How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (2024)

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (1)

As the holiday season approaches, persimmons are reaching their peak sweetness. If you haven’t cooked with persimmons before, this will help you get started. Keep reading for persimmon recipes and tips on choosing a ripe persimmon.

What is a persimmon?

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (2)

There are over 2,000 varieties of persimmons, but there are two types that are widely available in American grocery stores: the fuyu and the hachiya. Both of these varieties originated in Japan, and are in season between October and January. This late season makes persimmons the perfect fruit to add a little freshness and sweetness to winter dinner.

Persimmons have a delicate honey-like flavor and silky texture. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked, and are very versatile in recipes. Persimmon peels are completely edible. Whether or not to peel the fruit is a matter of personal preference and the recipe that you’re using.

How can you tell if a persimmon is ripe?

Persimmons fall into two broad categories: astringent and non-astringent. Astringent persimmons, like the pointy-bottomed hachiya, should be softer than you think. Don’t look for the gentle give of a peach, a ripe hachiya persimmon should be closer to the texture of jelly. If an astringent persimmon is eaten before it’s totally ripe, it will have an unpleasant dry texture.

Non-astringent persimmons, like the flat-bottomed fuyu, can be eaten when they’re still slightly firm.

How to cut persimmons

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (3)

Cutting this fruit is simple. Use a knife to cut around the base of the stem and remove it completely. Cut the persimmon in half pole to pole. Use a knife to remove the white core of the fruit and discard it. Once the core has been removed you can either slice or dice the persimmon according to your recipe. The entire peel is edible.

What to make with persimmons?

Persimmons can be the start of sweet or savory dishes. A sliced persimmon will add a subtle sweetness to rice dishes, salads, or even sandwiches. These are some of our favorite recipes using persimmons.

Spicy Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry with Persimmon Rice

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (4)

Fontina & Sourdough Grilled Cheese with Persimmon & Onion

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (5)

Harissa-Baked Chicken with Farro, Persimmon, & Goat Cheese Salad

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (6)

Love cooking with fruit? Find more sweet and savory dinner ideas here.

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron (2024)

FAQs

How to Eat a Persimmon: Tips & More | Blue Apron? ›

Cutting this fruit is simple. Use a knife to cut around the base of the stem and remove it completely. Cut the persimmon in half pole to pole. Use a knife to remove the white core of the fruit and discard it.

What can eating a lot of persimmon do to the body? ›

Ingesting massive amounts of persimmons can cause bezoars to form. A bezoar is a hard mass that can lead to gastric obstruction. A diospyrobezoar is a subtype of bezoar. Diospyrobezoar are specific to persimmons.

Do you eat persimmon hard or soft? ›

Prepare It

Hachiya persimmons are mostly used in baking and can be eaten by scooping the flesh out with a spoon. They taste best when very soft.

How to tell if fuyu persimmon is ripe? ›

Fuyu persimmons ripen from the inside out, unlike other varieties. Signs of ripeness include: A slight give when pressed gently. A deeper orange color (though they remain firmer than other persimmons)

Are you supposed to eat the peel of a persimmon? ›

How to Eat Raw Persimmons. For a sweet (Fuyu) persimmon, you should use them when they're still quite firm. Start by rinsing the fruit, removing the leaves, and slicing it like you would an apple into your desired shape. The peel is edible — so take a bite!

How ripe is too ripe for a persimmon? ›

An overripe persimmon tends to be mushy and may have dark, wrinkled skin. The color might be deeper than usual, and it could have an overly sweet, fermented smell.

What should you not eat with persimmons? ›

Another set of cold food groupings to avoid include having crab with tea or persimmon. Xie explained: “Crab meat is a very cold type of food in TCM theory, and persimmon fruit is also cold in nature. Most people should avoid eating this food combination, as it can be hard on the digestive system.”

Do persimmons raise blood pressure? ›

Their colorful appearance indicates the presence of beta-carotene, a carotenoid antioxidant that has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. They also contain flavonoid antioxidants, which have been linked to better heart health and lower blood pressure, inflammation and "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Is persimmon a laxative? ›

The fruit is easily chewable and has a delicious flavour, but it is not recommended for diabetics, obese and sufferers of gastroduodenal ulcer. Persimmons have a creamy and sweet pulp and have laxative, diuretic and hepatoprotective.

Do you refrigerate persimmons? ›

It is best to store them at room temperature. Ripe persimmons are best eaten immediately, but you can refrigerate them for 1 or 2 days. Unripe persimmons will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month. Keep refrigerated persimmons unwashed in a plastic bag.

What do persimmons taste like at Costco? ›

Persimmons taste like a delicious mix of a pumpkin crossed with an apple. What is great about the Fuyu persimmon is that it is non-astringent, so you can eat it right off the treat for a crisp treat. Add a unique and incredibly popular tropical fruit tree to your collection!

How can you tell if a persimmon is sweet? ›

If you bite into a firm Hachiya you will recoil: Unripe Hachiyas are horribly tannic. These persimmons are sweet only when squishy-soft (when they will taste wonderful).

What is the best time to eat persimmon? ›

Astringent persimmons should only be eaten after they have fully ripened, turning soft and deep in color. Persimmons are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. In season, you can find them in many markets, and they are delicious on their own or in cooked dishes and baked goods.

Why does my mouth feel weird after eating persimmon? ›

Persimmons contain tannins, a type of plant compound that can make your mouth feel dry, chalky, or puckered. Unripe persimmons have a high tannin content, leading to this sensation. Fully ripe persimmons have fewer tannins, resulting in a sweeter taste and less mouth discomfort.

What happens if I eat an unripe persimmon? ›

They are also a good source of fiber and manganese. If the taste wasn't enough, people should steer clear of unripe persimmons because the tannins, stomach acid and indigestible plant material can form a bezoar: a hard mass that can lead to gastric obstruction and surgery.

Why do persimmons numb your mouth? ›

Persimmons contain tannins, a type of plant compound that can make your mouth feel dry, chalky, or puckered. Unripe persimmons have a high tannin content, leading to this sensation. Fully ripe persimmons have fewer tannins, resulting in a sweeter taste and less mouth discomfort.

Are you supposed to eat persimmon raw? ›

How to eat a persimmon. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten raw or baked, Glass says. Once they're soft but firm, you can slice this variety and use it in ways you would use other sliced fruits like apples or pears this time of year. The Hachiya varieties have a little less flexibility because they're so soft.

What does a persimmon taste like? ›

A good persimmon at its peak will taste sweet, mild, and rich. Many people have described its flavor as “honey-like.” Its texture is similar to that of an apricot and its skin is a bit tougher than an apple's.

Why cant you eat persimmons on an empty stomach? ›

"Eating persimmons with an empty stomach or eating an excessive amount of raw persimmons is likely to result in a stone. Because persimmons contain tannic acid and pectin, which can work with gastric acid to form into a lump of unequal size and become a gastric stone if not discharged."

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