As an Asian American, I always look forward to persimmon season in the fall. Persimmons are essentially the Asian equivalent to pumpkins in Western culture. They even look a little like mini pumpkins! I always try to come up with new recipes utilizing persimmons because I love them so much, so I thought why not make some jam this year. This persimmon jam is so simple to make, and only uses 4 ingredients.
Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments
- Fuyu persimmons – I used fuyu persimmons for this jam. There are 2 common types of persimmons: fuyu and hachiya. Fuyu is short and squat while hachiyas are taller. The main difference between the two is fuyus can be eaten while they are firm and crisp but hachiyas need to ripen all the way. Ripe hachiyas look like a water balloon about to burst. Otherwise, they have a bitter taste. I used fuyus for this recipe because I personally like them better. This recipe could probably work with hachiya persimmons, but I haven’t tested it. The cook time will probably be different if you use hachiyas.
- Lemon juice – Lemon juice adds a bit of brightness to the jam and helps preserve it.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and moisture to this jam.
- Salt – Brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
Making my persimmon jam
First, remove the skins from the persimmons and cut into small pieces. Make sure to remove the stems and seeds. Add the sliced persimmons to a sauce pan with lemon juice. Heat over medium heat for 15 minutes to soften up the fruit. Use a potato masher to help the process along. After 15 minutes, add sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes to thicken up the jam. Use the potato masher to the fruit if it still seems lumpy
Test the jam by spooning a small amount onto a plate. Tilt the plate, and if it doesn’t slide, the jam should be done. Cook for a few more minutes if it fails the test. Remove the sauce pan from the heat. You can stop here if you want, but I wanted a smoother consistency, so I used an immersion blender to smooth out the jam. Spoon jam into a jar for storage. You can store the jam for up to a year in your pantry if unopened. Once opened, they last up to a month in the fridge.
Tips on how to make and store persimmon jam
- Use really ripe fuyu persimmons – Ripe persimmons are the best kind to use for this jam recipe. They break down easier, and the sugars are peaking at this point, making for a sweeter jam. One trick to speed up the ripening process is to throw them into a paper bag for a few days.
- Use a potato masher to soften up the persimmons – This was such a huge life savior for this recipe. Fuyu persimmons are not inherently soft even when they are really ripe, so smushing them with a potato masher helped soften them up.
- Storing the jam – Homemade jams can be stored unopened in the pantry for up to a year. If opened, transfer to the fridge where they can be stored up to a month. The container you use to store your jam is really important. Jams should be stored in air tight containers. I used these glass jars for my jam.
- How can you tell if my jam went bad? – Spoiled jam will smell fermented, and it may develop mold on top.
What can I eat persimmon jam with?
I love eating this jam on toast like in the image below. If you love persimmons, you can double up on the flavor with smearing some jam on persimmon bread. 🙂
Did you make this jam?
If you made this dish, I would love to see!
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Persimmon Jam
Ingredients
- 6 fuyu persimmons cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Remove the skins from the persimmons and cut into small pieces. Make sure to remove the stems and seeds.
- Add sliced persimmons to a sauce pan with lemon juice. Heat over medium heat for 15 minutes to soften up the fruit. Use a potato masher to help the process along.
- After 15 minutes, add sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes to thicken up the jam. Use the potato masher to crush the fruit if it still seems too lumpy.
- Test the jam by spooning a small amount onto a plate. Tilt the plate, and if it doesn’t slide, the jam should be done. Cook for a few more minutes if it fails the test.
- Remove the sauce pan from the heat. You can stop here if you want, but I wanted a smoother consistency, so I used an immersion blender to smooth out the jam.
- Spoon jam into a jar for storage. You can store the jam for up to a year in your pantry if unopened. Once opened, they last up to a month in the fridge.
How much did the amount of persimmons weigh? I have wild persimmons that I have processed into pulp. Can I use that pulp in this recipe?
I am not sure what wild persimmons look like or taste like, so honestly, I am not sure. 1 3/4 pounds or 780 grams of persimmons in the jam.
I have a hachiyas persimon tree in my backyard. One year, the crop was so abundant (several hundred fruits on just one tree) that I hate to waste.
Make a batch of jam seems to be the logical answer. I waited for the fruits to be very ripe and soft (each feels like a sack of jelly) and cooked them (peeled) with brown sugar. The end product was so bitter tasting, not edible.
What happened was the sap in the fruits somehow coagulate and turn back to its form when the fruits were not ripe during the cooking process.
Never having eaten or cooked with persimmons, I got two in a harvest box. I tried this simple recipe, adjusting amounts to make it work with my few persimmons. Simple, and good. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for trying the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it 😊
Hi Becca!!!
I love persimmons!!! This recipe is awesome. I’ve made it twice. I’d make it more if persimmons were available all the time. Making your own jam is so much better than store bought. I used this to make thumb print cookies the first time making it….Delish!!! Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Angie. I’m so excited you enjoyed this recipe! Using it in thumb print cookies sounds amazing!!
I just made this Persimmons Jam and it was delicious. I did modify it a little. I used very ripe Persimmons so there was no need to mash it. I used Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar. I cooked it for an hour or so until the jam thickened to the right consistency. It was so yummy!
Ohhh I’ve never heard of Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener before! I have to try that out! Thank you for making the recipe.
I just made this jam and it turned out so yummy!! Thank you for the super easy recipe. I don’t think it will last long because I’m already just eating it by the spoonful!! Yum!
I’m so excited you like it!! Thank you for making it!
So excited to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing, Becca! You rock for taking the time to share this 🙂
Thank you Celine! Let me know how it goes!
you can ripen persimmons to mash by putting them in the freezer, freezing them and then letting them thaw.
I didn’t know that! Thanks for the info!
I went through this recipe and ended up throwing out the ‘jam’. It never reached the right consistency. then when I tasted, it puckered your mouth Very ripe persimmons used
Sorry it didn’t work for you! Thank you for trying the recipe
Since persimmons vary in size, can you please give an estimate of how much you would need for one recipe (for instance 1 cup chopped?
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
I think I used about 3 cups of persimmons chopped.
How much does it weigh? A ‘cup’ is meaningless. You can chop the fruit into tiny bits or big chunks. Weight of fruit is essential.
About 24 ounces.
Not sure if I missed reading a step…looks like there is no “canning” required. Simply put jam into jars after cooking. Is that correct?
Yes that’s correct!
Are you able to waterbath can or would that ruin it?
Thanks
Unfortunately, I am not sure. I haven’t tried it with a waterbath.
You really should tell people the right way to do it….boil the jars to sterilize them for ten minutes, then fill them to 1/2″ from the top, put on the lids and boil again for ten minutes submerged to air seal the mason jars, otherwise the jams will not last in the pantry for more than a month or less!
Thanks for the feedback!
Hi Ann,do you have a Facebook page? Where we can go and visit your page and hear more about your canning process. The information you gave above is wonderful I would love to learn more. Richie Del Facebook
To all who make this jam recipe, please check with your local extension office to confirm that it is safe to leave jam in pantry for a year without canning. I question that and I wouldn’t want anyone to get botulism. I made the recipe and liked it very much, but if I were to make several jars to use at a later date, I would put in a water bath to be safe.