Canning Pumpkin and Winter Squash
I bought quite a few winter squash and pumpkins this fall. They are both pretty autumn decorations and tasty when cooked. Even though they should hold up well, I decided to can some of them. So why can them?
Most of them were very big. Too much to use at one time. Rather than cutting up and cooking them one at a time, I decided to can some of them. That way when I want some cooked pumpkin or squash for a recipe, it is ready to use. A few had started to go bad. I didn’t want to wait for any more to spoil.
So why not freeze them? I also am a little tight on freezer space right now, so this solved that problem as well. I processed a pie pumpkin and several butternut squash and ended up with 18 pints. I roasted the seeds for a friend.
The directions I used were from the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation). Here they are.
Canning Winter Squash/Pumpkin
Wash, remove seeds, cut into 1-inch- wide slices, and peel. Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. Boil 2 minutes in water. Caution: Do not mash or puree. Fill jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in Table 1 and Table 2.
For making pies, drain jars and strain or sieve cubes.
| Table 2. Recommended process time for Pumpkin and Winter Squash in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. | ||||
| Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | Process Time | 0 – 1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints | 55 min | 10 lb | 15 lb |
| Quarts | 90 | 10 | 15 | |
Source NCHFP website
Winter Squash Ravioli Soup
Squash Ravioli Soup
After cooking up a Hubbard squash, I was looking for a way to use some of it in a soup. It is chilly here and I was in the mood for soup, but I wasn’t in the mood for a pureed soup. I found inspiration in my freezer. I was putting some of the squash in the freezer, when I noticed a package of won ton wrappers. I decided to use the squash as a filling for ravioli, then just put the ravioli in the soup. I played with the spices and added some butter to the filling, too. It needed that extra bit of fat for flavor. It worked well. I just cooked the ravioli right in the soup, but you could also enjoy them without soup at all. You can just cook the ravioli in water. Once they are tender, drain and top with the sauce of your choice. I like brown butter with a little sage, but even a red sauce would be nice with the ravioli. Here is the recipe- for both the ravioli and the soup. Almost any winter squash or pumpkin could work in the filling, too.
Squash Ravioli Soup
Ravioli:
24 round won ton/dumpling wrappers
Filling:
1 cup cooked winter squash or pumpkin
2 T. softened butter
1 T. chopped parsley
1 t. paprika
1 t. nutmeg
½ t. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne
Soup:
2 T. oil or butter
2 onions, peeled and sliced
6 c. stock- chicken or veggie
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 c. thinly sliced collard greens
Salt and pepper
Dash of hot sauce
Fresh chopped parsley
Combine ravioli filling. Adjust seasonings. Place a rounded tablespoonful of filling on one of the wrappers. Dampen edges with water and place another wrapper on top. Seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Continue with remaining filling and wrappers- you should have 12 raviolis in all. Set aside while making the soup.
Heat oil or butter in a pot and add the onions. Cook until onions are tender. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add carrots and collards and cook until veggies are tender. Add seasonings and bring soup to a boil. Add the raviolis and let the soup simmer gently until they are cooked- about 4 minutes. Stir a little to keep them from sticking, but gently. They get a lot bigger and are sort of delicate. Transfer gently with a large spoon to soup bowls and ladle over the soup. Serves 4- 6.
Pumpkin Bisque
Pumpkin Bisque
What’s in a name? When I make this soup I actually almost never use pumpkin. Every Fall I stock up on Winter squashes like butternut, acorn, Hubbard and more. A few pumpkins, too. Eventually I cut them up and roast them. Once cooled they are pureed and frozen to use throughout the year. Pretty much any package I pull out of the freezer is as likely squash as pumpkin. I am not sure it really matters. I love butternut and Hubbard the most of the winter squashes, but in this soup any of the squash or pumpkins add a similar sweetness that works. The soup is easy to make and takes almost no time at all. Great for when you need something to warm you up – fast.
Pumpkin Bisque
2 T. butter
¼ c. chopped onion
½ t. ginger
1 T. flour
2 c. cooked pumpkin
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté butter, onion and ginger. Stir in flour. Add pumpkin and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and milk and stir often until heated through. Adjust seasonings. Serves 4-6.
