It all started during a routine trip to the grocery store. There was a large bin full of these sitting near the door and the sign on it read “Pie Pumpkins.” I just had to take one home.
I wanted to prepare something other than pie so I went to FoodGawker.com in search of inspiration. If you’ve ever been to FoodGawker, you know there are tons of ideas there. I was finally able to narrow it down to two recipes…one for ice cream, the other for muffins.
What each recipe had in common was Homemade Pumpkin Puree. Here’s a look at how to get that done.
First, trim the top of the pumpkin off. These little pumpkins are tough so please be careful.
Next, cut the pumpkin in half, then scoop out the seeds and the stringy membrane.
Or, cut them in quarters, then remove the seeds. Do whichever is easier for you. Save those seeds for roasting if you like.
Continue to slice the wedges until the pieces are small enough to fit into the top of a steamer pot insert.
Fill the pot with enough water to sit just below the steamer insert. You don’t want any water to come in contact with the pumpkin. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to medium.
Sit the steamer insert in the pot, cover and let the pumpkin slices steam for about 15-20 minutes.
You’ll know the pumpkin is done when you pierce it with a fork and it slides through the skin and pumpkin meat easily.
Carefully transfer the pumpkin slices onto a plate or prep board and start separating the skin from the pumpkin meat. I used a fork and butter knife because the pieces were hot. You can allow them to cool a bit first then complete this part with your hands if you prefer.
Place the pumpkin into a bowl. It was so tender that I only needed a fork to break it up and mash it.
Store your Homemade Pumpkin Puree in a plastic or glass storage container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. If you aren’t going to do any baking right away, store in plastic and freeze. Now how easy was that?
Now that this part is done, I can start working on making the ice cream and muffins. Will be sharing soon so be sure to check back in to see how they turned out.
Linking to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.
Do you make your own Pumpkin Puree? What’s your favorite Pumpkin recipe?
