Fresh Pumpkin Canned Puree Frozen Recipes

FRESH PUMPKIN (CANNED, PUREE, FROZEN)

Steps:

• Wash the outside of your pumpkin. DO NOT POKE HOLES IN THE PUMPKIN, PLACE IN THE OVEN WHOLE! Take your pumpkin and place in a cake pan in the oven at 300* F until it slumps in (will look rather disgusting at this point). For a big pumpkin, this will take about 3-3.5 hours. Smaller pumpkins will take less time.
• After pumpkin has slumped and is very tender to poke with a fork, remove from the oven.
• Allow to cool until it is still very warm, but cool enough to handle.
• Cut the top of the pumpkin off as you would for a jack-o-lantern.
• Scoop out the seeds and "guts" and set aside. Reserve pumpkin juice.
• Start a section at a time and cut your pumpkin into pieces. Scoop the cooked pumpkin off the skin and place in the blender on "puree". Puree until it looks like applesauce. If your puree looks drier than apple sauce, add some of the pumpkin juice from the seeding step until it resembles the right consistency.
• Place in freezer bags (2 cup aliquots work well) and freeze until time to use. I like to freeze mine in vacuum seal bags and then vacuum seal after frozen for longer storage.

FRESH PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line one baking sheet with foil and set aside.
• Line another baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
• Rinse dirt off the outside of the pumpkins and pat dry with a clean towel.
• Cut pumpkins in half, vertically, with a large knife.
• Scoop out seeds and pulp from each pumpkin half with a large spoon, separating the seeds and the pulp.
• Discard pulp and save the seeds for another use if desired.
• If saving the seeds, wash them thoroughly and spread them onto the baking sheet lined with paper towels and allow to dry. ( I bake them later for a snack).
• Place pumpkin halves cut side down onto the foil lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until flesh is tender.
• Cool the pumpkin halves until they are cool enough to handle.
• Scoop out pumpkin flesh and place it in a food processor.
• Puree flesh until smooth.
• Line a strainer with either cheesecloth or coffee filters.
• Pour puree into the strainer.
• Place strainer on top of a bowl large enough to catch the juices and place both in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
• Discard the juices in the bowl and use the puree for pies, biscuits, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, dog treats and more!