Three Ways to Preserve Persimmons

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Preserving Persimmons

Freezer Persimmon Jam
Persimmon Chutney
Freezing Persimmons
Dried Persimmons

See Also: Another Persimmon Chutney

Freezer Persimmon Jam
(yields 4 cups)

1 1/2 pounds soft Fuyu-type persimmons; 3 cups sugar
or
1 1/2 pounds soft-ripe 1 pouch (3 oz.) Hachiya-type persimmons
liquid pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Cut or pull off stems from persimmons; discard stems. If Fuyu-type persimmons are firm enough, peel with a knife. For soft fruit, cut in half and scoop out pulp. Discard any seeds and skin.

2. If using Fuyu-type persimmons, mash pulp, or coarsely chop using a knife or food processor (do not purée); you should have 1 1/2 cups fruit. If using Hachiya-type persimmons, cut pulp into about 1/2-inch chunks; you should have 2 cups fruit.

3. In a bowl, mix fruit and sugar; let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix pectin and lemon juice; add to fruit and stir gently for 3 minutes (mixing vigorously traps air bubbles, making the jam cloudy). Fill 1/2-pint jars or freezer containers to 1/2 inch of rim. Cover, and let stand 12 to 16 hours at room temperature. You can store unopened jam in covered jars in the refrigerator up to 6 months, up to 1 month if opened. Freeze to store longer; cover and chill thawed jam.

Persimmon Chutney

2 pounds crisp-ripe to soft-ripe Fuyu-type
persimmons;
or
2 pounds soft-ripe Hachiya-type persimmons
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon mustard seed
31/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 pound (2 cups) dried apricots
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1. To prepare Fuyu-type persimmons, cut off stems and peel with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. chop fruit, discarding any seeds; you need 4 1/2 cups fruit. To prepare Hachiya-type persimmons, pull off stems, then cut fruit in half and scoop pulp from skin with a spoon; you need 2 2/3 cups fruit. Set fruit aside.

2. If using Fuyu-type persimmons, in a 5- to 6-quart pan combine fruit with water, apricots, raisins, ginger, mustard seed, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, then cover and cook 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally then more frequently as mixture thickness, until most of the liquid evaporates and chutney is reduced to 7 cups, about 45 minutes; remove from heat.

3. If using Hachiya-type persimmons, in a 5- to 6- quart pan bring water, apricots, raisins, ginger, mustard, and chili to boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 10- minutes. Add vinegar and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced to 41/2 cups, about 55 minutes. Stir in Hachiya-type fruit and remove at once from heat.

4. Serve chutney warm, or store in covered jars in the refrigerator up to 1 month; or freeze in easy-to-use units.

Source: Sunset Annual Recipe

See Also: Another Persimmon Chutney

Freezing Persimmons

Preparation: Select orange-colored, soft-ripe persimmons. Sort, wash, peel and cut into sections. Press fruit through a sieve to make a purée. For a better product, to each quart of purée add 1/8 teaspoon (375 mg) ascorbic acid. Purée made from made from native varietiesneeds no sugar. Purée made from cultivated varieties may be packed with or without sugar.

Packing: Pack unsweetened puree into containers. Leave head space. Seal and freeze. Or, mix 1 cup sugar with each quart (2 pounds) of purée and pack into containers. Leave head space. Seal and freeze.

Dried Persimmons

Preparation: Use firm fruit of long, soft varieties or fully ripe fruit
of round drier varieties. Peel and slice using stainless steel knife. Drying time takes 12 to 15 hours.

For Fuyu variety, select firm fruit; for Hachiya variety, let fruit ripen until soft. Peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Dry in dehydrator/oven from 14 to 18 hours until fruit is light to medium brown; tender but not sticky. Or you may syrup blanch.

Syrup Blanching: Blanching fruit in syrup helps it retain color fairly well during drying and storage. The resulting product is similar to candied fruit. Fruits that can be syrup blanched include: applies, apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums and prunes. Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup and 2 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Add 1 pound of prepared fruit and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let fruit stand in hot syrup for 30 minutes. Lift fruit out of syrup, rinse lightly in cold water, drain on paper towels and place on
dryer trays.

Source: So Easy to Preserve 2nd Edition
Freezing & Drying, Ortho Books.

For Food Preservation and Food Safety information contact the University of California Cooperative Extension's Common Ground Garden Program, 2 Coral Circle, Monterey Park, CA 91755, 213-838-4534.