You probably take canned pumpkin for granted.
You're there, the can is there, there's a pumpkin on the label... open it and
mix it up with spices to make a pie, right. Ah, but a pumpkin pie, pumpkin
soup, pumpkin bread made
from a fresh pumpkin tastes so much better than the glop that was processed last
year! Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and
completely illustrated. And it is much easier than you think, using my
"patented" tips and tricks!
You can freeze it for later use, too. Note:
If you want to can the cooked
pumpkin: see this page!
Directions for Making Pumpkin Pie
from Scratch
Ingredients and Equipment
a pie pumpkin (see step 1)
A sharp, large serrated knife
an ice cream scoop
a large microwaveable bowl or large pot
Recipe and Directions
Step 1 - Get your pie pumpkin
"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less
grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types.
grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in
the U.S. Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin is just there
for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of the size
of a typical pie pumpkin. They're only about 8 inches in diameter.
Just like selecting any squash, look for one
that is firm, no bruises or soft spots, and a good orange color.
Yield: Pie pumpkins are small, usually only 6 inches in diameter.
You can usually obtain about 2 or 3 cups or puree per pumpkin.
Step 2 - Prepare the pumpkin for cooking
Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or
warm water, no soap.
Cut the pumpkin in half. A serrated
knife and a sawing motion works best - a smooth knife is more likely to slip
and hurt you!
Step 3 - Scoop out the seeds...
And scrape the insides. You want to
get out that stringy, dangly stuff that coats the inside surface. I
find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.
Note: SAVE THE SEEDS:
The seeds can be used either to plant pumpkins next year,
or roasted to eat this year! Place them in a bowl of water and rub them
between your hands. then pick out the orange buts (throw that
away) and drain off the water. Spread them out on a clean towel or paper
towel to dry and they're ready to save for next year's planting or roast.
Click here for roasting instructions!
(opens in a new window)
Step 4 - Cooking the pumpkin
There are several ways to cook the pumpkin; just choose
use your preferred method. Most people have microwaves, and the use the
least energy, so I'll describe that here. But others make good arguments in
favor of using a pressure cooker, steaming on the stovetop or
baking in the oven. I’ll describe microwaving here, and at the end of this
document, I’ve included alternative instructions to replace step 4, if you’d
rather use a different method.
Put it in a microwaveable bowl
Remove the stem, and put the pumpkin into a
microwaveable. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit.
The fewer the number of pieces, the easier it will to scoop out the cooked
pumpkin afterwards.
Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl,
cover it, and put in the microwave.
Step 5 - Cook the pumpkin until soft
Cook for 15 minutes on high, check to see if
it is soft, then repeat in smaller increments of time until it is soft
enough to scoop the innards out. Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes
in total.
Note: You CAN cook it on the stovetop; it
will just take longer (almost twice as long)
Step 6 - Scoop out the cooked pumpkin
Using a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a
tablespoon) gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin.
It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is
cooked enough.
Step 7 - Puree the pumpkin
To get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a
Pillsbury hand blender. A regular blender works, too (unless you
made a few frozen daiquiris and drank them first..). Or even just a hand
mixer with time and patience.
With the hand blender, it just takes 2 or 3
minutes!
Step 8 - Done with the pumpkin!
The pumpkin is now cooked and ready for the
pie recipe. Get the frozen daiquiris out from step 7 and take a
break! :)
It's ready to pop in the fridge or freezer (just pack it containers, like
Ziploc bags or plastic containers, exclude as much air as you can, and
freeze it!)
If you don’t have a microwave, or prefer another method, try these:
Stovetop steaming – Place your steaming basket
or grid in the bottom of a large pot. Put enough water so it won’t boil dry in
20 minutes, and yet is not so high that the pumpkin is touching the water level.
You may need to add more water during the cooking. Add the pumpkin prepared in
step 3, and get the steamer going. The cooking time is only between 8 and 12
minutes, depending on the range (gas or electric), and the pumpkin literally
falls off the skin.
Pressure cooker – Place your grid in the bottom of the pressure cooker. If your
pressure cooker came with directions, follow those for pumpkin and/or winter
squash, like butternut squash. If, like most people, you’ve long since lost the
directions, try this: Add enough water to just touch the bottom of the grid or
shelf that you will place the pumpkin on. Add the pumpkin prepared in step 3,
put the lid with the gasket, the weight and anything else your cooker requires
in place, and turn the heat on high. Once it starts hissing, turn it to medium
or medium high. The cooking time should only be about 10 minutes, and the
pumpkin should literally fall out of its skin.
Oven – You can also bake the prepared pumpkin in the oven, just like a butternut
squash. This method takes the longest. Just put the prepared pumpkin in an
ovenproof container (with a lid), add about 3 cups of water to help prevent it
from drying out and pop it in an 350 F (200 C) oven. It normally takes about 45
minutes to an hour; just test it periodically by sticking it with a fork to see
if it is soft!
Complete Water Bath Canner Kit
This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother
used to make everything from pumpkinauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs,
lid lifting wand, six pint jars with lids and rings, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. You'll
never need anything else except more jars and lids! Price: $49.99
Average Customer Review:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Deluxe Food Strainer & Sauce Maker
Availability: Usually ships the next business
day.
With the Deluxe Food Strainer/Sauce Maker, you can make
creamy apple sauce and smooth tomato sauce without
having to peel and core! This muli-use strainer forces
food through a stainless steel screen, automatically
separating the juice and pulp from the seeds, shins, and
stems. Perfect for purees, creamed soups, baby foods,
pie filling, juices, jams, and more. Save time, effort,
and money by preparing your own tasty sauces to be used
immediately or boiled for future use. Do bushels with
ease and in a fraction of the time. Includes the
tomato/apple sceen with easy twist on design and
instruction/recipe booklet.
The Deluxe model comes with the standard Tomato/Apple
Screen; as well as the Berry Screen, Pumpkin Screen, and
Grape Spiral. Note
Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.
Need lids, rings and replacement jars? Or pectin to make jam,
spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes? Get them all here, and
usually at lower prices than your local store!
Pumpkin Patches and More.org
"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less
grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types.
grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in
the U.S. Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin is just there
for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of the size
of a typical pie pumpkin. They're only about 8 inches in diameter.
Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or
warm water, no soap.
And scrape the insides. You want to
get out that stringy, dangly stuff that coats the inside surface. I
find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.
Remove the stem, and put the pumpkin into a
microwaveable. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit.
The fewer the number of pieces, the easier it will to scoop out the cooked
pumpkin afterwards.
Cook for 15 minutes on high, check to see if
it is soft, then repeat in smaller increments of time until it is soft
enough to scoop the innards out. Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes
in total.
Using a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a
tablespoon) gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin.
It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is
cooked enough.
To get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a
Pillsbury hand blender. A regular blender works, too (unless you
made a few frozen daiquiris and drank them first..). Or even just a hand
mixer with time and patience.
w cooked and ready for the
pie recipe. Get the frozen daiquiris out from step 7 and take a
break! :)
