yogurt and granola for breakfast.

Pro tip: After poaching, you can turn the poaching liquid into a sauce. Pour into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid reduces by half and is thick and syrupy. Serve over pears.