DIY Pumpkin Puree

We harvested lots of pumpkins from our garden this year, so I am pretty sure I will be making lots of pumpkin puree! When baking and making puree, you want to use pie pumpkins, or sugar pumpkins, instead of carving pumpkins. Baking pumpkins are smaller, more flavorful, and contain less water. 

DIY Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

• 1 pie pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash any dirt off the pumpkin. 
3. Remove stem or cut top off of pumpkin.
4. Cut the pumpkin in half.
5. Scoop out the seeds.
6. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down in a roasting pan.
7. Pour the water in the roasting pan.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minute or until the skin darkens and it can easily be pierced by a fork.
9. Remove from oven and let cool.
10. Remove the skin.
11. Using a stick blender, puree the pumpkin until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, blend half of the pumpkin at a time.
12. Line a colander with coffee filters or paper towels and place over a deep bowl. 
13. Place the pumpkin in the colander and let the excess water drain into bowl over the course of 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may also place the pumpkin in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.
14. Use the pumpkin puree in a recipe, or freeze it for future use.

 

Grab your pumpkin and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

 

Wash any dirt off of the pumpkin. 

 

Remove the stem, or cut the top off the pumpkin.

I used a folded up paper towel to hold and pop the stem off, because, as you can see, the stem has all these prickly little spines all along it. 

 

Cut the pumpkin in half. I tried several knives, and found the paring knife easiest to do the job.  

 

I cut the pumpkin vertically, however afterward I read that it may be easier to cut the pumpkin in half horizontally instead.

 

Scrape out the seeds and stringy guts. 

 

If you happen to have a grapefruit spoon, they work great for this type of job.

Don't throw the seeds away! Save them to make roasted pumpkin seeds! Later this week, I'll share my recipe for Kickin' Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.  

 

Lightly rub olive oil across the cut side of the pumpkin.

  

Place pumpkin cut-side down into roasting pan and pour the water into the bottom.

 

 Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minute or until the skin darkens and it can easily be pierced by a fork.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Remove the skin, it should peel away pretty easily.

Using a stick blender, puree the pumpkin until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, blend half of the pumpkin at a time. 

 

 Line a colander with coffee filters or paper towels and place over a deep bowl.

 

Place the pumpkin in the colander and let the excess water drain into bowl.

 

Let it sit anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may also place the pumpkin in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Use the pumpkin puree in a recipe, or freeze it for future use.

 

 I used the puree to make this delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Gingersnap Crust from Martha Stewart Living.