How can you tell when a persimmon is ripe?

1. 68

   Debby Bruckposted 12 years ago

   How can you tell when a persimmon is ripe?
   
   Persimmons were a favorite fruit while living in Israel, but they can be grown in the states, too.  They taste sweet and can be found seasonally between November and February. I bought some at the store, but they are hard. How can I tell when they are ready to eat?
   
   
   

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2. 81

   Blond Logicposted 12 years ago

   If they haven't been dropped, it is when you can apply light pressure to them and feel a bit of a give. Even if they are quite soft, they are sweet.
   I have seen them here in Brazil and they are called a caqui. In England a Sharon fruit (a name from Israel) and a persimmon in the states. They are one of my favorites.

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   1. 68

      Debby Bruckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks so much. Seems I've been waiting a long time for them to soften up and I don't want them to rot before they are even ready to eat. I appreciate the cultural information and reminding me they were called Sharon fruit! :-)

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3. 63

   Handicapped Chefposted 12 years ago

   picked firm/hard at a time when they are expected to be ripe -- based on skin color -- and allowed to further ripen and soften slightly on the table before eating.

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   1. 68

      Debby Bruckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Do you recommend putting in refrigerator at any time? They are still hard and some dark black spots starting to appear. You can see the leaves starting to brown and turn yellow.

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   2. 63

      Handicapped Chefposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If they are ripe just keep persimmons in a plastic bag in your refrigerator but if they are still firm let them sit at room temperature.

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4. 80

   Shyron E Shenkoposted 12 years ago

   When it is slightly soft and bright Orange.  If mushy they are over ripe.
   
   We had a couple of persimmon trees on my grandfather's farm in Alabama.
   
   I love the taste, but opossums usually got to them before we could, and those critters knew when they were ripe.

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5. 76

   stclairjackposted 12 years ago

   in my experience it all depends on the variety of persimon,.... the native persimon in the states in astringent until ripe,.. meaning a non-ripe taste will send you reeling in revulsion,.... the native US persimon benifits great;y from being allowed to ripen on the tree,. it will be soft and dark colored,.... a hard frost helps this along,... if you pick your native persomins off the ground and not off the tree itself you will have better assuance that they were ripe,.... if still in dounbt, cast aside all that still have hard spots keeping only the soft darker ones, placing then in the chest freezer for a couple days. when they thaw you may eat or prosces them as you wish.
   
   the japanese persimon is larger than the US version and isnt astringent, but will be better the more ripe you allow it to get,.. to a point. if you bought them in a market chances are they are NOT the tricky native US version.... taste one.

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   1. 68

      Debby Bruckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Dear St Clair Jack - Again, everyone reminds me of important points, that this fruit needs to hard frost to ripen. Thank you!

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