How to Prepare Whole Pumpkin

If you have only had pumpkin pies made from tinned pumpkin, you have not had a real pumpkin pie. Preparing a whole pumpkin is a very easy process and should not deter one from preparing their own fresh pumpkin. I purchased a pie pumpkin from a produce market and got a 15 kg (33 lb) pumpkin for only $4.99 plus sales tax. Now a 15 kg pumpkin is going to produce a lot of pumpkin. If you are only wanting to make a few pies for the holiday, you will want to purchase a much smaller pumpkin. I will measure out and freeze the bulk of my pumpkin to use in pies and bread and soups in the coming year. It is important to purchase a pie pumpkin and not one of the decorative pumpkins often used for making jack-o'-lanterns.

My 15kg pie pumpkin

I prepare the pumpkin by cutting wedges that are easier to handle. Once the wedge is cut, I use a thin blade knife to remove the seed layer. The seeds are attached to the inside hollow of the pumpkin by a fibrous mass and I find it easiest to just slice this layer away. If you like, you can save the seeds and toast them for a delicious snack. To toast the seeds, first wash them and allowed to air dry. Coat the seeds with a thin layer of oil and spread the seeds onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with your favourite seasonings. Place the baking sheet into a moderate oven (160°C, 325°F) for about 25 to 30 minutes checking for proper toasting.

First Wedge

Seed Layer Removed

At this point, I need to note that some will place the pumpkin in the oven with the peel still attached. It is true that you can leave the peel on and scoop the pumpkin out. However, the peel will cook soft, and you will find yourself picking out bits of peel. I prefer to take the extra time and remove the peel before cooking. Furthermore, in my opinion cooking the peel with the pumpkin adds an undesirable taste as well. To remove the peel, it is best to use a vegetable peeler as the peel is tough and using a knife can lead to injuries. A vegetable peeler makes the job quick and easy. To remove the peel, hold one end of the wedge and peel half of the wedge. Once half of the peel is removed, rotate the wedge and finished the other end. This is much better than trying to hold the wedge and remove the peel the entire length of the wedge.

Vegetable Peeler

Once you have the peel removed, you simply slice the wedge and place the slices in a baking dish. Arrange the slices along the bottom of the pan and place another layer on top. Place as many layers as your baking dish will hold. I ended up with four large baking dishes filled with pumpkin, as much as my oven would allow at one time with some pumpkin left over.

Pumpkin Slices In Baking Dish

Cover the baking dish and place into a moderate oven (160°C, 325°F)for about 30 to 45 minutes (time will depend on how much pumpkin you are cooking at one time); if the slices are not fork tender, then allow to continue cooking until the slices are tender and falling apart. Pumpkin contains a lot of liquid and this liquid will come out during baking. When the pumpkin is ready, remove the slices and discard the liquid. You may see more liquid drain out and you want to remove this liquid as well. To help drain the liquid, you can set a colander inside of a bowl and place the cooked pumpkin into the colander. It is important to remove as much of the liquid from the cooked pumpkin as possible.

Baked Pumpkin Ready To Use

If you have only used tinned pumpkin, you are going to be in for a treat. You now have real pumpkin to use. You can use fresh pumpkin in place of tinned pumpkin in any recipe calling for tinned pumpkin. If you have extra pumpkin than you need for your pies, you can freeze the pumpkin in zip freezer bags and use it later. Pumpkin nut bread made with fresh pumpkin is simply marvellous and is a great addition to a tea.