This month's notes: May 2013: The cool weather has delayed blooms and slowed growth by a couple of weeks, but don't miss strawberries: they started in most Southern areas in late April, and in late May up north. Click here for strawberry facts and picking tips, and this page for easy strawberry jam making directions. Blueberries will come in June in most areas. Of course, Florida, southern Texas, and other very warm areas are already picking both crops! See this page for hundreds of easy canning and freezing instructions/recipes, canning equipment guide! Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Then see each state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. Organic farms are identified in green! See our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals!. Please tell the farms you found them here - and ask them to update their information!!
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How to Make How to freeze pumpkin from your garden (directions, recipe, with photos) - Easily! With Step-by-step Photos, Recipe, Directions, Ingredients and Costs
Related topics
How to Cook a Pumpkin to Have Pumpkin Puree to Freeze for Recipes Later
Click here for a PDF print version
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!
Directions for Making Pumpkin Filling from Scratch To Freeze or Use Fresh
Ingredients and Equipment
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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 - 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 no
w
cooked and ready for freezing or pie recipe. Get the frozen daiquiris out
from step 7 and take a break! :)
You can pack it containers, like Ziploc bags or plastic containers, exclude as much air as you can, and freeze it!
... or to start making tasty treats.
how about ...
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How to make a pumpkin pie and How to make a flakey pie crust
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How to make Pumpkin Bread
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How to make pumpkin soup
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How to make roasted pumpkin seeds
I love the FoodSavers (see this page for more information) with their vacuum sealing! Here's an example of one model:
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FoodSaver V3460 Advanced DesignChrome finish Features
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 Don't forget the Ball Blue Book! |
Home Canning KitsFeatures:* All the tools you need for hot waterbath canning - in one comprehensive set! * Complete with 21 1/2 qt. enameled waterbath canner * Also includes canning rack, funnel, jar lifter, jar wrencher, bubble freer, tongs and lid lifter. * A Kitchen Krafts exclusive collection. This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)! There is also s simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a pressure canner, if your want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). To see
more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! Average Customer Review:
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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! |
Picking Tips
[General picking tips and a guide to each fruit and vegetable] [How
much do I need to pick?
(Yields - how much raw makes how much cooked or frozen)] [Selecting
the right varieties to pick] [All
about apple varieties - which to pick and why!] [Picking tips for Vegetables]
[ Strawberry picking tips]
[ Blueberries picking tips]
Illustrated Canning, Freezing, Jam Instructions and Recipes
[ All About Home Canning, Freezing and Making Jams, Pickles, Sauces, etc. ] [FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems] [Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!] [Free canning publications to download and print]
