Canning Pumpkin and Winter Squash

Published January 21, 2024

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 1. Recommended process time for Pumpkin and Winter Squash in a dial-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 – 2,000 ft	2,001 – 4,000 ft	4,001 – 6,000 ft	6,001 – 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints	55 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
Hot	Quarts	90	11	12	13	14

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
Hot	Quarts	90	10	15

Source NCHFP website