by Megan Stoddard

Created on: October 27, 2009   Last Updated: October 28, 2009

Pumpkins are one of a few vegetables that will keep well and stay fresh for many months, as long as they are not cut into and not exposed to much direct sunlight. A pumpkin that has been cut will begin to rot within days. If you have used part of a pumpkin in a recipe and want to save the rest for something else, or if you decide to turn your Halloween jack o'lantern into Thanksgiving pies or other pumpkin goodies, freezing the pumpkin is the way to go.

Pumpkin must be cooked before it is frozen. If the pumpkin has been carved into a jack o'lantern or had large pieces removed, this means a labor intensive process. Here's how:

1. With a vegetable knife, cut the pumpkin into pieces small enough to hold in your hand. Include the jack o'lantern lid. It's part of the pumpkin, too. But do remove the stem.

2. Cut away any mold and soft spots. Remove any pumpkin guts that still cling to the pumpkin.

3. Peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler.

4. Cut the pumpkin smaller, into cubes of about a square inch (2.5 square cm). Place the pumpkin cubes in a steamer basket or double boiler. If you do not have either, you can use a large pot instead.

5. Fill the pot, steamer, or lower half of the double boiler with enough water to steam. Usually, this means about two inches (5 cm) off the bottom.

6. Cook on high heat until the water reaches a rolling boil.

7. Turn the heat down as low as it will go and still keep boiling. With most pans and most burners, this is about medium low to medium heat. The pumpkin may also be steamed in a slow cooker, following its directions.

8. Steam the pumpkin until it is soft enough to mash easily with a stirring spoon. Turn off the heat. Let the pumpkin cool until it is slightly warmer than room temperature and can be safely touched.

9. Spoon the pumpkin onto a plate or shallow bowl. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher or a fork. You will probably have to do this in several batches, unless you have a very small amount of pumpkin.

10. Drain the excess liquid out of the pumpkin (it will be very watery, especially if it has been cooked directly in water). Simply pressing it gently with a spoon or fork and tilting it over the sink does the trick. Take care not to drain away the pumpkin itself.

11. With a measuring cup, measure the pumpkin in 1/4 cup (60 ml) amounts. Wrap each quarter cup of pumpkin in aluminum foil, or put it in a small freezer safe container or ziplock bag. You may choose to freeze it in larger amounts, but quarter cups are advised

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>