Indiana Persimmon Butter

This year in South Central Indiana, the persimmons are early and ready for making Persimmon Butter, just as it has seemed  everything has been  a month early.  The weather was the hottest in June and July (over 100 most days), gardens that were planted earlier than usual were the only ones that did well, and now the persimmons are ripe and falling in September rather than October.

While all over the country various crops have been total failures this year, the Persimmon crop in South Central Indiana appears to be a very good one!  Persimmons are abundant right now.  It is time to gather and put up for winter use.  Many people run them through a sieve and freeze the pulp for use later in cookies, puddings, cakes, breads and various recipes.  Another way of putting them up is to make Persimmon Butter and can it in canning jars or freeze the butter.  With the abundance of persimmons this year, perhaps putting them up both ways is the way to go.

I didn't have a recipe for Persimmon Butter, but I had tasted some a friend of mine made last year and it was delicious.  So I set out to try to recreate the flavor and consistency of hers.  She doesn't use recipes but rather just throws a little of this and a pinch of that and maybe a dab of something else together and ends up with some great dishes!  Anyway, I didn't come out with the exact flavor of hers, but I did come up with one that I really like and my family really likes.

Persimmon Butter

 8 Cups Persimmon pulp

1 1/2 Tablespoons baking soda (1/2 tsp per cup of pulp is a good way to figure this)

1 Lemon, juiced or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C brown sugar

3 C white sugar

Place persimmon pulp in slow cooker crock pot (5 quart size) and pour the lemon juice over the pulp.  Cook on high for half an hour.  Add sugars, spices and baking soda.  Cook on low ( if your crock pot has a setting for hours set it for the 6 to 8 hours) uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking for 2 hours.  Butter will thicken as it cooks.  

Place butter in blender and puree after cooking.  Pack hot into sterilized canning jars.  Place hot sterilized rings and lids on jars tightly and invert the jars for 1/2 hour.  Turn jars right side up and allow to cool.  Jars will seal as they cool and will make a popping sound as they seal.  Place the sealed jars in a refrigerator or cool dark place for storage.  Will make about 4 pints.

Note:  The baking soda will cause foaming when added and cooking.  The foam will disappear and the butter will turn a dark, deep, rich red in color.  (mine turns almost black by the time it is done, depending on how much cloves and/or cinnamon you have added)

The butter should be able to stand up on a plate without separating and be about the consistency of apple butter. 

This Persimmon Butter makes a great gift at holiday and seasonal parties.  I often make up baskets or boxes of various jellies, jams and butters I have made and give as gifts.

Hope you enjoy! 

Just Me - Granny D