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Scoop out the seeds and stringy insides, leaving just pumpkin flesh and peel. This got me thinking it was high time to pull out my bug out bag and go through it because it’s been a couple years since I last did so. I decided to share it with you here and show you what I keep packed and ready to go and go through what needs updating and what I’m missing. As homesteaders, winter offers us a reprieve from the busy seasons; A time to rest, relax and recharge until next spring. But after a while, we can become restless and cabin fever can start to set in. Place and lock lid onto pressure canner and set temperature to high.
Your pumpkin needs to be cooked until soft enough that it will easily be whizzed into a smooth purée. Want even more information on how to cook with pumpkin and uses for your leftovers? Check out our guide and top pumpkin recipe collection.
Preparing your pumpkin
You may, according to the USDA, can in a pressure canner cubed pumpkin, but I would consider this to be an intermediate canning activity. When I find a good end of season deal I really jump-in to it. Now’s the time to keep an eye out for the holiday deals on turkey. Few years ago I canned-up 5, just cut to the right size for sandwiches and casserole quick meals.
It hardly needs to be said that anything with the word pumpkin in it is a much anticipated fall favourite. Read about a woman who lives on a "renter's homestead" where she cans, gardens, and keeps livestock. There is also the story of a couple who moved to the country, started a market garden, and built their home by hand. Tough, durable, and lightweight, bamboo is natural in the kitchen.
Why You Can’t Can Pumpkin Puree
It’s only a few minutes difference and the temperature inside the canner kills all bacteria pretty quickly anyway. Use the bubble remover to remove bubbles, use a damp paper towel to clean the rim of the jar, center the lid, and close the jar with the band finger tight. Place all the seeds into a bowl and puh-leeeeez do not discard them. I'm sorry, guys… but you're a part of the food chain. I’m just following the natural order of things. And we almost did it—using everything from homemade chicken stock to a 20-pound turkey from our own backyard.
Once your pumpkin is cleaned out, cut the halves in half again to make quarters. These smaller pieces will decrease cooking time. Tomatoes are water bath canned with lemon juice. BUT if you add anything to the tomatoes, such as herbs or onions or garlic, THEN you have to pressure can them. Pumpkin has to be pressure canned because it is a low pH food. Altitude Adjustments ~ The canning time remains constant, but the pressure increases at higher altitudes.
How To Make Pumpkin Puree (3 Ways!)
I’ve done it and it makes great soups and curries. And you can’t can pumpkin purée at home because it’s too thick for a home pressure canner to be able to kill all potentially harmful bacteria. You can freeze pumpkin purée, of course.
Of course, if you prefer more puree, you can use more pumpkin. You can also use this recipe to make puree out of winter squash like butternut, or sweet potato. You will need to cook and puree your own pumpkin or squash. You can use the same cooking process as for preparing pumpkin pie. You just won’t need to add the spices and sugar that you normally would add. It is important to remember that pumpkin or squash is high in calories, and you shouldn’t eat it more than once or twice a week.
Recipes With Homemade Pumpkin Puree
I doubt it was the reason of choosing the container but just that it has frozen water crystals that when you thaw it, will show up and make everything “soupy”. So in my opinion it is just a matter of freezing it and using something like starch to maybe “catch” the water of your thawed pumpkin puree. I freeze mine in freezer bags too and it’s not an issue.
The variety I love, New England Cheese, is a pretty meaty pumpkin with thick walls and a relatively small seed cavity. Water bath canners, which are approved for high acid fruits, pickles, and jams, only heat up to the boiling point of water . That’s perfectly fine for some foods, which are acidic enough to prevent spoilage bacteria (below a pH of 4.6). A decade and a half later, I find myself living with solar power, and freezer space is at a premium.
When the pumpkin puree is finished, place it in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The part that everyone leaves out is how to prep the jars. My understanding is that for hot packed jars you need to clean the jars and then heat them. I can place the pressure canner on the stove and a pot for the pumpkin cubes but there isn’t any more room. How does one have hot jars to place the hot pumpkin and hot water in?
Spread them evenly on a baking tray and let them dry completely. Drizzle with olive oil and whatever seasonings you like. I love to use sea salt, smoked paprika, a tiny pinch cinnamon and cayenne pepper. All these are perfect to bake, roast, puree and to make into stews.
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