Fuyu vs. Hachiya Persimmons - Explained! (2024)

FAQs

Fuyu vs. Hachiya Persimmons - Explained!? ›

You can recognize a Fuyu by its squat shape and flat bottom. The Hachiya, on the other hand, is slighty elongated and comes to a point at the bottom. While both are orange in color, they have very distinct tastes and textures. The Fuyu is firm, crunchy and mildly sweet.

Hachiya persimmons tend to be a little larger than Fuyu and are more acorn shaped. The main difference between Hachiya persimmons and Fuyus is that Hachiyas are extremely astringent until they are completely soft and ripe. If you bite into a hard, unripe Hachiya, you'll never forget it! Talk about mouth puckering.

But is a Fuyu firm or soft when ripe? Remember this: Fuyu, flat, firm. You can bite into and slice a firm Fuyu just like an apple. They are delicious firm and remain delicious once they become soft.

Fuyu persimmons serve a multi-purpose use. They're best eaten raw or sliced and added to salads, cereal, smoothies, but they are also suitable for baking and roasting. Hachiya persimmons, on the other hand, boast a creamy, jelly-like consistency best for baked goods such as muffins, cookies, bread, and puddings.

Hachiya persimmons soften when ripe. If eating raw, make sure they are very soft! Do not eat the skins of Hachiyas.

Persimmons contain tannins, a type of plant compound that can make your mouth feel dry, chalky, or puckered. Unripe persimmons have a high tannin content, leading to this sensation.

The peel is edible — so take a bite! If you prefer to wait until your persimmon is more ripe (which you always should when dealing with Hachiyas), simply cut it in half and eat the custard-like flesh with a spoon.

How to Tell When Hachiya Persimmons Are Ripe. A ripe Hachiya persimmon has a bright, red-orange color. Its skin turns soft and pliable and will feel like a water balloon when squeezed. Similar to tomatoes, these types of persimmons have thin, soft flesh and squishy, jelly-like innards and are nearly seedless when ripe.

Another set of cold food groupings to avoid include having crab with tea or persimmon. Xie explained: “Crab meat is a very cold type of food in TCM theory, and persimmon fruit is also cold in nature. Most people should avoid eating this food combination, as it can be hard on the digestive system.”

In shape, however, the two varieties have distinct differences. Hachiya persimmons are typically an elongated shape, often referred to as heart shaped or similar to an acorn or very plump (roma) tomato. The fuyu variety is round and squat, similar in shape to a beefsteak tomato.

What is the tastiest persimmon? ›

When the flesh is brown, they are at their peak eating quality. When persimmon fans are asked which variety is the best-tasting, you may hear maru, suruga, saijo and even the Native American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) that grows in the Southeast as far west as Oklahoma.

The Fuyu persimmons, which we grow on our farm, are not astringent so they can be eaten when still crispy, like an apple. They also can be eaten when quite a bit softer, and can even be used in recipes to replace the Hachiya if they are ripened to a jelly like state.

In Japan, Hachiya persimmons are revered for their drying ability and are traditionally made into hoshigaki, a process that involves hanging Hachiya from a string for weeks to enjoy as a sweet, chewy snack. Fuyu persimmons, on the other hand, are non-astringent and can be eaten raw at varying levels of ripeness.

Ripeness: A Unique Advantage

Unlike other persimmons, Fuyus are never astringent, so you can savor them firm or slightly soft depending on your preference. A firm Fuyu will have a crunchy texture similar to an apple, while a slightly softer one offers a creamier mouthfeel.

Enjoying Hachiya persimmons does require a little patience! Once fully ripe, they're truly one of autumn's best gifts. To speed things up, you can try to place your persimmons in a closed paper bag with bananas or apples, which give off ethylene gas and will help the persimmons ripen faster.

How to Tell When Hachiya Persimmons Are Ripe. A ripe Hachiya persimmon has a bright, red-orange color. Its skin turns soft and pliable and will feel like a water balloon when squeezed. Similar to tomatoes, these types of persimmons have thin, soft flesh and squishy, jelly-like innards and are nearly seedless when ripe.

Non-astringent varieties of persimmons are ripe and ready to be eaten whilst crisp and can be enjoyed straight from the tree immediately after picking. Astringent persimmons are ripe when they have become very soft and are often best left to ripen for a few days after picking until they have a nearly jammy texture.

Fruit Description: A medium-sized, square-shaped, faintly 4-sided fruit that ripens in late fall with a deep-orange skin and a light orange flesh.