freezing astringent persimmon pulp: myth? how to use?

habitat_gardener · December 30, 2016

Does anyone have direct experience freezing hachiya persimmons (the ones that are astringent when firm)? If so, how did you use them?

I helped pick persimmons with a local fruit-harvesting-for-food-banks group last month and took home buckets of damaged fruit to compost or salvage. I dehydrated a bunch of the less-damaged firm fruit. With the rapidly declining remainder, I culled the ones that were rotting, cut away the damaged parts of softening fruits, and scooped out the intact but unripe pulp. I ended up being able to salvage far more than I anticipated, so the freezer is now half full of persimmon pulp!

Now the question is, what do I do with it? And is it safe to use? Although one of the volunteers assured me that freezing unripe hachiyas is a great way to bypass the tannins, I did a bit of internet research and found a range of advice. Maybe ok for baking? But what about ice cream making, or eating as is (after thawing)?

Or perhaps I should just dehydrate it all...a messy operation with defrosted slurries of persimmon!

KarenO · December 30, 2016

I am not very familiar with persimmons but how about some jam maybe
KarenO

Rajun Gardener · December 30, 2016

I haven't froze them personally but I know someone that freezes them whole to eat later, they let it thaw for a few hours and they say it's like a smoothie when they eat it. Try one in a few days and see if you like it.

peebee · December 31, 2016

I would never eat an unripe Hachiya; if freezing them helps to "bypass the tannins" does this mean they taste like they are ripe somehow?
I once watched a Japanese tv show where these fruit were used to make a natural bug-repelling varnish for wood furniture. That's how bad they taste unripe.

Ricky Shaw · December 31, 2016

My top three persimmon memories.

1) As a child there was a persimmon tree in my grandfather's yard I'd sample from.

2) Carried a persimmon 1-wood for several years.

3) My father has compared the taste of unripe persimmons to alum for more than 50 years. Any sentence with persimmon, 90% chance you will hear alum.

*The facial mask thing comes up a lot when you google persimmons. Might be something there.

Keen101 · January 4, 2017

I assume you are talking about the tall pointy ones? I've found that they taste sweet but that awful sour fuzz gets on your tongue even when they are ripe. You have to wait untul they are super mushy overripe to eat them, and even then it's risky.

In some stores in Southern California they call those "cooking persimmons" so i gather that they make for great pies if you cook them. Not sure about freezing them, i might try it just to see if it works.

December 30, 2016	#1
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	freezing astringent persimmon pulp: myth? how to use? Does anyone have direct experience freezing hachiya persimmons (the ones that are astringent when firm)? If so, how did you use them? I helped pick persimmons with a local fruit-harvesting-for-food-banks group last month and took home buckets of damaged fruit to compost or salvage. I dehydrated a bunch of the less-damaged firm fruit. With the rapidly declining remainder, I culled the ones that were rotting, cut away the damaged parts of softening fruits, and scooped out the intact but unripe pulp. I ended up being able to salvage far more than I anticipated, so the freezer is now half full of persimmon pulp! Now the question is, what do I do with it? And is it safe to use? Although one of the volunteers assured me that freezing unripe hachiyas is a great way to bypass the tannins, I did a bit of internet research and found a range of advice. Maybe ok for baking? But what about ice cream making, or eating as is (after thawing)? Or perhaps I should just dehydrate it all...a messy operation with defrosted slurries of persimmon!

December 30, 2016	#2
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	I am not very familiar with persimmons but how about some jam maybe KarenO

December 30, 2016	#3
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	I haven't froze them personally but I know someone that freezes them whole to eat later, they let it thaw for a few hours and they say it's like a smoothie when they eat it. Try one in a few days and see if you like it.

December 31, 2016	#4
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	I would never eat an unripe Hachiya; if freezing them helps to "bypass the tannins" does this mean they taste like they are ripe somehow? I once watched a Japanese tv show where these fruit were used to make a natural bug-repelling varnish for wood furniture. That's how bad they taste unripe.

December 31, 2016	#5
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	My top three persimmon memories. 1) As a child there was a persimmon tree in my grandfather's yard I'd sample from. 2) Carried a persimmon 1-wood for several years. 3) My father has compared the taste of unripe persimmons to alum for more than 50 years. Any sentence with persimmon, 90% chance you will hear alum. *The facial mask thing comes up a lot when you google persimmons. Might be something there.

January 4, 2017	#6
Keen101 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Colorado Posts: 134	I assume you are talking about the tall pointy ones? I've found that they taste sweet but that awful sour fuzz gets on your tongue even when they are ripe. You have to wait untul they are super mushy overripe to eat them, and even then it's risky. In some stores in Southern California they call those "cooking persimmons" so i gather that they make for great pies if you cook them. Not sure about freezing them, i might try it just to see if it works.