Which pumpkins can you eat

When it comes to texture, the pulp used for cooking and baking ranges from fine grained to coarse. Fine-grained is always better. Some varieties are sweeter than others. However, to some degree you can offset this, by adding a little more sugar to the recipe.

It has a sweeter taste than other varieties. It also has a smooth texture. My mother picks up several from me each year, and comes back with lots of delicious goodies for her grandchildren. She takes small and mid size pumpkin. She says the larger ones get too stringy and have a coarser textures. So, take it from mom. Miniatures I. Jack B. Many people do not even know they are edible, let alone think to cook with them.

Most uses of the minis, are as bowls to hold another recipe. When it comes to cooking pumpkin dishes, canned pumpkin is a delicious option, but if you want to start from scratch, there are options at the grocery store and farmers market.

These kinds of gourds are sometimes called sugar pumpkins, pie pumpkins or sweet pumpkins. Some have noted that Autumn Gold pumpkins are good for cooking and carving. And, of course, many of these optimal ingredient pumpkins make great decorations as well.

Carving pumpkins also tend to have more shallow ribs throughout, which make them easier to cut into. News U. Cook until soft in boiling water, in steam, in a pressure cooker, in a microwave or in an oven. Check for doneness by poking with a fork. Drain the cooked pumpkin. Remove pulp from rind and mash. To cool, place pan containing pumpkin in cold water and stir occasionally.

Refrigerate and use within 3 to 4 days. Pumpkin puree freezes well. Measure cooled puree into one cup portions. Place in zip closure bags or rigid freezer containers. Leave a half inch of space at the top of the containers. Label and date each container. Freeze for up to one year. You can obtain a generous supply of flesh from just one fruit, since they typically reach 20 pounds. But looks aside, its heavy, dense flesh is a mainstay ingredient in cozy, savory autumn dishes, from roasted soups to vegetable curries.

The best pumpkin varieties for eating come in many sizes. But I would encourage anyone who has the space to grow cooking pumpkins, even with the long lead time. First of all, you will get a midseason treat when you harvest and eat the blossoms battered and fried or chopped into salads, just as you would for zucchini, or some other types of squash.

You can start with recipes like Asian style curry or pumpkin hummus from our sister site, Foodal , and also make the better-known pumpkin dishes like pancakes or muffins. And if this roundup was helpful, check out these guides to growing pumpkins next:.

See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. She champions all pollinators, even carpenter bees. Cherokee Bush This choice is one of the few bush varieties you can grow at home, though it still needs space since it can spread four to five feet. Cinderella Orange fruits about 15 inches across look like the famed fairy tale carriage. The fruits are about 15 pounds when ripe and the direct sow to harvest time frame is days. Jarrahdale I chose to grow this heirloom cooking cultivar from New Zealand because it produces mature fruits just days from direct sowing and is known for its productivity.

Photo by Rose Kennedy.