It feels like whenever the month of October rolls around, a memo goes out to all the grocery stores and produce markets to bring out all the pumpkins and all pumpkin flavored products. I am not opposed to the change from the mango and pineapple summer items to the pumpkin everything of course, but as a budget savvy kitchen maestro, I try to make sure I am enjoying all the fun flavors of fall but holding on to my money. Since I love utilizing all these pumpkin flavors in my kitchen, one of the best ways I have found to do that cheaply is to make my own homemade pumpkin puree, and to know how to substitute pumpkins when necessary.
With all the exotic foods that gets conjured up in my kitchen, I find that I have to keep a watchful eye on my food spending. Luckily for me, I live in a food haven, surrounded not just by the best and most affordable food. No lie, less than 10 minutes drive from me is a Caribbean supermarket, a European produce market that sells local produce alongside European specialty items, a Trader Joe’s, a Wegmans (which is like a giant Whole Foods), an African market and two “traditional grocery stores”. If I stretch the distance a little bit, I am about 15 minutes from two huge Asian markets, and one restaurant supply store that I happen to have “small business owner” access to, and let’s not forget Costco and Sam’s Club both of which are within 20 minutes distance. So needless to say, yeah, I am really blessed! With this blessing comes the need to practice a significant amount of restraint though. One of those restraints is choosing to generally stay away from the ease (and expense) of processed and conveniently packaged food.
This fall because I know I would be cooking with a lot of pumpkin and pumpkin flavored stuff, I knew I had to make my own homemade pumpkin puree to save myself some much needed cash!
Back in the day, when I lived somewhere else, I was limited to buying the pumpkin puree from a can, and while that is just fine, if you have access to fresh pumpkins, it is something you can easily make at home in your kitchen. So here are my tips to making the best homemade pumpkin puree from scratch to save you money:
1. Choose the right pumpkins:
While it might look like the best deal to grab a giant pumpkin so you can make the biggest batch of pumpkin puree, it is best to choose a variety that works well with cooking. Most of the huge pumpkins you see at you grocery stores are bred as carving pumpkins and are not the best tasting. They are still edible, but if you want to make the best pumpkin puree, I would suggest selecting a variety of pumpkins that are cooking friendly. I generally go with the rule: the smaller the variety of pumpkin the better tasting; go for pumpkins that weigh no more than 8 lbs. Go with varieties labeled “sugar pumpkin” or “pie pumpkin” if you find them. The variety I chose was labeled sugar pumpkin, but it was a baby bear pumpkin (according to the produce market owner).
2. Cook your pumpkins correctly:
I used a combination of steaming and roasting to get the perfect textured pumpkin puree. Cut your pumpkin into equal sized chunks, leaving the skin on. It is easier to take the skin off the pumpkin when it its soft than when it is hard. The chunks can be small or big, but the important thing is that it should be about the same size. If your pumpkin chunks are too small it can be frustrating to take the skin off. Place the pumpkins on a baking pan, and pour some water in the pan just enough to reach about ½ an inch up the pumpkins. Place in a preheated 400°F oven and bake until the pumpkins are tender. The bigger you cut the pumpkins, the longer it will take to cook through. So, I advise that you keep the pumpkins at a size that will not be too frustrating to take the skins off after it is soft, and not too large that it will take forever to cook.
3. Getting a smooth puree:
I recommend using either a stick blender or a potato to get the right smooth consistency for your homemade pumpkin puree. A regular blender works just fine too, it is just messier to get it out of the blender.
4. Storing your homemade pumpkin puree:
Simply place the pureed pumpkin in a plastic freezer zipper bag and freeze. It can last for up to 6 months frozen and up to a week in your fridge.
5. Other Substitutes for Pumpkins:
I know that in some parts of the world it might be difficult to get a hold of any variety of pumpkin. A good substitute especially in sweet dishes is orange sweet potatoes. Other like butternut squash, acorn squash, kabocha squash and some other sweet winter squashes. Each substitute has some differences in flavor, but it is usually not enough to “ruin” most recipes.
That’s it guys! Now go and conquer all your favorite pumpkin recipes including the best pumpkin drop donuts ever!
16 Comments
Alicia Taylor
November 2, 2017 at 12:23 pmYou just changed my life! I always buy canned because I hated peeling a pumpkin and never knew exactly what we were supposed to keep! I never thought about taking the skin off after roasting! Thanks for that.
Lois
November 3, 2017 at 9:37 amI am glad the tips helped Alicia!
Donna
November 2, 2017 at 11:15 pmI love all of these tips! I made all of my own pumpkin puree last year, but for some reason got lazy and bought the canned variety this year. I still have some time left, so I need to get those pumpkins pureed 🙂 Homemade tastes so much better than canned for sure.
Ben Myhre
November 3, 2017 at 8:16 amI have to say that we have stored pumpkin puree in the freezer (air tight) for much longer than 6 months. Livin on the edge, I guess? 😉
Lois
November 3, 2017 at 9:39 amHonestly I have too… I have been known to live that edgy life myself.
Veena Azmanov
November 3, 2017 at 5:18 pmI am so lazy to make my own pumpkin puree. This looks so easy and effortless. I only once ever had to make pumpkin puree because I could not find one at the store. Was a small batch – Saving your tips for next time. Thanks
Lois
November 7, 2017 at 4:35 pmGlad to be of help Veena!
Monica | Nourish & Fete
November 4, 2017 at 12:06 pmThese sound like terrific tips! For someone who absolutely loves to cook and bake with pumpkin in the fall, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’ve never tried to make my own puree from scratch! I would love to try it, and these tips would give me a lot more confidence!
Lois
November 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmAwesome Monica! It is honestly so simple. You would wonder why you didn’t try it before once you make it.
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade
November 5, 2017 at 7:09 pmI’m honestly not a big pumpkin person, but I know a lot of people who are! These are definitely great tips for any type of puree, and I’m going to share this with my mom, who will definitely use it
Lois
November 7, 2017 at 4:31 pmThanks Karyl!
Carol Borchardt
November 5, 2017 at 9:39 pmWe made our own pumpkin puree last year for the first time. These are some great tips!
Lois
November 7, 2017 at 4:30 pmThanks Carol!
Monica Le
November 6, 2017 at 10:57 amAfter all of these years, I cannot believe I’ve never made homemade pumpkin puree. That’s about to change thanks to you!
Lois
November 7, 2017 at 4:30 pmI am glad you have seen the light Monica… Lol!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
November 6, 2017 at 12:38 pmWhat a great post. It’s great to make pumpkin puree from scratch and use it in baking and savory dishes!