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
