Fuyu Persimmon Chutney
December 12, 2011
To my knowledge there are no holiday songs written about persimmons, but there should be. Persimmons hang on months after most fruit. They wait for the frost to come before dumping their leaves and gloriously displaying their sweet orange lanterns hanging from naked limbs. The fruit, sweet and flavorful when ripe, has an unpleasant astringent quality when eaten before they fully develop. So I wait for it, because I love this fruit. It may be the last truly seasonal fruit, in that there is not enough demand to cause our friends in the Southern Hemisphere to begin shipping it here in the off season. (I imagine it would be tough to sell a persimmon during the height of peach season!)
This year a friend invited me over to pick Fuyu persimmons from her tree. (Thanks A!) Fuyus are the short, squat variety that are eaten while firm. They are not often cooked, but rather eaten raw in salads or on their own. My mother-in-law, a fellow persimmon fan, introduced me to a recipe for using Fuyu persimmons to make a chutney. The dense flesh retains its shape and color when cooked. The chutney is seasoned with garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds that pop in your mouth with each bite. The raisins and sugar balance the acidity of the apple cider vinegar and the red pepper flakes add a subtle bite. I often serve the chutney with a soft cheese on an appetizer tray. It also shines as a side to roast pork. Jars filled with persimmon chutney make a welcome holiday gift.
Fuyu Persimmon Chutney
makes 4 cups
8 large Fuyu persimmons
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 cup yellow onion, minced
4 tablespoons whole mustard seed
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Peel, deseed, and chop the persimmons into a small dice. Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat and simmer while stirring frequently until the chutney begins to thicken and become syrupy, about 20 minutes.
Ladle chutney into hot sterile jars. Leave a 1/2 inch head-space. Top with a new lid and band. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes for half-pint jars. See Home Canning Basics for more information about the canning process. If you are not preserving for shelf storage, ladle chutney into sterile jars and keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Print this recipe:Persimmon Chutney
You may also like:
Orange Quinoa with Almonds, Olives, and Feta
My Pantry Shelf 
December 12, 2011 at 7:29 am
What a beautiful chutney! I’ve grown to love persimmons and eat them skin and all when they *finally* ripen. It’s worth the wait!
December 12, 2011 at 9:13 am
This sounds great. I’m going to make this as soon as we return from a trip to Oregon. Thanks, Karen!
December 12, 2011 at 11:18 am
I have one of these trees but lost all the fruit this year to the tornadoes on April 27th! That said, the tree stood it’s ground and I look forward to trying this recipe next year! BTW, I like to eat Fuyu persimmons like apples, skin and all. :)
Thank you for the lovely recipe! ~ Lynda
December 17, 2011 at 8:44 pm
That is sad to hear of losing all of your fruit, Lynda. Hopefully next year you will have a bumper crop.
December 12, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Karen,
This is a great recipe to share. I wish that I had a friend with a persimmon tree.
You have improved upon the original recipe which called for finishing the cooking off by baking it in the oven. Your method of cooking it entirely on the stove is so much better. For those of you who are not inclined to can, I have frozen portions of the chutney and it works great!
Cathy
December 12, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Thanks Cathy,
great to know that it freezes well!
Karen
December 13, 2011 at 8:30 am
This looks wonderful and I love your description of persimmons as orange lanterns. I’ve had wonderful persimmon dishes in restaurants and love buying them to decorate my table, but the few times I’ve tried to serve or cook with them have been not so great. This recipe inspires me to give them another shot!
December 17, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Yes, Ms. T, they are worth another try! This is recipe is the only way I have found to cook with them and I love it. I still have a big bowl full of fruit and am going to dehydrate them and see how that works out.
December 13, 2011 at 9:18 pm
I look forward to the fuyus ripening too. I just had one sliced up in a salad with some apples with my dinner – so good. I’m saving this chutney to make with the rest of them – it looks perfect! Love the lantern image!
December 17, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Thank you. I gave away my whole batch, so it is time to make another!
December 14, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I just made a whole batch of this deliciousness… I can’t wait to crack it open! I did add a granny smith apple, some lemongrass, and some whole cardamom and cloves to spice it up a bit. I’m so excited to eat it!
December 14, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Eileen,
your riffs on this recipe sound delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Karen
December 20, 2011 at 10:12 pm
I’ve been searching for an alternative use for persimmons, besides the obvious cookie or quickbread recipe. I love the idea of a persimmon chutney! Thanks!
I do actually have a pretty killer recipe for persimmon cookies or quickbread on my blog…check it out sometime.
(=
http://eatingonanapkin.wordpress.com/?s=persimmon
January 1, 2012 at 6:13 pm
[…] Pepper, Celery, Carrots, Carrots and Cauliflower (O- refrigerator); Horseradish (O, refrigerator); Persimmon (BWC); Lemon and Pink Grapefruit Marmalade […]
May 2, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Hello! I have been scouring the internet for a recipe to preserve 6kg of very firm, unripe fuyu persimmons which I have acquired. How ripe do you think I should wait for them to become? Hmm –
Also, great collection of recipes! Kudos from Australia!
May 2, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Megs,
How lovely you are entering into persimmon season in Austrailia! Fuyus are best eaten when pretty crisp, but you should wait until the color of the skin is a deep orange before using. This will indicate that the sugars are developed in the fruit. When in doubt, cut into one and take a taste. If they are still very astringent, wait a bit. If they taste pleasant, then they are ready for chutney! Enjoy. -Karen
November 15, 2012 at 8:06 am
[…] Fuyu Persimmon Chutney […]
December 30, 2012 at 3:29 pm
[…] opted out of the challenge. After weeks of nibbling and a double batch of our long-time favorite Fuyu Persimmon Chutney failed to exhaust my fruit supply, I began to question my luck. I cannot stand for food to go to […]
December 3, 2013 at 11:05 am
Luckily a generous neighbor gave a few of the F. Persimmons. Even a half recipe is worth it!
December 3, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Fruit bearing neighbors are the best!
January 21, 2014 at 12:13 pm
[…] Project and Photo credit to mypantryshelf.com […]
September 20, 2015 at 5:04 pm
[…] Tutorial via mypantryshelf.com […]