Freezing Pumpkin {How to Freeze Pumpkin}
Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing pumpkin to extend the harvest. Learning how to freeze pumpkin in cubes or puree is a great way to preserve this wonderful ingredient.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 pie pumpkin
- ice {optional}
Instructions
Freezing Pumpkin Cubes
- Fill a medium bowl 2/3 full with water and ice.ice
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin. Cut your pumpkin in half, slightly on one side of the stem.1 pie pumpkin
- Remove the innards using a spoon. Set the seeds aside. It's ok to not get all the strings out of it; we'll deal with it later.
- Lay one half of the pumpkin, cavity side down, and slice it like you're slicing a melon. Repeat with the other half.
- Place the slices onto a plate and microwave for 1 minute. This will soften the pumpkin to make the next step easier.
- Take one of the slices, and cut the rind off of the chunk. Trim any strings. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Repeat with the rest of the pumpkin. Set pumpkin cubes aside in a bowl of water.
- Boil a pot of water and add the pumpkin cubes in batches for 2 minutes.
- Once the time is up, strain the cubes through a colander or scoop pieces out of the water with a slotted spoon and immediately add to the ice water for two minutes.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
- Strain the cooled cubes and add them to the baking sheet without crowding the tray and place the tray in the freezer.
- Freeze for three hours.
- Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer to freezer-proof storage.
Freezing Pumpkin Puree
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin and cut the pumpkin into quarters.
- Remove the innards using a spoon. Set the seeds aside.
- Place quarters cavity-side up in a pan with an inch of water.
- Bake at 300˚F for 1 hour, or until the pumpkin can easily be pierced with a knife.
- Remove the flesh and either mash with a fork or potato masher, or process in a food processor with a bit of water.
- Allow puree to cool and place in ice cube trays, freezer bags, or wide-mouth canning jars with 1-inch of space between the top of the puree and the top of the jar.
- Freeze for 4-5 hours.
Notes
- Cubes and puree will keep in the freezer for 6-12 months.
- You can defrost frozen jars of puree in a bowl of lukewarm water, at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the fridge. Do NOT submerge a frozen jar in hot or boiling water.
Nutrition
Serving: 5cup | Calories: 30kcal