Making Your Own Pumpkin Puree

When making pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, or one of Our Deer’s delicious pumpkin recipes, you could use canned pumpkin and end up with a tasty dish. But as all good chefs know, fresh is best.

So why not make your next pumpkin recipe with fresh pumpkin?

Here’s how.

 

Choosing Pumpkins

This time of year, pumpkins are plentiful and cheap, but you don’t want just any old pumpkin. Look for what’s called sugar pumpkins or cheese pumpkins; they measure around 20 to 24 inches in circumference and are much sweeter than the larger type of pumpkin used for making jack-o-lanterns.

If you can’t find sweet pumpkins, use butternut squash; the flavor is only ever so slightly different, and many commercially cans of “pureed pumpkin” are actually made of butternut.

One 20 inch sugar pumpkin makes enough for two pies.

 

Preparing the Pumpkin for Cooking

Start by washing the pumpkin in warm water and a little soap. Pat dry. Cut the pumpkin in half with a serrated knife. Using an ice cream scoop, remove all the seeds and stringy pulp.

 

Cooking the Pumpkin

There are several ways to cook pumpkin. To use steam, place the pumpkin halves in a steamer. (If the pieces are too big to fit, cut up the pumpkin into slightly smaller chunks.) Steam for about 15 to 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft enough to easily scoop away from the shell using a spoon.

Or you can place the pumpkin halves face up on a baking sheet and roast at 325 degrees F until tender and the shell is brown.

Alternatively, you may poke holes in the pumpkin shell (careful use of an ice pick will do the trick), place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F until tender.

Once cooked, cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.

Next, allow the pumpkin to cool, then scoop out the meat with a tablespoon.

To remove excess water, pour the pumpkin filling into a colander with a bowl beneath it. Allow it to sit in the refridgerator overnight.

 

Making Pumpkin Puree

Place the meat of the pumpkin in a food processor or blender until fully pureed. The pumpkin is now ready for your favorite pumpkin recipe.

The pumpkin puree may also be frozen by placing it in serving sizes in freezer bags.

 

Check out the video version of this article on YouTube : Making Your Own Pumpkin Puree