Fuyu Persimmon Jam (Kaki Jam)

Homemade Fuyu Kaki (Persimmon) Jam

Now that it’s winter time, Japanese Fuyu Persimmons (a.k.a. “Fuyu Kaki“) are in season!  (Fuyu persimmons are the non-astringent [sweet] short/flattened ones that you eat when semi-firm… not the astringent acorn/sphere shaped ones that can only be eaten when soft and squishy.)  I found three of the largest Fuyu kaki that I’ve ever seen… put them in the refrigerator, and then promptly forgot about them.  A few days ago, I saw my prized kaki and realized they were too soft now to eat!   So now what?  Well, slightly over-ripe fruit often has the perfect sweetness for jam making… so time to make some persimmon jam!

In order to make this jam, you will need about 2 1/2 cups of persimmon puree… if you can find the GIANT kaki like I did, you probably only need 3-4 of them.  But if you are using the smaller/regular sized kaki, you probably need about 6-7 individual fruits.

Jam making is a really simple process – basically you simmer all the ingredients together, add some pectin and sugar… and voila, jam!  If you want to preserve the jam for longer storage, then you can use the water bath canning method to sterilize and boil the jars – keep in mind though, because this is a low sugar jam recipe, the fruit will have a tendency to darken the longer you store the jam.  If you think you will eat the jam (or give it away) right away – then you don’t need to bother with the canning step as it will most likely keep 4-6 weeks if refrigerated.  You can also freeze your jam in freezer jars if you want to keep it longer without having to bother with the canning step.

Serve this jam on warm buttered milk bread toast for the perfect winter breakfast!

Fuyu Kaki (Persimmon) Jam:

Use very ripe persimmons for best results!

• 2 1/2 c. Fuyu Persimmon (Kaki) puree (about 3-4 large kaki)
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 T. lemon juice
• 3 T. Low Sugar Pectin
• 1/2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 4-5 half pint jars and new lids, or freezer jars

1.  (If you plan to preserve your jam, sterilize 4-5 half pint jars and rings in boiling water ahead of time.)  To make your persimmon puree, cut the clean and dried persimmons from the stem.  Use very ripe or almost over-ripe persimmons for best results.  Cut the fruit into quarters, and cut each quarter in half.  (It took me about 3 very large Fuyu persimmons to make 2 1/2 c. puree… if you have smaller persimmons you might need 6-7 of them.)

2.  Put the cut persimmons into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until you have a rough puree.  (It’s ok if you see little bits of skin.)

3.  Measure your puree and place it into the bottom of a large pot with the water, salt, lemon juice, low sugar pectin, and butter.  (If you have just a little bit under the 2 1/2 c. puree… that’s ok… just add a little bit of water to increase the puree amount the the full 2 1/2 c.)

4.  Bring your mixture to a simmer, cook for about 5 minutes.

5.  Add the sugar, stir into your jam mixture.

6.  Bring the jam to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute.  Then turn off the heat.  Jam is done!  If you don’t plan to preserve your jam, you can put into freezer jars or use immediately, or give away to people to use immediately (will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator).

7.  For storage, pour the hot jam into the sterilized jars.  Wipe the rims, add new lids, then close finger tight.  To water bath can your jam for longer storage, add the jars into a pot of hot water with a rack or towel set in the bottom – make sure the water covers the top of the jars by at least 1″.  Cover and once the water reaches a full boil, process for 10 minutes.

8.  Remove the jars to cool on top of a thick towel.  Leave the jars undisturbed overnight until fully cooled.  Once cool, test the seals by pushing to top of the lid with your finger – if the lid moves back and forth your jam is not sealed properly (refrigerate or consume immediately).

You can store the unopened jam in a pantry for up to a year – but keep in mind low sugar jams tend to discolor the longer you keep them. (Refrigerate your jam once opened.) For more detailed instructions on the water bath canning process for jams, and for higher elevation processing times, see the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s recommendations.