Recently I cooked a pumpkin in the oven to prepare it for making a pie. Here is how I did it:
First I washed the outside of the pumpkin. I poked it 3 or 4 times with a fork.
Next I put it on a pan with sides and put some water in the bottom. I baked it at 400F until it was soft, probably about 2 hours.
I removed it from the oven and let it cool. Then I peeled it.
Next I cut it into pieces and put about 4 cups in the blender.
I added water to the top of the pumpkin. I blended it until I had a nice puree.
Then I set it aside and blended some more. Once it was all blended I could use it or refrigerate or freeze it until I had something to do with it.
Cooking a Pumpkin - Oven Method
Here is a way to cook a pumpkin or winter squash in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin or winter squash
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin, poke it with a fork 3-4 times, put in a pan with sides, like a 13x9 pan, cover the bottom with water, put in the oven, bake at 400F.
- Cook until it is soft. This could take 2 hours. I check it at 1 hour and every 15-20 minutes after that. It will feel soft and it could shrink and sort of fall in on itself.
- Once it is soft, remove from the oven and let it cool at least 10-15 minutes. Cut it open. If it is still hot inside, let it cool some more.
- Once it is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the seeds. Pull off the skin or scoop out the meat of the pumpkin.
- Put about 4 cups of pumpkin in the blender. Add water to the top of the pumpkin. Blend until smooth. Add water if all of it can't rotate through the blending.
- Empty the blender and do another batch, repeating until it is completed. Refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to use it.