How to Bake Your Own Pumpkin or Winter Squash

 

Baking you own squash or pumpkin couldn't be any easier, and the taste and texture results are so worth it!!  As an added bonus, you save some money, perfume your house with pumpkiny goodness (I know..not a word!), and most likely put to use a item you likely had out for some pumpkin or Fall decor anways.  Here are some simple directions to get some very tasty pumpkin puree, and some tips on how to store it.

 

Cut your squash into half, or if it is a large pumpkin, into large chunks that will fit onto a cookie sheet.   Use large knife, this can take some muscle.

 Using a large metal spoon, scrape away the innards, and if you are feeling especially ambitious, set the seeds aside to to be washed and roasted!

 

Here we have it cleaned out and ready to bake.

 

 Place the squash cut side down on a cookie sheet.  Pout about a cup of water into the pan and place the sheet into a  preheated 350 degree oven.

 

Cooking time will vary greatly on the size of squash you are cooking.  First test is to pierce the outer skin with a fork, it should be easy.  Second, lift one of the pieces up and probe around the inside, the flesh should fall away easily w/ almost no scraping.  If it still seems firm, you know you need some more time.  Start with about 45 minutes for an average size sugar pie pumpkin.  Mine were large and took about an hour.

 Once the cooked flesh is cool enough to handle, scoop it out into a food processor.  Whir the whole mixture for a couple of minutes until silky and smooth.  With my Kabocha squash, I had to add water to give movement to the flesh within the food processor bowl.  The Sugar Pie had more water content and needed no additional water to spin freely.  

One idea for storage is to put measured amounts (I suggest 1 or 2 cup portions) in freezer safe Ziploc bags.  Squeeze the excess air out, and squish it around to lay it flat.  I stack my bags and freeze them like this.  When they are frozen flat like this, it is very easy to stack or 'file' them into the space in my freezer.  I have also frozen the puree in mason jars.

TIPS:

• Which pumpkins to bake?  Not all pumpkins are intended for consumption.  The typical jack-o-lantern we purchase for Halloween is very watery and lacks flavor.  Ask at the market or store you buy from if you need help in finding a good cooking squash.  My favorites are : Buttercup, Kabocha, Butternut, Cinderella, Fairytale, and Sugar Pie (although there are endless options out there!).  Sugar Pie's and Butternut are the most widely available.
• The water content of every squash can vary widely.  One year, my normally perfect Cinderella Pumpkin was super spongy and watery.  When I baked it, there were pools of water.  I had to hassle with cooking the water out of it...fine, but kind of a pain.  In general, stay away from any spongy or overtly soft pumpkins - too much water!
• Some squashes are very dry, so it is OK to add some water to the final flesh to puree it to desired consistency.  You are going for smooth and easily scoopable, but you should not be able to easily pour it.  If you have ever opened a can of pumpkin, you know what you are looking for.
• How much will I get?    Typically, a Sugar Pie will yield about 2 cups pumpkin puree.  But that is a gross generalization,,,the size can vary widely!  I baked one good size Sugar Pie and one melon size Kabocha (see pictures above) and filled about five two-cup bags of puree.