I'm cooking pie pumpkins today ...

[dave1949]

Time to harvest pie pumpkins in Maine. Between saving wildlife and inadvertently offending school bus drivers, I'm putting up pie pumpkins.

Anybody have a favorite recipe or method of preserving pie pumpkins?

I am cutting them in half, seeding them, then baking for about 2 hrs. at 350 degrees F. Supposedly, the flesh can then be scooped out of the shell and frozen for later use. I have done this before except for the freezing. Makes excellent pumpkin pie and custard. No canned taste.

Any pumkin-oligists have methods to share?

Dave.

 

[Duffster]

I am cutting them in half, seeding them, then baking for about 2 hrs. at 350 degrees F. Supposedly, the flesh can then be scooped out of the shell and frozen for later use.

That is correct, but it needs to be pureed either before or after it is frozen.

 

[polo1665]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between "pie" pumpkins and the pumpkins that are sold on the roadside for carving and whatnot? Just wondering.

Mark

 

[nmu98]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between "pie" pumpkins and the pumpkins that are sold on the roadside for carving and whatnot? Just wondering.

Mark

Texture and taste.

 

[polo1665]

Texture and taste.

No doubt a correct answer, but not quite what I was looking for

 

[nmu98]

No doubt a correct answer, but not quite what I was looking for

But that is mostly the correct answer. Also, some of the best pumpkins used for cooking are actually squash types. They are smaller 4 to 10 pound pumpkins.

The most popular kind of baking pumpkins is small pie or 都ugar pumpkin. The flesh is oranger and sweeter than carving pumpkins.

 

[dave1949]

Duffster - Thanks for the confirmation. Knew about the puree req. I think I will puree after thawing (before use).

polo1665 - You got a good answer.

My pie pumpkins are the Baby Pam and New England Pie varieties from Johnny's Selected Seeds (www.johnnyseeds.com). Maybe checking that out will give you a better idea. The Baby Pams are about 6-8 inches diameter, the New England is around 9-10".

Dave.

 

[Milton Burro]

I've never made one but I am good at eating them. Be right over,,,

 

[dave1949]

Milton Burro - Welcome!

Be careful what you wish for. The last pumpkin pie I made I forgot to put the sugar in. I realized that - after it was half baked - sooooo I tried to work the sugar into the top.

That didn't work out so well. It was compost pile fodder. Where are the feeder hogs when you need them?

Dave.

 

[Bird]

Time to harvest pie pumpkins in Maine. Between saving wildlife and inadvertently offending school bus drivers, I'm putting up pie pumpkins.

Anybody have a favorite recipe or method of preserving pie pumpkins?

I am cutting them in half, seeding them, then baking for about 2 hrs. at 350 degrees F. Supposedly, the flesh can then be scooped out of the shell and frozen for later use. I have done this before except for the freezing. Makes excellent pumpkin pie and custard. No canned taste.

Any pumkin-oligists have methods to share?

Dave.

You're doing it just the way my wife does, except she cuts them into smaller pieces and cooks them in the microwave instead of baking in the big oven, then removes the skin or shell before freezing.