The Times They Are A Changing

If you’ve grown pumpkins in your backyard garden or decided this is the year you would sell them at a stand, farmers market, Saturday market or out of your own pumpkin patch, you may want to know how to use pumpkins for more than just decorations.

You may be asking yourself why bother with fresh pumpkins when you can get a perfectly good product at the grocery store in the way of canned pumpkin. There are several reasons. First, consider taste and nutritional value. Fresh anything always tastes better and is better for you. Secondly, consider your ability to become more self-sufficient and less wasteful if, in fact, you have grown pumpkins in your garden. Third, pumpkin seeds are a nutritious snack and can cost a fortune at the health food store. Now you can roast your own.

Preparing Fresh Pumpkin

Warning: Do not use a jack-o-lantern for food after Halloween. Only use fresh pumpkin for cooking and eating as you very well could get food poisoning from a “used” pumpkin.

Also, know that the pumpkin you end up with will not be the dark orange color you find in canned pumpkin. Manufacturers add food coloring to their pumpkin mixture to get this color.

Step 1. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin.

Step 2: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3: Cut the pumpkin open. The easiest way to do this is to cut it in half. Clean out all the pumpkin “innerds,” saving the seeds for roasting later. For now wash the seeds and place them in a container and in the refrigerator.

Step 4: Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and place them in a large roaster with an inch of water at the bottom. Place the roaster in the oven and cook until the pumpkin is tender, you can test it with a fork or sharp knife. Remove and cool.

Step 5: After the pumpkin has cooled, remove the rind from the large pumpkin chunks.

Step 6: Puree the pealed pumpkin in a food processor. A blender will work as well, but will take longer. If you have neither, manually use a potato masher.

Step 7: You will need a large strainer. Place it over a container so that you can put the pumpkin into it and any excess water can drain. When you have gotten as much water out as possible you are ready for the next step.

Step 8: Put the pumpkin in a pot and simmer until it is well heated.

Step 9: It is now ready for canning. However, if you haven’t yet learned this skill, you can place 2 cup parcels in freezer zip lock bags and freeze the pumpkin you won’t be using immediately.

Tomorrow’s post will include recipes for fresh pumpkin.

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