Persimmon & Pomegranate Thanksgiving Sangria

A festive and easy fall sangria that is perfect for Thanksgiving or the whole holiday season, made with fuyu persimmons and fresh pomegranates. 
A Jerry James Stone Recipe

Categories

Cocktail, Red, Yellow

Ingredients
  

  • 3 fuyu persimmons
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 bottle Pinot grigio, off-dry
  • 1 ½ cups white grape juice
  • 1 cup spiced rum
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 cups ice
Jump to instructions
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Instructions

  • Let's get started. The 3 persimmons that you use for this recipe should be ripe yet still firm. If they are too ripe, you will not be able to cut them with the cookie cutter. Also, be sure to use fuyu persimmons. While other persimmon varieties can work, hachiya persimmons will not. So just to be safe.
  • Trim both ends of the persimmons and then slice them width-wise, into 1/4-inch thick slices. Take a star cookie cutter to each slice, saving the left over. You won't need it for this recipe but here is one damn tasty smoothie you can make with them. Place the cutouts on a parchment lined baking sheet and them place them in the freezer.
  • Now let's prep 1 pomegranate. Just check out my How To video on the quick and easy way to seed one. Store the arils in the fridge in an airtight container.
  • I've said it before and I will say it again: good sangria is made with good wine. It's a fact--good ingredients make good food. So, start out with a decent bottle of Pinot Grigio... something under $20. Preferably one that is off-dry with good fruit flavor. No two buck chuck!
  • Add a bottle of Pinot Grigio, 1 1/2 cups white grape juice, 1 cup spiced rum, and 1/4 cup sugar to a medium pitcher and stir, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Let chill in the refrigerator.
  • After about an hour, the persimmon stars and the sangria should be ready. Add 2 cups of ice to the pitcher along with the pomegranate arils and the frozen stars. Serve the sangria over ice. Enjoy!

Storage Tips:

Storage Tips Icon

How to Chill Wine Fast

You can chill wine quickly by placing the bottle in ice water with a cup of salt. Stir the ice water occasionally and this will chill wine faster than your freezer!

How to Store Persimmons

Unripe persimmons will keep in the fridge for about a month or about a week once ripe. Store them at room temperature before eating for best flavor.

About Fuyu Persimmons

NOTE: Persimmons come in two major categories: astringent and non-astringent. It’s all due to the tannin levels in each variety. Fuyu persimmons are non-astrigent, meaning they are low on tannins, and can be enjoyed before they are fully ripe. You can eat them like an apple.

About Hachiya Persimmons

Hachiya persimmons are astringent. So, they need to be over ripe or eating them is a very unpleasant experience. When ripe, hachiya persimmons are very soft, and sorta feel like a water balloon.