Fuyu persimmons are delectable fruits that can be enjoyed fresh, in salads, or baked into pies. Whether you are cultivating these exotic fruits in your garden or purchasing them at the store, it is important to know how to recognize when they are ripe and ready to be consumed.
How can you tell when a Fuyu persimmon is ripe? A ripe Fuyu persimmon is orange all over. The skin is bright and glossy with no traces of green colors. The ripe fruit has a firm texture but gives slightly under your finger. You can eat Fuyu persimmons either firm or soft, but the softer the fruit, the sweeter it will be.
There are many ways to differentiate between a ripe Fuyu persimmon and an unripe one. Read more to find out the telltale signs.
When Is a Fuyu Persimmon Ripe? Things To Know
Unlike some fruits like mangoes, you can only eat a Fuyu persimmon fruit when it’s ripe. Luckily, it’s easy to identify a ripe fruit based solely on the color of the skin.
If you prefer to have it with a more jelly-like texture, you can use your fingers to identify the texture of the fruit before eating.
Color & Texture of a Ripe Fuyu Persimmon
A ripe Fuyu persimmon is orange all over. In the first stages of the fruit’s development, the skin is green, and the fruit is hard as a rock.
Once it reaches its full size, the green color changes to yellow starting from the top near the stem and down to the bottom of the squat fruit. Then yellow changes into orange, signaling that the fruit is ready to harvest.
At this stage, the texture of the fruit can still be firm. The flesh is crunchy like an apple, but if you allow it more time, the persimmon will soften, and its flesh becomes like jelly.Â
Can a Fuyu Persimmon Be Soft?
Ripe Fuyu persimmons can either be firm or soft. As a non-astringent fruit, the fruit is ready to eat in either stage of its development.
This is in contrast to its cousin the Hachiya persimmon, which is astringent, meaning that it can only be eaten when it’s soft. As long as the flesh is firm, you need to set the Hachiya persimmon aside for a few days at room temperature until its texture softens.
This makes the color of the Fuyu persimmon the decisive identifier of whether the fruit is ripe or not. As long as the whole fruit is totally orange in color, you can go ahead and eat it.Â
When Are Fuyu Persimmons Ready To Harvest?
The harvest season of the Fuyu persimmon lasts from September to November. With so many stages of ripeness that the Fuyu goes through, you can expect it to have a long harvest season.
By early September, the Fuyu turns fully orange although the texture is still firm and crunchy. If you like to eat it like an apple and add it to your fruit salad, you can start harvesting around this time.
By October, the texture of the fruit softens and becomes medium-firm. It also gets more rich flavors as the sugar content becomes more concentrated. This level of ripeness is suitable for pies and smoothies.
By early November, the Fuyu is fully ripe with a jelly-like texture.
Will Fuyu Persimmons Continue To Ripen off the Tree?
Even if you harvest Fuyu persimmons too early and discover that you don’t like the crunchy texture and low sugar content in the flesh, that doesn’t mean that you should throw them out.
Just take them out of the fridge, and lay them on a table at room temperature for a few days.
Fuyu persimmons will continue to ripen as their flesh gets softer, their flavors get richer, and the overall taste becomes a lot sweeter.
When the fruits reach the level of ripeness you like, put them back in the fridge to keep them from getting any softer.
How To Hasten Persimmon Ripening Indoors
Persimmons take their time to ripen off the tree. They might sit there for days without showing any change in texture or firmness.
To cut down on ripening time, consider placing a few apples, mangoes, or bananas in the mix. All of those fruits produce ethylene gas, which helps the persimmons ripen faster.
Also, wrap each persimmon fruit carefully in paper, and place them in a warm and dark place. The fruits will be ripe in a matter of days.
How To Harvest a Fuyu Persimmon
The Fuyu persimmon has a long harvest season that goes on from September until November. You have a wide window to attend to the harvesting whenever you have the time.
Keep in mind that the longer you keep the fruits on the tree, the sweeter they get. Here’s how to harvest Fuyu persimmon fruits in easy steps:
- Make sure the pruning shears are sterilized.
- Wear gloves and eyeglasses for protection.
- Hold the ripe Fuyu persimmon fruit with one hand and cut the stem holding it. Leave about 2 inches of stem on the fruit.
- Don’t harvest fruits that have green color on the skin.
- Gather the fruits in a basket to store or ready for further processing.
Storing & Preserving Fuyu Persimmons
Storing ripe Fuyu persimmons is easy. If you’re happy with the level of ripeness of the fruits, simply store them in the fridge. They can stay fresh for up to 2 months. If you want them to get a little softer and sweeter, keep them in a warm place for a few days.
To store the fruits for more than 2 months, you can freeze them. However, frozen persimmons lose a lot of flavor and taste in the process.
So you need to puree them first and then freeze them. Frozen persimmons stay good for up to 6 months.
Related Questions:
How Should You Cook Persimmons?
You can cook persimmons in pies, sorbet, sauces, and even ice cream. To get the most out of your persimmons when cooking, the fruits need to be fully ripe with a jelly-like texture.
Then, scoop out the flesh, and discard any seeds you find there. The soft flesh is easy to cook in different recipes.Â
How Should You Eat Hachiya Persimmons?
Hachiya persimmons are astringent fruits. That means you can only eat them when they’re fully ripe. The fruit has to be really soft when you press it with your thumb.
Cut the ripe fruit, and remove any seeds. Then, scoop out the ripe flesh, and eat it raw, or add it to ice cream, smoothies, or sorbet.
Conclusion
Fuyu persimmons are non-astringent fruits. As soon as the fruit turns orange all over, you can harvest it and eat it. The flesh will be crunchy with little sweetness.
If you prefer a fuller flavor and richer taste, allow the fruit a few more days to get fully ripe.