Everyfall,it seems more and morepumpkin food products appear on the market.Pumpkins are a member of the winter squash family.Commercially produced "puréed pumpkin" canconsist of a type or blend of several different winter squash varieties, with thosemost commonly usedbeing Hubbard, Golden Delicious, and Butternut.
Pumpkinorsquash purée can bemadeathome andpreserved by freezing for future use.However, if you are looking to can pumpkin or squash at home, the only safe option is to pressure can cubed squash.Do not pressurecanor boiling water bath canmashed, puréed, or grated squashor pumpkin.There are no research-tested pressure canning recipes for puréed pumpkin that prove the amount of heat penetrationinto thecenter of theproduct is adequate to eliminate the risk ofClostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism toxin and be deadly.
When making puréeat home, sugar pumpkins and pie pumpkins are the wintersquash varieties commonly used.You can also puréeothertypesof winter squash. Butternut, Hubbard,Golden Delicious,and neck pumpkins all tend to besweet and less stringy.Purée may be preserved by freezing, but should be limited to no more than 2 pounds of food per cubic foot of freezer capacity per day.
To make purée,choose mature pie pumpkins—or squash—with firm rinds.TheNational Center for Home Food Preservation(n.d.)webpage and the book "So Easy to Preserve," (2020) by Andress, E.L. & Harrison, J.A. outline the following method: wash the produce, remove the pulp and seeds, and then cut it intoeasy-to-usecooking-sizedslices or chunks. Cooking may be done byboiling pumpkin in just enough water to prevent sticking. Or it can be done by steaming or baking pumpkin, covered, in the oven until soft,or by cooking it in a pressure cooker.
When the slices or chunks are soft, cool them slightly and scrape the inside from the rind;then mash or purée the squash in a bowl.To cool thepurée, placethebowlin cold water.Stirthe puréeperiodically.For freezing,package the cooled purée in rigid freezer containers, leaving ½inch of headspace. Seal the container and freeze. Squash purée may also be put into zip-close freezerbags;squeezeexcess air out of the bags and then flatten them ontocookie sheetsand freezeuntil solid.Once thepacksof purée are frozen solid,stack themfor more efficient storage.
Penn State Extension's "Let's Preserve: Squash and Pumpkins" fact sheet states thatsquash may also be cubed and frozenbyblanchingthe cubes in boiling water forapproximately3 minutes (i.e.,just until heated through; Reed et al, 2021).Then, drain the cubes in a colander.Chill the cubes in cold water in a colander to prevent the cubes from falling apart.Removeexcess moisture from chilled cubes by patting them with a paper towel.Spread the cubes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 4 hours.Transfer the cubes to freezer bags and press out excess air before freezing.This method allows you to make purée fresh or to use the cubes insoups,casseroles, or stir-frys.
If you want more information on preserving summer and winter squash, additional instructions can be found in the "Let's Preserve Squash and Pumpkins" (2021) fact sheet.
Here is ayummy fall soup which usesbutternut squash.
Lentils, Butternut Squash, and White Bean Soup
6 servings | Serving size: ⅙ of recipe
When preparing this recipe, start with clean countertops and utensils. Washhands with soap and water. Wash whole, fresh produce under cold, running water by rinsing lentils and parsley, gently rubbing onion and garlic, and scrubbing butternut squash with a clean vegetable brush. Prewashed packaged items do not require further washing.
Ingredients
- 1Tablespoonolive oil
- 1yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (fresh or frozen)
- 8 cups no salt added vegetable or chicken broth
- 1½ cups dry green or brown lentils, sorted
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (15 ounce) can unsalted white beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley or 2 Tablespoons dried
Directions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add thegarlic, andcook for 1 additional minute. Add the butternut squash and cook 2-3 minutes. Add thebroth, lentils, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.Remove bay leaves.
- Add the white beans and parsley, cook for 5 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Oldways.
Sources
- Andress, E. L. & Harrison, J.A. (2020).So Easy to Preserve.University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation. (n.d.). Freezing Pumpkin.University of Georgia.
- Reed, S. L., Zepp, M. J., Laborde, L. F. & Hirneisen, A. J. (2021).Let's Preserve Squash and Pumpkins.Penn State Extension.
