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Slow-Cooker White Wine-Poached Pears

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high

Yield

Serves 6

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker White Wine-Poached Pears

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine ¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams) sugar ½ vanilla bean 6 (2-inch) strips lemon zest 5 sprigs fresh mint 3 sprigs fresh thyme ½ cinnamon stick ⅛ teaspoon salt 6 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears (8 ounces each), peeled, halved, and cored

Before You Begin

For the best texture, look for pears that are neither fully ripe nor rock hard; choose those that yield just slightly when pressed. We recommend a medium-bodied dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. 1. Whisk wine and sugar together in slow cooker until sugar has dissolved. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds. Stir vanilla bean and seeds, lemon zest, mint sprigs, thyme sprigs, cinnamon stick, and salt into wine mixture. Nestle pears into slow cooker, cover, and cook until skewer inserted into pears meets little resistance, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.
  2. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to shallow casserole dish. Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened and measures about 1⅓ cups, about 15 minutes. Pour sauce over pears, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Serve.
Slow-Cooker White Wine-Poached Pears
Photography by Keller + Keller.

Slow-Cooker White Wine-Poached Pears

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high

Yield

Serves 6

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams) sugar
½ vanilla bean
6 (2-inch) strips lemon zest
5 sprigs fresh mint
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cinnamon stick
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears (8 ounces each), peeled, halved, and cored

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams) sugar
½ vanilla bean
6 (2-inch) strips lemon zest
5 sprigs fresh mint
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cinnamon stick
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears (8 ounces each), peeled, halved, and cored

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams) sugar
½ vanilla bean
6 (2-inch) strips lemon zest
5 sprigs fresh mint
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cinnamon stick
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears (8 ounces each), peeled, halved, and cored

Why This Recipe Works

Here we poached pears in sugar-sweetened white wine with fresh herbs, lemon zest, vanilla, and cinnamon. But for a sauce thick enough to coat the pears, we needed to reduce it on the stovetop. Chilling the pears in the sauce allowed the fruit to absorb even more flavor while taking on a lovely translucent appearance. 

Before You Begin

For the best texture, look for pears that are neither fully ripe nor rock hard; choose those that yield just slightly when pressed. We recommend a medium-bodied dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. 1. Whisk wine and sugar together in slow cooker until sugar has dissolved. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds. Stir vanilla bean and seeds, lemon zest, mint sprigs, thyme sprigs, cinnamon stick, and salt into wine mixture. Nestle pears into slow cooker, cover, and cook until skewer inserted into pears meets little resistance, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.
  2. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to shallow casserole dish. Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened and measures about 1⅓ cups, about 15 minutes. Pour sauce over pears, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Serve.

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