It will be rather tasteless IME.

The reason most jam recipes for it include other fruit or flavor additives is because the flavor of papaws dissipates quickly when exposed to heat and the recipe you posted has more than the average amount of cooking and processing in it. It holds up much better when used in cool recipes like ice cream, sherberts, puddings, smoothies, etc.

Plus they are a low acid fruit with a wide range of pH depending on specific variety and growing conditions. Ranges from 5.0-6.8 (peaches are 3.3 to 4.0) so more lemon juice or other acidic fruit is needed - pineapple is a common combo with Papaws.

Dave

Pawpaws are different in different areas, so what you will be getting could be what I call pawpaws. In Australian, pawpaws are papayas.

Pawpaws are very similar to bananas and need to be treated like bananas.

Ripened correctly and picked right, they are very flavorful. But the shelf life of a ripe pawpaw is only 2-3 days without refrigeration. That's why you don't find them on the supermarket shelves.

We live near Purdue University and they wanted to come visit our groves to get some native ones and try to hybridize them to get a longer shelf life. I'm not sure if they were successful, since they never were able to show up when the fruit was ripe.

Pawpaws are only ripe for approximately 2 weeks, if you are lucky.

This post was edited by myfamilysfarm on Tue, Jan 28, 14 at 10:14

These came from Ohio. The place is called Integration Acres and was one of the few places I found that shipped pawpaws. They were also pretty reasonably priced compared to the few others I found.

Ate two right off the bat and put the rest in the fridge.

I'll probably end up eating them fresh.... though I bet they'd be good in smoothies. Hrmmmm

This post was edited by CaraRose on Fri, Sep 20, 13 at 21:15

I always thought that pawpaws were what the British (or those from the Crown Colonies) called papayas. If they are (and I think I'm correct) you might try what we made when I grew up in Hawaii: Pineapple-Papaya Jam. It's very flavorful, and tastes somewhat like Apricot Jam (once its made). I'm sure you can find some recipes online and go with that, if you wish.

It's one of my very favorite jams. Good luck.

Paw Paws are papayas. Mangoes are something altogether different.

Well, most of the pawpaws in the photographs on the google link that we just saw were NOT the traditional papaya. The pawpaws that were referred to grow on a much different tree -- and that tree looks similar to a small mango tree. (However, some of the photographs WERE of the traditional papaya. Papaya trees are nothing like a multi-limbed, large mango tree, or the "other" pawpaw tree.)

I guess we have to assume that some countries use the word pawpaw to mean the traditional papaya, but here in the US the word pawpaw refers to the mango-like-but-with-many-seeds fruit and it's NOTHING like a papaya.

Go figure.

I only know about the traditional papaya fruit and trees, and the mango, guava, lichee, breadfruit, starfruit and other tropical fruit and trees -- because we had those in our yard in Hawaii where I was born and raised.

Agree with Rodney - papaws, pawpaws, paw paw, etc. (has multiple regional spellings and names) are not papayas.

Pawpaws are Asimina triloba a Native American fruit that while it grows wild throughout most of the eastern half of the US, is only regionally recognized and used as edible. Because of its very short shelf life when ripe it has never caught on with commercial growers.

Papayas are Carica papaya, native only to the tropics.

Just like bananas Papaws, Pawpaws are not supposed to be refrigerated as it destroys the taste.

Lots of info and recipes available for pawpaws via Google.

Dave

I was wrong, it was papayas.

The only way to keep pawpaws is to refrigerate them. I've been selling them for about 15 years, since we discovered our groves. If they are ripe, there isn't much that you can do to diminish the flavor or smell. I've had people be able to smell than 1/2 block away.

Also, the blacker they get, the riper they are, just like bananas. My grandfather used to say, if they are not black and mushy, they are not ripe.

They don't have many seeds, but 1 large seed.

I'm talking about the ones that grow wild in the Midwest, not the British or Australian versions.

deleting duplicate post.

This post was edited by myfamilysfarm on Tue, Jan 28, 14 at 10:17

The place I bought mine from said to refrigerate since they'll go bad too quick if left out.

Yes, definitely refrigerate them, but even with refrigeration they will only be good for up to 1 week. By the time that they are black and feel like a wet sock with soup in them, throw them away. Don't just lay them in the frig, but put in a water tight bowl to catch the drips.

In the Midwest and upper South, most people know paw paws as the banana-like flavored fruit that grows on deciduous trees in the understory of the woods. Asimina triloba is a northern relative of the tropical custard apple. Kentucky State University has done a lot of work with this American native fruit. In general, it is not known to keep long, does not keep its flavor well if cooked too long and has been difficult to market on the same level as other fruits. It grows wild here in Eastern Kansas. I've attached a link for more info. Paw Paws, as others have said, mean different things to different people, in other parts of the world.

Here is a link that might be useful: Paw Paws

myfamilysfarm said: "If they are ripe, there isn't much that you can do to diminish the flavor or smell. I've had people be able to smell than 1/2 block away."

Can anyone describe the smell? Just planted a couple of these in my suburban side yard. Hoping the smell is good so as not to annoy the neighbs!

This post was edited by fukiname on Tue, Jan 28, 14 at 0:28

PawPaws' smell is unique, and I can't describe it. The native trees will not grow in a neighborhood yard. They need a heavily wooded area to protect them. Almost ANY pesticide anywhere near them will kill the trees.

Also, bees do not pollinate the blooms, but carrion flies, like the ones off of dead animals. The blooms are beautiful, IMHO, so you could have a tree with pretty blossoms, but no fruit.

I'm only experienced with the native pawpaws from the Indiana region. I know Purdue University was wanting to hybridize them, but don't know what has been done.

My pawpaws are banana like, with 1 huge seed, not many seeds. Also the fruit is only in season for about 2 weeks.

I will be trying to make some jam this next August.

Marla

Maria, can you share a photo of your pawpaw? I am amazed that your pawpaws have a single seed. I grow native and patented varieties that include Shenandoah and Susquehanna and each fruit has about a dozen seeds the size of lima beans. I do not find the fragrance strong until I place the ripe fruit in a confined space such as my car or house. I like the perfume smell. I am able to slow the ripening by storing the fruit in a cool area such as my sheltered entryway. In Massachusetts I harvest the fruit in October.

I don't have pics and won't until August, if I can find them before the animals do.
Our ripen in August, must be different trees.