Prickly Pear Syrup

August 19, 2020 by Madeline Horszt 4,292 Comments

It’s prickly pear season here at the South Shore Kitchen! We whipped up a batch of prickly pear syrup that is sweet, tart and has the mysterious fruit flavor prickly pears are known for. Made into a syrup it is a great cocktail mixer. Check out our spicy prickly pear margarita. We also love it in a vinaigrette or as a chicken glaze. The magenta color of prickly pear syrup will definitely inspire you.

Prickly What?

If you are not familiar with prickly pears the edible fruit that grows on the top of Opuntia cacti. Prickly pears have been described as a cross between many flavors. Such as melons, cucumbers, pineapple, pears, kiwi and even bubble gum. We can’t say any of these descriptions are entirely accurate. Honestly, a prickly pear tastes like well, a prickly pear. It’s sweet, without being overwhelming and the overall flavor is a little bland however it’s still delicious in its own way. You have to try it!

Prickly pears fresh from the Mexican grocer

When cutting open the fruit you will quickly see there are a million little seeds inside. They are big enough to be annoying and hard enough to make you think twice about the cost of modern dentistry. For this reason, we love making prickly pear syrup. You still get all of the great prickly pear flavor without having to bother with the seeds.

If you live in an area where finding produce swings with seasonal availability, now is the time to get your prickly pears. They are in abundance during late summer and early fall. They can be difficult to find at major grocery store chains however if you have a local Mexican grocery store, they are much easier to find. We are looking at you La Lomita, selling these babies 4/$1!

Super Simple Syrup

You can mix up a batch in less than a half an hour. Just to be clear we are using prickly pears with the spines already removed. It’s a whole different process if you are using them straight from nature. However, living in the Midwest our prickly pears have gone on quite a journey to arrive at our local grocer and all of the stabby bits on the prickly pears are long gone.

There are 2 ways to make prickly pear syrup. You end up with the same final product either way. Pick which ever makes you happy.

Quick note of caution, prickly pear juice is quite vibrant and will stain.

Method 1- Cut the ends off the prickly pears and peel the skins off. Rough chop fruit into 4-8 pieces depending on the size. Place fruit in heavy bottomed sauce pan, cover with water, add sugar and cook over medium heat. As fruit begins to soften smash with potato masher to release the juices. Continue cooking until fruit is broken up and liquid has thickened to desired consistency, approximately 15-25 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheese cloth and place over a medium mixing bowl. Carefully pour prickly pear syrup into strainer, allow to drain and then squeeze cheesecloth to get out any excess liquid left in the fruit pulp. Allow to cool slightly and stir in citric acid.

Method 2- Cut ends off of prickly pear and place whole fruit in heavy bottomed sauce pan, cover with water, add sugar and cook over medium flame. As fruit begins to soften smash with potato masher to release the juices. Continue cooking until fruit is broken up and liquid has thickened to desired consistency. Cook time will vary depending on the size of the fruit. Remove pan from heat. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheese cloth and place over a medium mixing bowl. Carefully pour prickly pear syrup into strainer, allow to drain and then squeeze cheesecloth to get out any excess liquid left in the fruit pulp. Allow to cool slightly and stir in citric acid.

What’s the big difference in these methods? Nothing really, in method one you spend a little more time prepping the prickly pears which results in a shorter cook time. In method two, you basically throw the prickly pears in a pot, cover with water and wait for the magic to happen. Zero effort. We have made them both ways and they turn out the same. It just depends on how quickly you want to make your syrup.

Prickly pear syrup is super quick and easy to make! Try a batch today. Comment down below and let us know your favorite way to eat prickly pears. Tried our recipe? We would love to see it @thesouthshorekitchen on Instagram.