Prickly pear fruits

Created by popular request. Share what you know about man's past and present use of cacti.
Post Reply
fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Prickly pear fruits

Post by fanaticactus »

After having my first taste of a PP fruit last year, I picked up two more recently in the supermarket. What I could eat was fine, although amounted to less than an ounce. Both were loaded with seeds dispersed everywhere. I don't remember this was the case with my first one. Do Opuntia seeds always spread so solidly throughout the fruit, or do some species tend to 'congregate' in a smaller area--sort of like a pit in a peach--to make it easier to eat around them. Does anyone know of an easy method of extraction? I know some people eat the seeds without chewing them, but I can't do that. Besides straining the pulp, is there any other way to get chunks of seed-free fruit?
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Buck Hemenway
Posts: 2798
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 4:39 pm
Location: Riverside, Ca USA
Contact:

Post by Buck Hemenway »

Each variety is different. Some have more, bigger and harder seeds than others. You'll need to watch the store shelf ard remember which one you like.

We don't eat them, usually. My wife separates the pulp from the seeds in a strainer - she just mashes the pulp around so most of it is drained into a bowl, then she uses that pulp/juice to flavor other dishes. Such as Opuntia Margaritas. They are always the hit at our annual Cactus Cook-Off at our cactus club's annual barbeque.
Buck Hemenway
fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Post by fanaticactus »

Opuntia margaritas! Now, that's exotic! Is the extract used with or in place of lime juice?
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Buck Hemenway
Posts: 2798
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 4:39 pm
Location: Riverside, Ca USA
Contact:

Post by Buck Hemenway »

In place of the lime juice. Delicious.
Buck Hemenway
daiv
Site Admin
Posts: 23625
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:15 pm
Location: Long Prairie, MN
Contact:

Post by daiv »

Did you see this post:

http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19039

I made jelly out of it that is great and a lemonade punch that was "OK".
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
User avatar
Peterthecactusguy
Posts: 8862
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:49 am
Location: Black Canyon City, Arizona

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

That reminds me. I have the instuctions for how to make PP jelly.

I will share them, I didn't bring my dang camera with me.......so no pics. Maybe this year I will have someone take pics! :)

Sounds delicious, Buck.


I have never seen pp fruits/pads for sale, and yet where I live there are a lot of Natives and Mexicans. I am shocked that our stores don't carry them, but then again it might be due to the problems AZ is having...
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
Post Reply