Freezing Pumpkin for Pies
Pumpkin stays fresh for months, if frozen properly. Although using fresh pumpkins is the best option, freezing them especially for pies can help you save plenty of time. It sounds really a hectic procedure to cut a large pumpkin into small slices just to prepare a small pie. In order to avoid such a complex situation, one can store the pumpkins even in a can.
Including pumpkin, many winter squashes can be frozen for later use. It is not a tough procedure at all. You are required to follow only a few simple steps to freeze a pumpkin for your pies. Since the pumpkin dehydrates, you need to be very careful.
Scroll down and learn how you can freeze pumpkin for pies!
Instructions
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1
Storing Whole Pumpkin
Freezing a large unpeeled pumpkin is probably the easiest of things to do. If it is not too hot, an unpeeled pumpkin can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 months. But mostly, the outer layer gets soft. As a result, the entire pumpkin starts staling.
So, if you are interested in storing the whole pumpkin, freeze it right in front of the cooling fan. However, keep a few things in mind. To prevent mild spots, you can wax the outer skin of the pumpkin. Another useful trick is applying a few drops of vegetable oil.
Don’t put oil directly on the pumpkin. Use a neat towel to rub it on the outer surface. Before freezing, wash and dry the pumpkin properly. It is the easiest method, but probably not the ideal one, as it becomes really difficult to cut a frozen pumpkin into slices. -
2
Freezing Cooked Pumpkin
Storing the cooked pumpkin is also a useful thing. If you are freezing the pumpkin for pies, this method is probably the ideal one. Cut the pumpkin into small slices. Instead of boiling, roast the pumpkin. Roasting will ensure no watery results.
Sometimes, this method proves more helpful than canning the pumpkin. You can also bake the pumpkin pieces before freezing. Once the pumpkin slices reach room temperature, put them in a freezing bag, and place them in the freezer. -
3
Canning Pumpkin
Canning the pumpkin is quite handy too, but requires plenty of effort. After boiling the pumpkin chunks for a couple of minutes, put them in a sterilized jar.
Add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Now, pour the water that you used for boiling. After leaving half inch head space in the jar, put the lid back. Put the jar in the refrigerator.
