Zesty Autumn Delight: Spiced Persimmon Butter!

1. Place persimmons into a slow cooker and drizzle lemon juice over top. Cover and cook on High for about 2 hours.

2. Open the slow cooker and mash persimmons with a potato masher. Stir in agave, cinnamon, and cloves. Set the cooker to Low and cook, uncovered, 8 hours to overnight, stirring several times if possible, to prevent burning during the long cooking period.

3. At the end of the cook time, inspect 4 (or more) half-pint jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until persimmon mixture has finished cooking. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.

4. Purée persimmon mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, purée mixture in batches in a blender, pulsing each batch a few times before leaving it on to purée.

5. Pack persimmon butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.

6. Allow the jars to cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.

Tips

Twenty peeled and chopped persimmons should fill a 3-quart slow cooker nearly to the top. But since the size of persimmons varies, the yield for this recipe is approximate. I like to have a couple of extra jars ready just in case I can fill one or two more.