Processing pumpkins
By peavey
@peavey (16936)
United States
October 19, 2017 7:30pm CST
I don't celebrate Halloween, but I love the fall of the year. We usually go out to a farm that sells pumpkins and winter squash for very little money. Cutting out the middle man really makes a difference.
Anyway, I buy a pumpkin to decorate with, then, when it's time to move on, I cut the top off, pull out the seeds, put the top back on and bake it until it's tender. Then I cut it into fourths and clean out the stringy part and the rind and puree it for baking and cooking. I put it in the freezer in one cup portions.
It makes the best pies, muffins and cookies! And pumpkin soup!
Back when I was still carving pumpkins for Halloween, I would do the same thing. I would bake it and cut off the parts that were dry or bad from exposure and use the rest.
I have had people tell me that's not safe. Well, I did it for years with no problem.
If you haven't bought a fresh pumpkin and processed it for baking, you will be surprised. It's much cheaper than buying the canned stuff and it's much better tasting.
I know not everywhere has Halloween or pumpkins, even, but for those who do, have you had any experience with processing them? How do you do it?
11 people like this
10 responses
@Scrapper88 (5983)
• United States
20 Oct 17
My grandmother use to do it over 30 years ago. but I don;t remember how she done it. My grandmother would also bake the pumpkin seeds to eat later.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
20 Oct 17
@peavey there are several ways to bake the seeds. I am tempted to make garlic flavored seeds!
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
21 Oct 17
@ElusiveButterfly That would be good. My daughter makes them with ranch dressing flavoring. I like those, too, but I like the taste of plain pumpkin seeds better than any other way.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
20 Oct 17
I have used my pumpkins for baking and found the results were quite good. The larger pumpkins tend to have a lighter flavor to them. The smaller pumpkins have a more intense pumpkin flavor and color as well.
I have yet to process any to store for later use. When we have a larger place that has space enough for a bigger garden I will be canning much of the produce that I grow.
2 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
27 Oct 17
@ElusiveButterfly It freezes very well. That's the only way I keep it. I just puree it and put it in one or two cup containers and it's ready for pies or soup or whatever.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
27 Oct 17
@peavey I've never tried canning or freezing pumpkin.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
2 Nov 17
I don't celebrate Halloween either. I was once married to a woman that made the most delicious pumpkin pies. I sometimes think of those pies. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340156)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Oct 17
I was interested by your comment about canned pumpkin. I have never seen that in Australia. Some years I've grown my own pumpkins although you folks (USA) call them butternut squash. I might cook them up and freeze the pulp to use, mostly for soup.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Oct 17
Butterniut squash is different from pumpkins. Pumpkins are round and orange with orange flesh, butternut squash is oblong with a squished end and a pale yellow skin with almost orange flesh. Most people make pumpkin pies (if they make them at all) from canned pumpkin, but it isn't nearly as good as fresh.
I like soup made from both pumpkin and butternut squash!
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Oct 17
it has been so so many years ago, i can not even remember.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
29 Oct 17
@bunnybon7 That's too bad. You can save a lot of money by getting pumpkins while they're cheap.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Oct 17
@peavey not at all. they are at every turn here. i am just too disabled to do much about it.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61158)
• Centralia, Washington
27 Oct 17
I hate seeing smashed pumpkins on the roads and streets. Such a waste of money.
