How To Cook A Pumpkin In The Oven Food

HOW TO COOK A PUMPKIN IN THE OVEN

Steps:

• Use as many pumpkins as will fit in your oven on the center rack. Wash and dry the pumpkins and remove stems if necessary to help them fit in the oven better.
• Move the oven rack to the center of the oven and put down aluminum foil or a cookie sheet to catch any drips (mine didn't require this, but it may still be a good idea).
• Bake at 200 degrees for a few hours. The time depends on how big your pumpkins are. My pumpkins were about 3.5-4 lbs, and they took 4 hours. A larger pumpkin will take longer.
• Check your pumpkins periodically to see if they're getting soft. You'll know they're ready when the outside feels soft.
• When they're soft, remove from the oven, place on a cookie sheet or cutting board, and cut the pumpkins in half.
• Remove the seeds and the stringy flesh in the pumpkin cavity.
• Using a large spoon, scoop out the cooked pumpkin and put into a food processor.
• Process the pumpkin in the food processor until you have a nice smooth puree.
• Store in jars or another container. The puree will stay good in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for months.

ROASTED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut pumpkin in half; scrape out seeds.
• Drizzle pumpkin with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. (Omit pepper if using in sweet dishes.)
• Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast until very soft, about 35 to 45 minutes.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

COOKED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Cut pumpkin into small manageable pieces and cut off pith and seeds.
• Place cut pumpkin skin side up in a large roasting pan. Add 1/4 inch of water and bake uncovered for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from oven and allow pumpkin to cool.
• When cooled, cut away skin and mash or puree. Use in any recipe that calls for canned pureed pumpkin.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Scoop out the pumpkin's seeds and pulp with a spoon and put into a colander. Rinse away all the stringy stuff. Give the seeds a separate rinse to make sure they're clean.
• Spread the seeds out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until dried out, 30 to 45 minutes. Toss with enough oil to nicely coat (this will depend on how many seeds you harvested), season with salt and sprinkle with the za'atar spice. Return the seeds to the oven and continue to roast until crunchy and golden, 20 to 30 minutes more.

HOW TO COOK / BAKE / ROAST A REAL PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings.
• Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove.
• When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.
• To freeze pumpkin puree: Put 1/2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.
• To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.

HOW TO COOK A PUMPKIN OR SQUASH

Steps:

• THE EASY WAY: Wash outside of fruit, cut in half, scrape out seeds (save for roasting into snacks) and that stringy stuff, place halves face down on a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 300 (or so) until "meat" is tender; discard shells/skin.
• Use meat as called for in pie or cake recipe.
• OR mash or blend meat until very smooth (add a bit of water), heat in a soup pot, and then ladle into clean HOT jars, seal with canning lids, and process in hot water bath or pressure cooker. Label & use for pie filling or cake recipes.
• THE HARD WAY: Cut fruit into spears, remove seeds & stringy fibers, then using a paring knife or peeler, remove skins. Cut into large chunks and cook down in a soup pot to make pie filling or roast with other autumn vegetables (balsamic vinegar & sea salt make a nice marinade!).