Persimmons

[Boz330]

Anybody know how to process the raw fruit to get the pulp? I use to take a 5 gallon bucket full to my Godson's mother for breads and puddings but never saw how it was processed. With the freeze last night they should be prime but you have to beat the deer and coons to them.

Bob

[gbrown]

I'm not 100% certain of your question, but when we used to process fruit for the juices for jelly, we used a kitchen tool, I believe called a juicer. It was like a 2 quart pan with a handle in the center of the pan. It had perforations in the pan like a colander. The handle ran through this augur looking blade with a heavy spring between the augur and the bend in the handle, that held the bottom of the augur blade against the bottom of the pan. You filled the pan about half full of cut up/crushed fruit and turned the handle, holding the pan over a larger stainless pot. The fruit was pressed between the blade and pan, crushing it and forcing the juice through the holes. There is also a thing that looks like this called a strainer. I'll try to find the tool I was speaking of for a picture

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_195845076d9af1699e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6988)

Here it is, the object in the center.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_195845076dcc45a027.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6989)

[Boz330]

I guess I should be more specific. Persimmons have several large seeds inside. The other thing is do you use the outside skin. The seeds make up a lot of the bulk. Is there an easy way to separate them?

Bob

[gbrown]

I understand about the pits or rocks, as they are called with peaches, but we parboiled peaches, plums and dew berries to soften them for crushing and then skinned the larger fruits and pulled the pits or seeds by hand. Labor intensive, but a labor of love for family.

[gwpercle]

Take a good sharp knife, peel them , slice and remove center core and seeds. put meat in food processor and make into pulp. Put pulp into freezer zip bags and freeze for later use.

If they are really ripe and soft just cut in half and use a spoon to scoop soft pulp into zip bag. Dont use peel , core or seeds, just ripe pulp.

Look at some recipes and see what amounts are called for , say 2 cups , measure 2 cups into bag and mark it 2 cups, it defrosts quickly in water in sink when you are ready to use it.

Hope this helps......gary

[375RUGER]

I process them without cooking using a cone sieve like shown in post #2 except mine is older than me and is perforated metal instead of a screen.
The pulp gets mashed through and I freeze it fresh in ziplock bags either 1 or 2 cups measured. It will keep very well for making cookies.
The large pieces of skin don't go through but real small pieces will get mashed through the sieve.

I suppose a little citric acid added wouldn't hurt it any but I've never done it. And have never had any problem with it discoloring either.