Hachiya Persimmons – How to Eat Them

Find out how to eat Hachiya persimmons and know when they’re ripe! Sweet and juicy flesh, soft luscious texture, it’s like nature’s candy.

Anyone else with Asian parents or grandparents will know Hachiya persimmons are THE prized jewels in the winter. Their texture and flavor remind me so much of a sweet tropical fruit that I can ALMOST imagine myself out of this winter wasteland wonderland. They’re so popular and have a short season so if you see these gems in the supermarket, you should buy them! All of them. Luckily for me, my mom nabbed me a few before they were all gone. She always tells me I’m her favorite daughter. I’m also her only daughter.

How to Ripen Hachiya Persimmons

Hachiya persimmons can take weeks of patience and careful prodding to ripen depending on how firm they were when you bought them. If they feel rock hard, you may have to wait up to 2 weeks to ripen them out on your counter.  But if you don’t want to wait that long, here’s a shortcut to speed up ripening: Place the persimmons in a single layer inside a paper bag or a container along with an apple. Make sure to keep them at room temperature and loosely covered to allow for slight air flow. The ethylene gas from the apple will speed up the ripening process so check back every 2 days to see if they’re ripe and ready to eat.

When are They Ripe?

You will know it’s ripe when they’re completely soft and squishy feeling.  Think of a full water balloon.  It should feel like that because the insides literally turn to a jelly consistency and it’s freaking GLORIOUS. They should give completely when you gently squeeze them. Make sure to check that the flesh around the stem is soft as that’s the last part of the fruit to ripen.

How to Eat Hachiya Persimmons

In Korea, these are eaten both fresh and dried. The dried fruit is called gotgam 곶감. To dry them, they’re peeled while underripe and then hung on ropes until they form a sugar crust and have a chewy texture.  They’re so amazingly delicious and taste like candy. It’s the BEST dried fruit I’ve ever had. If you see any at your local Korean or Asian market, pick some up and try them. You’ll love it!

But my favorite way to eat these is just plain fresh.  Yep. Cut it in half and dig out with a spoon.  You can also stick them in the freezer for 24 hours once they’re completely ripe, then cut them in half and dig out the flesh with a spoon.  Frozen hachiya persimmons are exactly like sorbet but healthier. It has that creamy soft serve texture without all the calories. Your tastebuds will thank you a thousand times!

As a side note, does anyone else have a dog that just absolutely loves fruit?  Mildred here is going bonkers, and I could tell she would just so appreciate a little bite of this fruit.