A ripe persimmon has a pleasantly sweet and fruity taste, reminiscent of a mixture of pear, apricot and honeydew melon. The unripe harvested fruits are best left to ripen in the refrigerator.
How can you let persimmon fruits ripen?
To allow persimmon fruits to ripen, store them in the refrigerator for several days to weeks. For stubborn specimens, briefly storing them in the freezer can help. The fruit is optimally ripe when the flesh is very soft and pudding-like.
Like many exotic fruits, persimmons are harvested unripe in the growing countries. In this way, the persimmon fruits can be stored and transported for a long time before they are sold. In commercial cultivation, the fruits are artificially ripened before sale. Treatment with ripening gas also neutralizes the tannic acid contained in the fruits so that they no longer leave a furry feeling in the mouth when consumed.
Enjoy ripe fruits
The ripe persimmon fruits have smooth, shiny, orange peel and very soft and juicy flesh. They contain many vitamins and have a nutritional value comparable to grapes. Depending on the variety, the fruits differ in size and shape as well as in consistency. The following varieties can be found in stores - especially in the winter months:
- Kaki (apple-sized, round, sweet, jelly-like flesh only edible when ripe),
- Persimmon or persimmon (oval, firm peel and firm flesh, colored yellow or red-orange depending on the degree of ripeness),
- Sharon (slightly flattened shape, similar to a tomato, can also be enjoyed when unripe, does not have an astringent effect).
Unripe fruits ripen in a cool place
The unripe fruits are very firm and can be kept for several months if refrigerated appropriately. The Sharon fruit and also the persimmon can be easily consumed without ripening. The persimmon, which has the most to offer in terms of taste when ripe, contains many tannins before it is ready for consumption, which is responsible for the unpleasant furry feeling on the tongue.
The unripe persimmon fruits can be left to ripen in the refrigerator for several days to a few weeks. For particularly “stubborn” specimens, short-term storage in the freezer may be an option. When the flesh is very soft, almost pudding-like, the persimmon has achieved its full aroma. The fruit can then simply be cut open and spooned out.
Tips & Tricks
If you have your own persimmon tree, you can let the persimmon fruits ripen on the tree. Long after it has shed its leaves, the fruits remain stuck in the branches and become heavier and sweeter.
