Infused Vodka Pear Martini
Lately, I’ve been trying my hand at making different cocktails and types of martinis. While I was browsing the Grey Goose website for recipes, I saw an intriguing recipe for making peartinis. It called for the addition of pear-flavored vodka, which I didn’t have… but I did have pears, and also plenty of plain vodka! So why not make pear-infused vodka, and then try out the martini recipe? It’s not hard to infuse vodka or spirits with fruit or herb flavors… and if you have a little bit of patience, it only takes about 5 days.
If you have a gallon sized glass jar with a tight lid – I find these are the best for infusing alcohols like my recent Hawaiian Martini mix, or making liqueurs like Limoncello. If you don’t have a glass jar, any clean gallon sized container should work – but I would try to stay away from plastic if possible. (Sometimes you can “taste” the plastic when you infuse in a plastic container.) If you are looking to purchase a large glass jar – I was at Target the other day and saw a Ball 1 gallon glass mason jar for about $14 – you can also find the same jar online (about $20) if your local Target doesn’t carry them.
Fruit infused vodka will take about 5 days to infuse properly, and will yield about 3 cups total volume. (If you are infusing a fruit where you will not discard the skin, choose organic fruit if possible – and make sure you thoroughly wash the fruit to remove any pesticides or waxes.) Store your infused vodka (refrigerated) in a glass container for approximately 1-2 months.
If you don’t have time to infuse your vodka with fresh pears, you can make the Pear Martini with purchased pear-flavored vodka instead, such as Grey Goose La Poire.
**FYI, to make simple syrup – just microwave water & sugar (in a 1:1 ratio) in a pyrex measuring cup for a minute or so until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool before using.
Pear Infused Vodka:
Use good quality vodka for the best flavor. I usually use Grey Goose.
- 2 organic pears (I used Bosc pears)
- 3 c. good quality vodka (about one 750mL bottle)
- 1 oz. (about 2 T.) simple syrup
Pear Martini:
- 2 oz. (4 T.) pear vodka
- 1 oz. (2 T.) vanilla vodka
- 1 oz. (2 T.) lemon juice
- 1 oz. (2 T.) simple syrup
1. Wash and dry your pears. Slice in half, then quarter, and remove the stem and core.
2. Slice the pears crosswise, thinly. The more pear surface area that comes in contact with the vodka, the more flavor will come out – so thin slices are better vs. larger chunks.
3. Place the pear slices in the bottom of a large glass jar (this is a gallon sized jar with an air tight lid). Add the vodka and simple syrup. Close the lid, and give the jar a good shake to mix everything together.
4. Allow the jar to sit at room temperature for 5 days.
5. Strain the vodka, and store (refrigerated or in the freezer) in a glass container for approximately 1-2 months. (If you keep the original vodka bottle, this can be used to store your pear infused vodka.) Because I used dark-peeled Bosc pears, you can see in the photo below that my infused vodka turned close to the color of the pear peel. Your vodka may be dark or lighter depending on the variety of pear that you use.
6. To make a Pear Martini, fill a martini shaker with crushed ice and 2 oz. pear vodka, 1 oz. vanilla vodka, 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, and 1 oz. simple syrup. Shake “aggressively” and strain into a chilled Martini glass. (You can adjust the simple syrup – add less or more – depending on how sweet you prefer the martini to be.)
7. Garnish with sliced pear, and serve.
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