Learn How to Can Pumpkin - a Staple for Recipes Throughout the Year

Learn How to Can Pumpkin - a Staple for Recipes Throughout the Year
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Home Canned Pumpkin

Cleaning out the interior of a pumpkin for a Halloween jack-o-lantern can be fun for kids. Considering the economy, many people are making an effort to use their resources better. So instead of just throwing away the pulp inside the pumpkin, why not can it? Canned pumpkin contains only what you put in it along with the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. Manufactured pumpkin often contains added sugar and preservatives. Canned pumpkin is good for six months to a year, so it can be a year long staple in many recipes.

When considering how to can pumpkin, you need some tools. First of all, to can pumpkin safely, a pressure canner is needed as well as quart jars and sharp knives to cut the pumpkin. All utensils should be clean and jars should be washed thoroughly prior to filling. While the jars do not require sterilizing, it doesn’t hurt to take this extra step for safety’s sake.

How to Safely Can Pumpkin

Pumpkin, like other vegetables, requires special treatment to safely preserve it. As you are learning how to can pumpkin, care must be taken to observe all food safety rules. Being able to have the garden fresh produce throughout the fall and winter months is great, but it has to be safe. In order to can pumpkin safely, it has to be gradually brought to a temperature of at least 240 degrees Fahrenheit and remain there for a period of time. The time and pressure kill deadly bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum. While bacteria are killed in boiling water, spores may remain which is why the pressure combined with heat is needed.

To get started, the pumpkin should be cut up and the outer skin removed as well as the seeds. The pumkpin can be cooked and pureed, or cut into chunks. The pumpkin is then placed in quart jars and placed in two to three inches of water in a pressure canner. Use the canner according to manufacturers directions and follow the directions for specific time and length for pressure cooking.

Pumpkin is for More Than Just Pie

Pumpkin is most often enjoyed as pie during the holidays. Home canned pumpkin can be used in many other ways. It also makes a delicious soup, from cooked pumpkin that has been pureed and seasoned with spices. It can be included in with other forms of squash in casseroles. It can also be used in desserts other than pie, such as an applesauce cakes, as a replacement for applesauce.

Pumpkin is a great source of vitamin A and antioxidants. It’s also packed with vitamins C, K, and E, and loaded with minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron. The pumpkin seeds are full of antioxidants as well and may have an effect on prevention of osteoporosis and prostate cancer. With decreased sugar and low carbohydrates, it makes a great addition to meals throughout the year.

Now that you have learned about canning pumpkin, why not try your hand at freezing it? You can find complete step-by-step instructions for freezing pumpkin in “Freezing Fresh Pumpkin: Benefits, Tips, Techniques.

References

https://www.canning-food-recipes.com/canning.htm

www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org