Pear and prosciutto skewers with maple sauce
- Preparation 20 min
- Refrigeration 10 min
- Cooking 12 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍐 The 100% Quebecois BBQ dessert that rocks
This recipe from my Tome 2 is the perfect incarnation of my passion for Quebec terroir products. Maple syrup, pear ice wine, Anjou pears, melting prosciutto that caramelizes on the grill. It’s the very definition of a BBQ dessert or appetizer that combines sweet and salty in a mind-blowing way. My goal with this kind of recipe is to make you want to cook, to share my passion for good local ingredients, and to show you that with a few well-chosen Quebec products, you can create something that surpasses any generic appetizer.
🥃 Pear ice wine, Quebec signature secret
The maple + pear ice wine combo in the sauce, that’s my unapologetic 100% Quebec angle. Pear ice wine is the equivalent of ice cider but made from pears. Fermented alcoholic beverage from Quebec cideries that gives an insane honey-pear depth to the coating sauce. If you can’t find it at your SAQ, ice cider makes an excellent substitute. Added to maple syrup and melted butter with two pinches of nutmeg, it creates a golden sauce that caramelizes on the grill into a signature glaze.
🥩 BBQ appetizer, grilled dessert, perfect for camping
This is exactly the kind of recipe that works everywhere: camping trip, Saturday night appetizer with friends on the BBQ, summer dinner dessert, or even festive starter with some cheese on the side. Firm Anjou pears hold up to cooking without falling apart, the accordion prosciutto caramelizes into a salty crust that contrasts with the sweetness of the grilled pear. Serve them LIVE straight off the BBQ, still hot, to experience them at their maximum. For real, it’s insanely good. And it’s almost too simple to make.
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🍐 Firm Anjou pears, never Bartlett
I specifically use firm Anjou pears because they hold up to cooking without falling apart. Bartlett pears are softer and melt quickly on the BBQ. You end up with compote on your skewer. If no Anjou available, Bosc pears are an excellent firm alternative. Choose pears that yield slightly under finger pressure but remain solid.
🥃 Pear ice wine, the unapologetic Quebec secret
Pear ice wine is the equivalent of ice cider but made from pears. Fermented alcoholic beverage from Quebec cideries that you can find at SAQ. It’s what gives the honey-pear depth to my sauce. If you can’t find it, ice cider makes a perfectly acceptable and more accessible substitute.
🪡 Prosciutto cut into 4 then folded accordion-style
To cut the prosciutto into 4: stack the thin slices, cut once lengthwise and once widthwise to get 4 small rectangles per slice. Each rectangle is then folded accordion-style with 2 or 3 folds before being threaded onto the skewer. Accordion folding exposes more surface to the grill = more caramelization, and the folds hold better than flat pieces.
🪢 Press the prosciutto tightly between 2 pieces of pear
This is crucial. If you don’t press firmly, the prosciutto spins on the skewer during cooking and falls into the BBQ. Push the pear pieces firmly against the prosciutto so it’s well wedged between the two. Bonus: it also helps maintain the accordion shape.
❄️ 10-minute refrigeration mandatory after brushing
After brushing the assembled skewers, put them in the fridge for 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to adhere to the ingredients and the prosciutto to firm up a bit before the thermal shock of the BBQ. Don’t skip this step. It makes the difference between skewers that hold together and skewers that fall apart.
🌡️ Medium heat, NEVER high heat
Too hot = the sweet sauce burns before the pears are tender. Too long = soft pears that collapse. Medium heat, 2-3 minutes per side, turning regularly for uniform caramelization. That’s the perfect balance. The sugar in the sauce caramelizes quickly, so watch like a hawk and turn often.
🪵 Wooden skewers soaked 30 minutes MANDATORY
If you use wooden skewers (recommended for this recipe because it’s appetizer/dessert and metal would be excessive), soak them in water for 30 minutes before assembly. Without soaking, they burn on the BBQ and ruin your presentation.
🍦 Variations: veggie version or with ice cream
You can make a 100% veggie version by just doing the grilled pears with maple sauce, without prosciutto, and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A summer dessert that rocks. You can also replace the prosciutto with Parma ham, Spanish serrano ham, or Italian speck depending on what you find.
♨️ Leftovers the next day
Cooked skewers are delicious cold or at room temperature the next day. Delicious on vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of warmed maple sauce. Avoid the microwave (prosciutto becomes rubbery). Prefer gentle reheating in the oven at 250°F for 5-7 minutes.
✅ What to serve with my pear and prosciutto skewers with maple sauce?
These skewers shine as a BBQ dessert or festive appetizer. Serve them after my Beer-roasted chicken on the BBQ for a complete BBQ meal, as an appetizer before my Dark beer marinated beef flank steak, or with my Crostini with white beer cheese, prosciutto and arugula for an insane prosciutto appetizer duo, or simply with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to transform it into a real dessert.
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Maple sauce
- ½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pear ice wine (or ice cider as substitute)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) melted butter
- 2 pinches ground nutmeg
Skewers
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes (mandatory)
- 4 firm Anjou pears, cut into large pieces of the same size
- ½ lb (250 g) thin prosciutto slices, cut into quarters (lengthwise and widthwise)
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Preparation
- Prepare the maple sauce: in a bowl, whisk together maple syrup, pear ice wine, melted butter and nutmeg until smooth consistency. Set aside.
- Cut each prosciutto slice into four pieces (cutting lengthwise and widthwise) to get small rectangles. Each piece will be folded accordion-style (2 or 3 folds) before being threaded onto the skewer.
- Assemble the skewers: pierce a piece of pear, then add a piece of prosciutto folded accordion-style by piercing it through the center. Add another piece of pear and press firmly against the prosciutto to prevent it from spinning on the skewer during cooking. This is crucial or the prosciutto falls. Continue assembling in alternation until about 3 pieces of pear and 3 accordion prosciutto per skewer.
- Place the skewers on a large plate and brush with some maple sauce. Refrigerate for 10 minutes so the sauce adheres well and the skewers get some cold air before the grill heat.
- Preheat the BBQ to maximum power, then reduce to medium power. Oil the grate.
- Place the skewers on the grate and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side (4 sides, about 12 minutes total) over medium heat, or until the pears are tender and caramelized to your liking. Brush regularly with maple sauce during cooking. But watch out, sugar caramelizes quickly, so you need to turn the skewers regularly to prevent burning.
- Serve immediately, still hot straight off the BBQ, with an extra drizzle of maple sauce on top.
Firm Anjou pears. They hold up to cooking without falling apart. Bartlett are softer and melt quickly on the BBQ, you end up with compote on your skewer. Bosc pears are also excellent (very firm texture, golden skin). Choose fruits that yield slightly under finger pressure but remain solid.
Pear ice wine is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from pears, Quebec equivalent of ice cider but with pears. You can find it at SAQ in the Quebec terroir products section. If you can’t get your hands on it, ice cider makes a perfectly acceptable and more accessible substitute.
Absolutely. You can replace the prosciutto with Parma ham, Spanish serrano ham or Italian speck. You can also make a 100% veggie version: just the grilled pears with maple sauce, and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A summer dessert that totally rocks.
Not too far in advance, because pears brown quickly once cut. Maximum 1-2 hours in the fridge before cooking, brushed with a little lemon juice to slow oxidation. The maple sauce however can be prepared a few days ahead and keeps in the fridge in an airtight container.
These skewers shine as a BBQ dessert or festive appetizer. Serve them after my beer-roasted chicken on the bbq to close a complete BBQ meal, as an appetizer before my dark beer marinated beef flank steak, or with my crostini with white beer cheese, prosciutto and arugula for an amazing prosciutto appetizer duo. As a pure dessert version, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of sauce.
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