Picking a pumpkin

Luckytrim

Grill Master
Gold Site Supporter
Picking a pumpkin to cook with takes more than an eye for beauty. Here's what you need to know:

Choose a pumpkin with 1 or 2 inches of stem left. It will likely stay fresher longer.

Figure one pound of uncooked pumpkin for every cup of pumpkin puree your recipe needs.

Choose smaller pumpkins for eating. Sugar pumpkins are usually labeled by the market for cooking purposes as opposed to those used for decorating or Jack-o'-lanterns.

Higher temperatures cause pumpkin flesh to become stringy. If you end up with a stringy pumpkin, you can beat the pulp with an electric mixer on high speed for ten seconds and then switch to low speed for sixty seconds. The strings should wrap around the beaters for easy removal.

Homemade pureed pumpkin for pies is usually much thinner in texture than canned. To alleviate excess moisture, bake rather than steam or boil the pumpkin. Mash and drain through cheesecloth before using in pies.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Good info for this pumpkin-lover, Lucky!

Thanks!

Lee
 
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