Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Don’t be too tempted to roast your jack-o’-lantern now that Halloween is over! The pulp of carving pumpkins is watery, stringy and flavorless. Instead, opt for small pie pumpkins. They also go by the name of “sugar pumpkins”. Pie pumpkins have a sweeter, more dense flesh. Because I’m extra, I prefer to purchase pie pumpkins and make my own homemade pumpkin puree. When in doubt, you can always use canned pumpkin puree. Canned puree is a super convenient route to take if you don’t want to go through the process of pureeing a pie pumpkin.
Replace canned pumpkin with homemade pumpkin puree from small pie pumpkins. Confused as to how to do the pumpkin math?? No problem … Here’s a little pumpkin math for you:
Pumpkin Math:
2 ½ lb. pie pumpkin = 1 ¾ cups strained puree
3 ½ lb. pie pumpkin = 2 ½ cups strained puree
1 – 15oz. can pumpkin = 1 ¾ cups strained puree
Now that you’ve got your pumpkin math down, you can make your own homemade pumpkin puree. Check out the instructions below to learn how to do so. Store your leftover puree it in a freezer bag and throw it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Until next time …
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Replace canned pumpkin with homemade pumpkin puree from small pie pumpkins
Ingredients
- 2½ lb Sugar Pie Pumpkin (1)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F
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Using a large knife, cut the pie pumpkin in half (lengthwise). Use a spoon to scrape pit seeds and stringy pulp (discard)
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Arrange pieces (rind sides up), on a foil-lined baking pan. Bake covered 1 to 1 ½ hours (or until tender). Allow the halves to cool. Scoop pulp from rind. Place pulp in a food processor or blender, process until smooth.
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Spoon puree into a fine-mesh sieve. Let stand for 1 hour (or overnight) to drain. Lightly press puree to remove any additional liquid; discard liquid.
Recipe Notes
Allow puree to drain overnight if possible. Line the sieve with a double layer of 100-percent cotton cheesecloth for best results. To freeze, transfer the puree to a freezer container or freezer bag (squeeze air from bag and lay flat to freeze). Freeze up to 6 months. To use, thaw in a refrigerator.
