Asian pear
A round, very juicy pear with crisp, slightly grainy flesh like an apple, mildly sweet.
Asian pears turn up in autumn and winter in well-stocked supermarkets and year-round in Asian grocers, often wrapped individually in foam netting. A firm, juicy European pear is the best stand-in for freshness, though in marinades it tenderises meat less than an Asian pear does.
Substitute:
A firm, juicy pear or a sweet, crisp apple. Raw, both are softer or more tart and less watery-fresh; in meat marinades they tenderise less than an Asian pear does.