How do I eat Pawpaw?

Pawpaw is best in raw preparations with the seed and skin removed. You can eat the fruit straight up, remove the pulp and use in ice cream, mousse, parfaits, or in smoothies. Cooking pawpaw may cause some stomach discomfort so when making pawpaw jam or spreads or candies, do not cook for very long or consider using them raw. Do not eat the seeds.

(pawpaw mousse with lemon curd topping and a nasturtium flower garnish)

How does pawpaw taste?

Pawpaw generally tastes a little like banana with other tropical fruit flavours and caramel custard mixed in. There is a fairly wide range of flavours, different pawpaw from different trees and cultivars will have notes of such as mango, vanilla, pineapple. As the fruit ripens the flavour will change and become more robust. Some people prefer their pawpaw to be blackened, others prefer “just ripe” fruits. It depends on personal preference.

How do I know if my pawpaw is ripe?

Pawpaw will become slightly soft to the squeeze when it is becomes ripe. (Similar to an avocado.) The skin will have a touch of yellow undertone, but be mostly green. Within a few more days the skin will become yellower, and then it will become black and much softer. If you purchase several fruits, you can consume them at different stages of ripeness to learn what you prefer. 

Why does my pawpaw taste bitter?

Pawpaw can taste bitter when over or under-ripe, or if you consume the fruit’s skin. You will notice a potassium like flavour and a bit of astringency, much like you do with underripe bananas. Bitterness can also present more some years than others due to that seasons growing conditions.

How do I store pawpaw?

If your pawpaw is still hard, place it in a paper bag or under a towel at room temperature, with other fruits such as apples and bananas. It can take from a few days to more than a week to soften up. Ripe pawpaw can be held in the fridge for a few weeks, however this will speed up the blackening of the skin.

What do I do with the seeds?

Pawpaw seeds are not edible, discard them while eating. You can save seeds by placing them in a damp paper towel and storing in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Pawpaw seeds require 3 months of cold stratification to grow. You can also return seeds to pawpaw sellers.

I would like to grow pawpaw

Please visit How to grow pawpaw from seed for a detailed article on how to grow pawpaw from seed.