How to Preserve Pumpkin?

Pumpkin appears in the fall and aside from Halloween and the fun associated with this, we're just starting to use our imaginations on how to include it on our menu more often. Precisely because it is autumn!

Although the pumpkin itself is quite durable, as long as you have not damaged its integrity, you cannot store it in any way, until the end of the winter or spring. You can usually freeze it.

In case you don't have enough space to store it, you have to preserve it - either cut into pieces or grate it. We're leaving aside the cases where pumpkin is preserved in the form of pumpkin jam.

Here are some ways to preserve pumpkin so you can enjoy its sweetness all year-round.

Jarred pumpkin

The easiest option is, after washing and peeling the pumpkin, to cut it into about 2-3 cm pieces. Blanch the pieces of pumpkin for about 2-3 minutes and transfer them into jars.

To preserve pumpkin this way, it is best to choose larger jars - than those, in which we prepare compotes. Add water that reaches a little below the rim of the jars, close them and sterilize them for about 1 hour. In case you use larger jars, the sterilization time should be about 90 minutes.

Image: Rusiana Mihailova

Jarred grated pumpkin

A second option is to grate the pumpkin in advance on a large grater. Naturally, for this purpose, you must first wash and peel it. Prepare suitable jars, stuff the grated pumpkin into them and add enough water to remove the air from them. Close the jars and sterilize them for 40 minutes if they are small. For larger jars, the sterilization time should be extended. If desired, you can add sugar or another sweetener to the pumpkin, but then it will only be suitable for desserts.

Marinated pumpkin

You can also try a more exotic pumpkin recipe, which in this case would take on a sweet-spicy flavor. In a deep and wide pot, add 3 cups of apple cider vinegar, 5 cups of sugar, the grated peel of 1 lemon, 3 cinnamon sticks, 4 tbsp. grated ginger and 1 tbsp. salt

Boil this marinade and add 1 peeled and cut pumpkin to it (weighing a maximum of 2 kg). Boil for another 20 minutes or so. If you want to consume the pumpkin up to a week after marinating, you can simply transfer it into jars with the marinade and store in the refrigerator. In case you want to enjoy it later in time, you will have to sterilize it.

Also learn how to freeze pumpkin or try one of our recipes for:

- pumpkin cream soup;

- or pumpkin cheesecake;