How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin (to make pumpkin puree)
ByEvery year, the boys and I visit a pumpkin patch. Every year after visiting the pumpkin patch, I bake a few of the pumpkins we bring home so that I’ll have plenty of pureed pumpkin in the freezer for pies, breads, muffins and other treats throughout the year. Every year, in order to bake the pumpkins, I slice them in half to put them into a baking dish.
Ever tried slicing a raw pumpkin in half? It’s horribly not enjoyable or easy. Now don’t make fun of me, because it is a fact that I have very wimpy muscles. Therefore, I find that cutting a pumpkin in half makes me a little cranky -and also a little bit scared that I’m going to lose a finger.
This year, I decided to rebel - mostly because after the trip to the pumpkin patch with six boys (I took extras), I was a little tired and in no mood to lose a finger.
I’m not sure why I haven’t been cooking the pumpkin in its whole form all along – but now that I know it works so well, I will for sure be doing it this way from now on. Or at least on the days I don’t feel like losing a finger.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree from a Whole Pumpkin
First wash your pumpkin so that there will be no chance for soil or squished bugs to be mistaken for raisins in your muffins on a cloudy, autumn morning.
Next, give your pumpkin 6-10 nice stabs with a knife. There’s no better way to say it – there’s no such thing as gently poking a fork into a raw pumpkin. It must be stabbed. Although, I’m the one with the wimpy muscles, so what do I know?
Third, place your pumpkin in a baking dish, then into a 350° oven. I had to remove one of my oven racks to make this happen, but I figured I’d just saved at least three fingers, so this five second bit of labor was worth my time.
Bake your pumpkin for about an hour and a half or until poking it with a fork has become effortless.
Now slice the pumpkin in half – see how easy that is? Allow pumpkin to cool for 15-30 minutes.
Use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy stuff. Save the seeds for making roasted pumpkin seeds if you’d like.
Someone tell me what the real name of that stringy stuff is. It probably has some technical name like ”glutinous threads”.
Scoop out the soft pumpkin – or turn the pumpkin over and easily slice away the rind.
All done:
Place a few slices into a food processor and puree until smooth.
Continue pureeing pieces of pumpkin until you’re finished, because that is the point at which you will be done. (Sometimes it’s fun to simply state the obvious.)
Freeze pumpkin puree in jars or freezer bags. I like to freeze it in two-quart portions for easy measuring while baking.
With my pumpkin puree, I make Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Pumpkin Bars, and Pumpkin Pie Squares – plus a delicious Multi-Grain Pumpkin Pancake/Waffle recipe my friend Angie shared with me that I will in turn be sharing with you tomorrow.
How do you make pumpkin puree (or do you buy it already canned)? What do you like to make with pumpkin?
Disclaimer: No fingers were lost while making this pumpkin puree. Let us all rejoice.
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Wow, this is a great way to take care of pumpkin. I’m used to buying a wonderful can of pumpkin called ‘One Pie” during the season. It is processed here in Maine. I’ve never cooked a pumpkin. Thanks Laura.
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This is perfect. I’m doing it tomorrow!! Our pumpkins have served their decorative purpose for the year, now they will serve us some muffins & pies!! And waffles! And bread! Thank you Laura. Is it weird if I say I think we’d be friends in real life?? (:
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Thank you for the test in baking a whole pumpkin. Like you, I do NOT like losing fingers while cutting a pumpkin. I read that cooking a whole pumpkin may be too watery. Did you have any problems with the consistency in baking the whole pumpkin vs baking the half pumpkins?
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Laura Reply:
November 29th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Nope, the consistency way great either way. :)
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THANK YOU !!
The humor was also quite nice.
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I’m so excited to try this method! I’ve got pumpkins taunting me, daring me to bake them. I hate cutting them in half and scraping out the guts. It looks like the scraping is much easier after baking too. Thanks!
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I did it! thank you so much for this! I wrote it about it on my blog and linked back to you. Here are my photos: http://deserethome.blogspot.com/2012/12/cooking-whole-pumpkin.html
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I knew the Amish cook whole squash–but when I arrived at my winter rental, someone had left pie pumpkins. Happy your site gave me excellent directions for using them instead of throwing them away.
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This worked great! So much easier than cutting them first. I do have a tip to add. Some years my pumpkins have a lot of water in them making the puree very runny and it alters the texture of the recipe. (This may be because I live in the PNW and we have a lot of rain?) Anyway, a friend told me to put the puree in a bowl in the fridge for a day and the water will rise to the top. Some years a lot of water rises and others hardly any. But, if people have runny puree, it’s a great tip and will really make a better muffin :)
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well i’m about to try this. My pumpkin so large i had to remove top stem in order for it to fit in the oven.
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This was just what I was looking for. DH found 2 pumpkins in the garden (its New Years Day!!) and I did n’t want the find to go to waste. I just put them in the oven and thought I’d better check to see if they actually can be baked this way. Thanks so much!!
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