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Kiwifruit, an excellent source of vitamin C, is native to southeast Asia. It was originally known as "Chinese gooseberries." This brown, fuzzy fruit is grown commercially in New Zealand, Italy, Japan, France, Australia, Greece, Chile and the United States. New Zealand and California are the largest producers; however, there is some commercial production in Oregon and Washington.
There are more than 50 species of kiwifruit. Consumers are most familiar with the Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa) variety.
Kiwi will keep for several days at room temperature and up to four weeks in the refrigerator. It can be held for over 10 months commercially.
Kiwi is ripe when you can press the outside with your thumb and it gives to light pressure. If you apply pressure and the fruit doesn't give at all, it is not ready to eat or preserve. To ripen kiwifruit quickly, place it in a vented plastic bag with an apple or banana and leave it at room temperature for a day or two.
Kiwis make great jams, jellies and preserves. They can also be preserved by freezing and drying.
Caution: When working with large quantities of kiwi, wear rubber gloves to avoid irritation to the skin.
Jams, jellies and preserves
Kiwi is high in acid and low in pectin. When making jams and jellies, it is best to use recipes with added pectin. Kiwi can be substituted in your favorite recipes for other high-acid, low-pectin fruits such as strawberry, cherry or pineapple.
Kiwi jam
(Yield: about 4 half-pint jars)
- 3 cups chopped, peeled kiwis (about 9 to 12 medium)
- 6 tablespoons Ball Classic Pectin
- 1 cup bottled unsweetened pineapple juice
- 4 cups sugar
Prep
Peel kiwis. Coarsely chop kiwis; measure 3 cups chopped kiwi.
Cook
Combine chopped kiwi, pectin and pineapple juice in a large saucepan, stirring to blend in pectin. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
Fill
Ladle hot jam into a hot jar, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rim. Center lid on jar and adjust band to fingertip-tight. Place jar on the rack in a boiling-water canner with simmering water (180°F). Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process
Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process half-pint jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see below). Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12 hours. Check seals. Label and store jars.
| Altitude in feet | Increase processing time |
|---|---|
| 1,001-3,000 | 5 minutes |
| 3,001-6,000 | 10 minutes |
| 6,001-8,000 | 15 minutes |
| 8,001-10,000 | 20 minutes |
Kiwi Jam recipe used with permission. Source: Newell Brands Inc. Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. 38th ed., Hearthmark, LLC, 2024.
Strawberry-kiwi jam pectin
Yield: About 6 half-pint jars
- 3 cups crushed strawberries
- 3 kiwi, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger
- 1 box regular powdered pectin (1.75 ounces)
- 5 cups sugar
Procedure
Wash canning jars and keep warm; prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's directions. Combine strawberries, kiwi, lemon juice, ginger and pectin in a large saucepot. Bring quickly to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner.
Recommended processing time for Strawberry-Kiwi Jam in a boiling-water canner
| Style of pack | Jar size | 0-1,000 ft | 1,001-6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Half pints or pints | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
Recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation University of Georgia
Kiwifruit jelly
(Yield: 5½ cups)
- 3½ cups kiwi juice (about 4 pounds)
- ¼ cup water
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 box (1¾ oz.) powdered pectin
Peel and crush kiwifruit. Place fruit and water in a saucepan, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. To extract juice, place cooked fruit in jelly bag or clean tea towel placed in a colander. Let drip at least 4 hours. Do not squeeze bag. If there is not enough juice you can pour a small amount of water through the pulp.
Mix measured juice and pectin in a large heavy kettle. Place over high heat and stir constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Add sugar. Bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Pour into hot, sterilized ½ pint jars, leave ¼” headspace, and seal. Process in a boiling water canner
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0 - 1,000 ft | 1,001 - 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Half-pints or Pints | 5 min | 10 min | 15 min |
After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.
Kiwi freezer jam
(Yield: approximately 5 cups)
Uncooked jam has a brighter green color and a fresher kiwi taste than cooked jam.
- 2 cups peeled kiwi, crushed
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 box powdered fruit pectin (1¾ oz.)
Crush kiwifruit in large bowl. Stir sugar into fruit, mix thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes. Mix ¾ cup water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add boiled hot pectin mixture to fruit and continue stirring for 3 minutes. Ladle into containers leaving ½ inch headspace. Cover at once with lids and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store jam in the freezer. Small amounts may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Freezing kiwifruit
Choose fully ripe fruit. Kiwi can be frozen sliced, crushed or whole. Kiwi is high in acid. Adding sugar improves flavor and helps to keep fruit firm. Slices may be frozen individually by placing on a cookie sheet or tray lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper and freezing. When frozen remove slices and package in freezer weight bags. These slices are great for garnishes.
Caution: Kiwi contains the enzyme papain that breaks down protein. Therefore, frozen and fresh kiwifruit must be heated to boiling before it is used in gelatin dishes.
Frozen kiwi can be used to tenderize meat. Small whole fruits may be frozen for this purpose.
For syrup pack: Use 3 cups sugar to 4 cups water. For dry sugar pack: Use 1 cup sugar to 1 quart kiwifruit slices. Toss to coat before packing. For crushed fruit, use 1 cup sugar for 1 quart fruit or to taste.
Drying kiwifruit
Select soft, ripe fruit. Peel and slice in ¼-inch slices. Small fruit may be cut in half. Place on dryer sheets and dry until pliable and leathery. You might also like to heat the slices in a light-medium sugar syrup for 1-2 minutes before drying for added flavor and to destroy the enzyme papain that breaks down protein and can cause mouth irritation.
Kiwifruit makes excellent fruit leather. Mix strained pulp with sugar to taste and pour in a thin layer on plastic sheets and dry in a dehydrator, in the sun or in an oven. It can also be mixed with other fruits such as pineapple, strawberry, apple and pear.
Source: OSU Master Food Preserver Program
