Making the perfect Pumpkin Purée from your own pumpkins is really pretty easy. Or is it?
Actually, fresh and especially home-grown pumpkins vary greatly between varieties. Even within the same variety, there are significant differences in size, texture and moisture content. Homemade pumpkin puree will almost invariably be wetter than canned pumpkin. If you do not address this, your pumpkin pie could turn out soggy on the bottom and watery on top.
Don’t ruin all of your yummy fall pumpkin – spice recipes! Here are a couple of tips to make sure your homemade pumpkin puree is perfect every time.
So, I’ve made pumpkin puree before. And I’d always had really good results. However when sitting down to write this article, I came across a few articles from some respected sources which said that canned pumpkin is *always* better when making pumpkin pie.
Huh?!
So I did a bunch more research, and found a great divide when it comes to a preference between canned or homemade pumpkin puree. I didn’t really expect to wade into a debate, but fearlessly trudged on, reading article after article, blog after blog. Many of the proponents for canned pumpkin prefer canned primarily because of the consistency and thickness. Of course the time-savings is a huge benefit as well.
However for those that actually performed a side-by-side taste test, across the board most liked the flavor of the fresh pumpkin puree over canned. They also noted that the smoother texture of fresh pumpkin purée was far preferable, noting that the canned version seemed more like ricotta or even cottage cheese. The fresh purée was smoother and silkier.
And really, that is all I needed to hear to be convinced. I always prefer to use my own fresh farm produce, even if it does take a little bit more effort. I know what’s in it and that it is pesticide free.
What You Didn’t Know about Canned Pumpkin
You know that can that says 100% pumpkin? Most commercial companies use at least a portion of squash in their canned pumpkin. Yes, you heard that right. So how is it that the label can read pure pumpkin? Well, the USDA does not discriminate between squash and pumpkins. Firstly, because many squash and pumpkins fall into the same botanical genus.
But also, their definition is as follows: “the canned product prepared from clean, sound, properly matured, golden fleshed, firm shelled, sweet varieties of either
pumpkins or squashes by washing, stemming, cutting, steaming and reducing to a pulp.”
It is this ability to use (often proprietary) varieties of squash which reduces water content and ensures a thicker consistency.
Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Puree (or, how to make sure your Thanksgiving Pie isn’t Runny)
So, how can you make sure that your pumpkin purée is the right consistency and that it won’t ruin all of your fall pumpkin spice baked goods? There are three important tips I have to make perfect pumpkin purée:
1. The Type of Pumpkin
Clearly, the type of pumpkin you start out with does make a difference. Pumpkin patch pumpkins are going to be a lot more watery than other types. This is because they are engineered to grow larger than your average gourd. To grow big they need, in addition to genetics and compost, a lot of water.
This does not mean that you can’t use those pumpkins when making puree, you just have to go in knowing and account for this extra water. However if you want to start out with a drier pulp, try using Butternut Squash, Buttercup or Kobucha squash. Not only do these squashes have a beautiful orange color and tend to be drier, but they are also quite a bit less stringy than carving pumpkins.
If you are a purist and prefer to use pumpkin, try using the sugar-pie variety of pumpkin. It is smaller and a little drier, however even with this cute little guy, you will probably have extra water you’ll want to strain – see #3 below. Note that 1 pound of fresh pumpkin yields approximately 1 cup of pureed pumpkin.
2. How you Cook the Pumpkin
Never boil your pumpkin or squash to soften it. Boiling allows the pumpkin to absorb more water, and it also blanches out a lot of the flavor and color too. You shouldn’t even use a slow cooker, because even though flavor is retained, so is moisture. Slow cookers are great for pumpkin or squash soup, but not for Pumpkin Puree.
Instead always roast pumpkin and squash in halves, quarters or large-ish chunks in a 350 or 400 degree oven. Not only does the roasting process help to evaporate excess water, but it also gives the meat of your gourd lovely and rich flavor and color. The time in the oven varies greatly with the size and type of gourd, but you should plan on between 45 – 70 minutes in the oven. Roast until you can easily stick a fork into the flesh and mash it around.
Another benefit of roasting is that, depending upon the type of pumpkin you are cooking, you probably won’t have to peel the outside skin with a grater, like you would with the slow cooker method. Once the pumpkin is finished roasting you can actually scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon. Much easier!
After the flesh comes out of the oven, run the pulp through a food processor to get that smooth, silky texture.
3. Always Remember to Strain your Pumpkin Purée
If you are using Kobucha or butternut/cup squash, you can skip usually this step. However, when using real pumpkin, you are going to need to strain prior to using. I’d recommend making the puree at least one day prior to when you need it. This way you can allow the puree to strain in the refrigerator overnight. Pumpkin is dense so it will take a longer time to strain than, say tomatoes. You can use cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve or strainer. In a pinch, you could even use a coffee filter.
If you are short on time, you can also put the roasted, pureed flesh into a sauce pot and cook until it reduces and thickens. Just be super careful to use very low heat to prevent scorching or burning. Your homemade pumpkin puree will last in the refrigerator for about one week.
So… what do you think? Canned pumpkin or fresh pureed this year? Let me know in the comments!
