Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

It's that time of the year!

I know that you can buy canned pumpkin pack in the store, but have you ever wondered what a pumpkin pie would have tasted like in the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder? Well, I sure have. And since pumpkin pie is my favorite pie ever I had to try it from scratch. Let me tell you, real pumpkin puree it is like a bite of creamy heaven.

There was one year I had a neighbor with a large garden who had grown pumpkins. A lot of pumpkins! Thankfully, she was willing to share them with the whole neighborhood.

I ended up with about eight pumpkins in my garage and no idea what to do with them. But you know me, I had to do something with all these pumpkins. Waist is not an option with me. After a few jack-o-lanterns I found out how to make pumpkin puree. It has been one of the best, the yummiest, things I have ever done.

Before I tell you how to make your own pumpkin puree there is a warning... Once you use pure pumpkin puree in a pie or other recipe you will never, EVER, want to go back to the stuff from the can. It is that good!

1st. Start with a pumpkin. Most stores sell the little pie pumpkins next to the big jack-o-lantern ones. While the little pumpkins are grown to be made into puree I have used both kinds and have ended up with great puree from both kinds. The smaller ones will usually give you a darker colored puree, if you were wondering;)

2nd. Let's gut that bad boy! Cut your pumpkin in half so you can easily get to all the gooey stuff in the middle. Discard the stringy stuff but keep the seeds for roasting. You don't have to get too picky about how 'clean' the inside of your pumpkin is.

3rd. Once your pumpkin is cleaned out, slice it into smaller sections and arrange on a baking sheet. Face up is best.

4th. Put them into the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until they are tender. Poke them with a fork to see if they are done. The pointy edges should be just about to get crispy.

5th. Let the pumpkin slices cool enough that you can handle them. Then turn them over so you can pull the skins off. Yes, the skins should pull right off. If not, then pop them back in the oven for 5 more minutes. (There was a lot happening in the kitchen right about here so I stopped taking pictures. Sorry)

6th. With the skins removed it is time to puree! I use a blender but there are lots of ways to turn a pumpkin to mush. If you decide to use a blender like I do, place several chunks into the blender and push puree. You will need to add some water to get things moving. Add water a single Tablespoon at a time, just until things get moving. You want puree, not soup! (Before you ask, yes I did make that mistake one year.)

And that is it! Once you are done blending you have some awesome, homemade puree that you can use right away.

If you have more than you need, store in in freezer storage bags for future use. I put 2 cups of puree in each  bag and throw them in the freezer! OK, not throw. I carefully make sure each bag can lay perfectly flat so they take up less room. What can I say, I am a neat freak;)

You can store it in a freezer for 6 to 8 months this way... OK, more like over a year. I made a huge batch of pumpkin puree once and only just finished it 3 years later! Wow, so glad I was honest with you all.

Coming soon... Homemade Pumpkin Pie!