How To Process Your Fall Pumpkins

We don't like to let anything go to waste at the Cottage, and that includes our fall pumpkins! Some of our pumpkins will last until next season but others have to be processed much sooner, we had several of our green ones begin to get soft so we went ahead and processed them. 

Step 1: Cut pumpkins in half, scrape out the "guts", cut each half in half again to make it a little easier to handle. If you are working with small pumpkins you can skip this part. Remove any bad places.

Step 2: Place pumpkin in a roasting pan skin side up, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake at 400 until you can easily poke a fork through the skin.

Step 3: Remove from pan, and place in a bowl to cool. Use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin off of the skin. 

Step 4: Puree pumpkin in a blender until smooth. Place in bags and freeze. We like to divide the pumpkin into 2 cups per bag. 

Don't throw the scraps away! You can save the seeds like we do and dry them in a dehydrator said very low to plant later. Make sure that the seeds aren't touching while they are drying or they will stick together. Once dry place them in baggies and label.  

You can give the rest (skin and "guts") to chickens or if you don't have chickens you can also place it in a compost bin. Or leave it someplace that wild critters can eat it. This way nothing goes to waste! 

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