Thread: Wild Persimmons
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Old October 5, 2016   #7
habitat_gardener
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,539
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If you have a dehydrator and LOTS of hachiya persimmons (pointy ones that are astringent until they are mushy), you can preserve them very easily. While they are still hard, but fully orange, slice and dehydrate. They will not be astringent when dried. I've done this a lot!

If you wait until they are just a little mushy, they will be hard to slice and will stick to the dehydrator trays. So if they are already a little soft, just wait for them to get fully soft. To be palatable, they need to be as soft as a partly deflated balloon; almost too soft to pick up, and starting to get a little translucent.

There is a japanese technique of peeling and then drying the persimmons whole, hanging from the eaves of the house -- but around here, the roof rats would probably have a feast. I've also read that you can freeze unripe persimmons, and they will not be astringent when defrosted, but I have not tried this.

THe flattish ones (fuyu persimmons) aren't astringent when hard, and can be eaten either hard or soft.
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