We're officially in Pumpkin Season! Here at 491 West Main Street, we’re diving into the festivities by decorating the house, refreshing our wardrobes (even if it still feels like the dog days of summer here in Florida), and whipping up all kinds of delicious pumpkin soup! This has involved a fair amount of chopping up sugar pumpkins, which is no small feat. Prepping a pumpkin for cooking can be quite the challenge, but I've picked up a few tricks along the way that I’d love to share with you!
Check out my guide to prepping pumpkins for cooking below!
WHAT TYPE OF PUMPKIN TO USE
There are all sorts of pumpkins but not all are good for cooking. You’ll want to get a Sugar Pumpkin, also known as a Baking Pumpkin, for cooking and baking. They are the tastiest. The larger, Carving Pumpkins should be used for decorating. They are a bit watery and have less flavor that Sugar Pumpkins.
GUT THE PUMPKIN
The first step in prepping a pumpkin for cooking is to cut the top off, similarly to the way you’d cut a jack-o-lantern’s top. Use a sharp knife and cut around the stem making sure to not waste too much of the Pumpkin meat.
Using a spoon, scrape the insides out, removing all the seeds and stringy insides. My hack for this is using a hand mixer with one beater. On Medium speed, allow the beater to scrape the sides of the pumpkin until all the guts are removed from the sides. Now you can either scoop the contents out, or flush with water.
CUTTING THE PUMPKIN
Pumpkins have thick skin and sometimes the meat can be hard and thick as well. Having a sharp knife will make slicing the pumpkin much easier. I swear by my Gladiator knife by Dalstrong. It cuts the pumpkin like butter!
Cut the pumpkin in half, then peel before cutting the rest of the pumpkin.
Check out the knife I use HERE.
PEEL THE PUMPKIN
The skin of the pumpkin is not edible. It’s tough and bitter. You will need to peel the skin off with a peeler or using a sharp paring knife. I found a strong, chef quality peeler from Dalstrong that works wonders.
Check out my Peeler HERE.
DICING, CHOPPING, PUREEING THE PUMPKIN
How you cut the pumpkin depends on what you’re cooking.
Dicing – Small, bite-sized pieces. This is good for adding whole pieces to Soups and Dishes. I use my vegetable chopper for this to make uniform pieces.
Rough Chopping – Quick way to chop the pumpkin into larger chunks. This is good for roasting.
You can make your own pumpkin puree which is used in soups and pies. This require you to cook the pumpkin (typically roasting) before adding to a blender.
STORING | REFRIGERATING & FREEZING
You can store peeled & cut pumpkin pieces and pumpkin puree in the fridge for up to a week. If you put it in an airtight container, it can last up to 3 months in the freezer. And, if you vacuum seal and freeze your prepared pumpkin it will last up to 6-8 months!
Check out the Food Saver HERE.
Storage Tip: store pureed pumpkin in ice cube trays to use in recipes, as baby food, or a treat for your pup!
I hope this guide has helped you understand the basics of prepping a pumpkin. Please leave any questions below in the comments and I’ll get back with you.
Happy Fall!
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