Never having made a fresh pumpkin pie before, I wanted to give it a try with the two huge Jack-o-lantern pumpkins left after Halloween. I got out my biggest butcher knife and began sawing off the top. It became a huge project, but the end product was so worth the effort, I still process fresh pumpkin every year.
Smaller pie or sweet pumpkins (baseball or melon size) are recommended for pies, but the large Jack-o-lantern pumpkins also serve well. I have found adding water and a little brown sugar to the inside of the Jack-o-lanterns before baking add to the sweetness and texture and prevents it from becoming stringy or dry. There are two ways to prepare the pumpkin – the hard way and the easy way.
Preparing a Pumpkin The Hard Way
- Carefully remove the top of the pumpkin with a large knife.
- Scoop out all the slimy strings and seeds. Save the seeds for a delicious and healthy snack, if desired.
- Cut the pumpkin into slices, then remove the rind.
- Cut the pumpkin pulp into cubes and boil in water until softened and easily mashed with a fork (about 30-45 minutes). *Depends on amount of pumpkin and size of pot.
Preparing Pumpkin The Easy Way
After removing the strings and seeds, put the whole pumpkin into a large baking pan. Add a small amount of water (1/2-1 cup) to the pan and about 1/4 inch of water inside the pumpkin. Bake the pumpkin 40-60 minutes at 350 degrees (or until a fork goes easily into the pumpkin).
Processing
Whether cooking pumpkin cubes until soft or using baked pumpkin, I like to puree it to a smooth consistency for pie or other pumpkin recipes. It is best to puree the pumpkin rather than mash it.
- Cool pumpkin first, if desired.
- Scoop the pumpkin out of the baked shell.
- Grind a few pieces at a time through a food processor or blender.
- Strain puree through cheesecloth or sieve a few hours. This will keep your pies from being watery.
Preserving
The pumpkin is now ready to either be canned or frozen.The USDA does not recommend canning mashed or pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin puree is too dense for the heat to reach the center while processing which renders the product unsafe. Only cubed pumpkin should be canned as it is a low-acid food. The cubed pumpkin should be pressure-cooked for at least 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure if canned. The older open-kettle method is hazardous and can lead to botulism. (USDA Complete Guide to Canning). If canning, the cubes should remain hot. I recommend the freezing method. It can be stored flat, saving room in the freezer; it is much easier and less time-consuming.
Ladle 1-2 cups of pumpkin (generally what a recipe calls for) into freezer bags or containers and freeze! By having bags pre-measured, it makes recipes easier to fix. Pumpkin puree is great for pumpkin roll, cookies, cakes, bars and even soup!
Fresh Pumpkin Pie Filling - for two 9-inch pies
*(Note – this mixture will look lighter in color than store-bought canned pumpkin)
- 3 cups pumpkin puree
- 3 cups evaporated milk
- 1 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 large eggs
Bake in 2 unbaked pie shells at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes (or a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean). Top with whipped cream!
(Note: 3 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie spice can be substituted for the spices, but doesn’t have quite the same flavor).
Candy Simonson - Experienced in writing user-friendly instructions on a variety of topics for various venues for many years.
Join the Conversation