These pears in red wine take one pot, a 15-minute prep, and then the stove does the rest. You simmer whole pears in red wine with cinnamon, star anise, vanilla and orange until they're tender and dark red on the outside. Then you boil the leftover wine down into a glossy, syrupy sauce that you pour right over the top. That's the whole recipe. It looks far more impressive than the effort involved, and most of that hour is just the stove doing its thing.
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Spiced poached pears
This recipe is a centuries-old European technique for infusing whole pears in spiced, sweetened red wine. It's a pretty hands-off fall or holiday dessert that can be made ahead and will have people talking.
Also known as French poires au vin rouge or mulled wine pears, they became a classic mid-century American dinner-party dessert. They were fancy, could be made ahead, and looked sophisticated without needing much technique.
The color is bold and eye-catching, and the contrast of textures and flavors (soft pear, creamy topping, sharp sauce and warm spices) is something to remember.
It's naturally gluten-free, keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, and develops deeper color and flavor when made a day ahead.
Testing notes
Paula's baking tips that make a difference.
Pick the right pear. I normally use Bosc pears, which are the most forgiving, with a dense flesh that holds its shape even if you go a few minutes over, or Bartlett pears, which taste a little sweeter and soften faster, so start checking a few minutes early. Anjou also works. Whatever you buy, it should feel firm when you press near the stem. Soft pears turn to mush before they take on any color.
Peel from top to bottom. Use a vegetable peeler and work in long strokes from the stem down. You'll get smooth sides that take the color evenly. Be careful around the stem so it stays attached.
Trim the bottoms. Slice a thin piece off the base of each pear so it stands up on the plate. If you want, scoop out the core from underneath with a melon baller or small spoon, being careful not to tear them. That makes them easier to eat with a spoon, and nobody runs into seeds.
The wine matters. Choose a wine you'd actually drink. The wine is the main flavor, so quality matters. It doesn't need to be expensive, but it should taste good on its own. Pick a dry, fruity red: Malbec is my favorite, of course, and Merlot, Pinot Noir or Zinfandel are great choices. Skip heavily oaked or very tannic wines. Reduced, they can make the sauce taste woody or bitter.
Turn the pears. One bottle of wine won't cover six pears, so the tops stay pale unless you turn them. Lay them on their sides and roll them a quarter turn every 5 to 10 minutes. A pot where they fit snugly helps the wine come up higher.
Check doneness with a knife, not the clock. Pears vary a lot. Slide a thin paring knife into the thickest part. When it goes in with very little resistance, they're done. Large or very firm pears can need a few more minutes. If necessary, remove them in batches.
Want more color? Wait a day. After 30 minutes in the pot, the pears are red on the outside and pale in the middle (see the cut pear in the photo). That's normal, and it looks nice. If you want color deeper into the flesh, let the pears cool and sit in the liquid overnight in the fridge before you reduce the sauce.
Don't over-reduce the sauce. The sauce thickens a lot as it cools. Take it off the heat when it coats the back of a spoon but still pours easily. If you cook it until it's thick in the pan, it can set into something closer to candy once it's cold. To test, put a drop on a cold plate; it cools fast so you can check consistency, just like we do for the strawberry jam.
Most of the alcohol evaporates as the pears cook, but not all. After about 45 minutes of simmering and reducing, a small amount of alcohol is left. If you're serving kids or anyone who avoids alcohol, this is not the right dessert. Some recipes call for pomegranate or grape juice to make an alcohol-free version, but I haven't tried them.
How to make red wine poached pears
All ingredients in a large pot
Besides peeling the pears, there's not much work on your side. Just add the wine, spices and flavorings to the pot and see the magic happen over low heat.
Red-colored pears
The wine will creep up the flesh of the pears and color them completely on the outside; the inside remains white. They should hold their shape and not be mushy, so don't overcook them.
Reduce the wine
Use medium heat and stop when the sauce is thick but still pourable. Go too far, and it can scorch or set like candy once cold.
Paula's tip
If the sauce got too thick and is hard to pour, warm it over low heat with a tablespoon or two of water or wine, stirring until it pours easily again.
Storage
Fridge: keep the pears covered in the reduced sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They keep absorbing color and flavor and honestly taste even better on day two.
Freezing: not recommended. Thawed poached pears turn soft and watery.
Extra sauce: keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, yogurt or pancakes, or serve it with a cheese board. Don't throw it away.
Make-ahead plan
This is a fantastic dessert to prepare in advance that will wow your guests! It works for dinner parties and holidays. We love these pears for New Year's Eve and Father's Day.
Poach the pears 1-2 days before, let them sit in the liquid in the fridge, then reduce the sauce on the day you serve them.
Serving from the fridge: they're great cold, at room temperature, or slightly warm. To warm them, heat the pears and sauce in a saucepan over low heat for a few minutes, just until warmed through.
Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears (Easy Make-Ahead Dessert)
Ingredients
- 6 firm Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, stems intact
- 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-4 whole cloves, see notes below
- 3 strips of orange peel
- 1 star anise pod, optional, see notes below
- 3-4 lightly crushed cardamom pods, not ground cardamom powder
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, stirred at the end
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
For serving:
- whipped cream
- chopped pistachios, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan large enough to hold the pears, combine 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine, 1 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 2-4 whole cloves, 3 strips of orange peel, 1 star anise pod (if using), 3-4 lightly crushed cardamom pods, 1 vanilla bean (if using extract, you'll add it at the end), and 2 tablespoons orange juice.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Meanwhile, slice a thin piece off the bottom of each pear so it stands upright. Add 6 firm Bosc or Bartlett pears and reduce the heat to low. The liquid should barely simmer.
- Cover with a parchment round or partially cover the pan and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the pears every 5 to 10 minutes, until evenly colored and a paring knife slides into the thickest part with little resistance.
- Carefully transfer the pears to a plate.
- Increase the heat to medium and cook the poaching liquid for 15 to 20 minutes, or until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Strain the sauce if desired. If using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead of a bean, stir it in now.
- Spread whipped cream on six serving plates and set 1 pear on top of each. Spoon the sauce over the pears and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if using.
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