How To Prepare Your Pumpkin For Cooking

From the kitchen of Kendra

Use this method when you want to pulp, mash, or puree.  Keeping in mind that 3 pounds of fresh pumpkin yields 3 cups of mashed, cooked pumpkin.  Fresh, cooked pumpkin puree will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 5 days or in the freezer for up to six months.

1)  Place whole uncut pumpkin on a foil lined baking sheet. 
     Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes or until tender. 
     Remove from the oven and cool.
2)  Next, peel the pumpkin.  After you've baked the pumpkin
     and allowed it to cool thoroughly you should remove the
     peel with little effort.
3)  To clean the pumpkin remove the seeds and stringy pulp
     with a large spoon.  then process the flesh in a food
     processor or by hand using a potato masher until smooth.

What to look for:  Unlike most fruit, and believe it or not a pumpkin is a fruit; it's part of the melon family!  When you choose a pumpkin look for a tough skin.  Give it the fingernail test.  If you can make a mark with gentle pressure from your nail the pumpkin isn't ready for cooking.

One of our pumpkins baking.