The great pumpkin debate-can I cook up a regular pumpkin?

[bfuzzy2]

My boys received two pumpkins yesterday for free and we will probably just roast the seeds from it, but no carving or decorating as we have already done that. So I was thinking of cooking them up and freezing in 1 cup increments for later cooking and baking. It seems so wasteful not to.

Am I insane to do this?

[slimy72]

Nope, I do it every year. Some pumpkins are better than others for cooking up, but they all work. If it's the jackolantern kind instead of a pie pumpkin make sure you bake it flesh side up to loose some of the water so it is thicker.

[Mama*Kim]

You can bake up any pumpkin. The bigger, lighter ones (usually for jack o lanterns) tend to be a little more bland and not as sweet. Totally doable, but you may need to tweak recipes a touch.

[Geckmumto3]

Yes, I do it, too. I just cook them as I would a squash. As previous poster said, you may have to tweak the recipes a touch if the flesh ends up being more bland or more dense, but it works.

[qsefthuko]

I do as well. When using for pies I add less milk because the pumpkin is more watery.

[bfuzzy2]

Awesome! Thanks for the input too! I am excited to fill my freezer with some pumpkin!!

[bfuzzy2]

Originally Posted by Geckmumto3 Yes, I do it, too. I just cook them as I would a squash. As previous poster said, you may have to tweak the recipes a touch if the flesh ends up being more bland or more dense, but it works.

by tweaking do you mean more of a certain spice or sugar....can you elaborate a bit?

[Mama*Kim]

Originally Posted by bfuzzy2 by tweaking do you mean more of a certain spice or sugar....can you elaborate a bit?

I'm not the person you quoted, but IME, upping the sugar is your best bet. There's nothing you can add to make it more pumpkiny, but if you like more of the spices, you can totally bump those up too.

[bfuzzy2]

Originally Posted by Mama*Kim I'm not the person you quoted, but IME, upping the sugar is your best bet. There's nothing you can add to make it more pumpkiny, but if you like more of the spices, you can totally bump those up too.

Thanks!

[Geckmumto3]

Originally Posted by Mama*Kim I'm not the person you quoted, but IME, upping the sugar is your best bet. There's nothing you can add to make it more pumpkiny, but if you like more of the spices, you can totally bump those up too.

Yup. Just a bit more brown sugar and some more nutmeg can only make the pie nicer if in doubt. I have had some, too, where the pumpkin flesh seemed denser, so I added more condensed milk (or whatever liquid if baking breads/muffins).