There are so many ways to enjoy your persimmons – fresh, raw, cooked, or dried. Whichever you decide on, youāll be consuming a mineral-rich and fibrous fruit. Now, you might be wondering whether or not you can freeze your persimmons as a way of storing them?
Can You Freeze Persimmons?
Yes, you can freeze persimmons for up to 3 months. The good news is that persimmons usually freeze well in different ways: peeled or unpeeled, sliced or whole. Freezing persimmons will not accelerate the ripening process, but it will certainly preserve them.
Do Do Persimmons freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Persimmons? No
How to Freeze Persimmons
So, you have bought your persimmons but want to store them for a later date. But how exactly do we store them frozen? Follow these simple steps for best results:
- Let Persimmons Ripen: Some feel that persimmons tend to freeze better when ripened. Others suggest that ripening them after the thawing process is not as easy. Either way, it is a good idea to leave your persimmons at room temperature long enough for them to become soft and ripe.
- Wash Persimmons: This is done to remove any harmful bacteria that the fruit has begun harbouring. Run your persimmons under the tap whilst gently rubbing them.
- Slice Them: Now is the best time to cut your persimmons into the portions you want. You could leave them whole, cut them in half or opt for slices.
- Freeze on a Baking Tray: Line the baking tray first with either aluminium foil or parchment paper, then place the persimmon pieces separately on the tray so that they do not freeze together. You can then place them in the freezer for a short time.
- Place the Persimmon Pieces in a Freezer Bag: Transfer the fruit into the freezer bag so that nothing external can contaminate the persimmon. Then seal the bag securely. Try to remove as much air from the bag as possible.
- Date and Label: Write the date that you will first freeze the persimmon pieces on a sticker and attach it to the outside of the freezer bag. You can then place the bag in the freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Persimmons?
You can freeze persimmons for up to 3 months with its quality remaining intact. If you decide to freeze them for longer than this, you run the risk of freezer burn occurring and worsening the quality of your persimmons.
You can take steps to prevent freezer burn and subsequent perishing by wrapping your persimmon pieces well and checking on them regularly.
Once ripened, you can then store your persimmons in the freezer for a long time to keep them fresh and delicious.
How Do You Defrost Persimmons?
It is advisable to thaw your persimmons in the refrigerator overnight. That way, you can make sure that the fruit is thoroughly defrosted and good to eat.
Some people decide to defrost their persimmons in the microwave directly from the freezer, but be cautious not to overheat or underheat if proceeding in this way. Overheating can lead to mushy fruit and underheating can lead to a frozen centre.
Can You Refreeze Persimmons?
We would not recommend refreezing persimmons due to the effects that defrosting and the second round of freezing have on the fruit. The best thing to do is to slice the persimmons into smaller portions. That way, you can thaw only what you need.
Do Persimmons Freeze Well?
Yes, persimmons do freeze well. If you have packaged them correctly and followed the steps suggested, you should be able to enjoy your delicious persimmons within three months of freezing.
The texture of your persimmons can become mushy once defrosted, so make sure to consume them soon after taking them out of the freezer.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing persimmons or persimmons in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can freeze persimmon slices, cubes, wedges or chunks. It doesn’t matter how you cut the persimmon up, they can be frozen.
Freezing persimmons will impact the texture somewhat. They will become a little mushier and soft on the inside after thawing but they’ll still be delicious.
Can you freeze persimmon with its skin?
You can. Freezing them with the skin on can help prevent some of the enzymatic browning that happens to fruit.
However, if you’re planning on taking the skin off prior to eating/using them, we recommend doing that prior to freezing. Once thawed, persimmon can become a bit mushy (still tasty though) making it difficult to remove the skin.
If you really like the skin on in your recipes, but still need slices, the middle ground is to slice them with the skin on and then freeze the slices for use later.
Hope that helps!