Sweet Preserved Pumpkin Recipes

PUMPKIN PRESERVES

Steps:

• Layer pumpkin with sugar in a large bowl.
• Cover and let stand overnight, stirring once or twice.
• Next day, drain juice off of pumpkin into saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
• Add pumpkin pieces, grated rind and chopped pulp of the lemon.
• Add cloves (tied in a cheesecloth bag).
• Cook on a slow boil for 40 minutes, or until pumpkin is clear and the mixture sheets from a spoon.
• Remove the cloves and pour into hot sterile jars.
• Seal.

SPICED PUMPKIN PRESERVES

Steps:

• Prick pumpkin chucks with a fork.
• Combine rest of the ingredients in a sauce pan and boil 5 minutes to make the syrup.
• Add fruit (in batches if necessary) and simmer until pumpkin is slightly tender.
• Spoon hot pumpkin in clean hot pint jars.
• Fill with hot syrup leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• (Prepare more syrup if necessary).
• Seal and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• *If you use whole cloves, spike the pumpkin pieces with them.
• **Try to even out the stick cinnamon among the jars.
• ***This recipe needs to age.
• Best if left.

PICKLED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Place the vinegar, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, salt, allspice berries and chili and bring to the boil.
• Add the pumpkin flesh and bring to the boil once more.
• Reduce the heat and simmer the pumpkin gently until cooked through, around 30 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon place the pumpkin in warm, sterile jars, dividing the spices evenly.
• Bring the remaining cooking liquor to the boil and cook briskly until reduced and thickened into a syrup.
• Pour the syrup over the pumpkin, allow to cool and seal.

SWEET PUMPKIN PICKLES

Steps:

• Prepare pumpkin by peeling, cubing and discarding seeds and inner pulp.
• Place pumpkin cubes in colander and set over boiling water. Make sure water does not touch pumpkin. Cover and steam until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.
• Simmer vinegar, sugar and cinnamon for 15 minutes.
• Add pumpkin and simmer 3 minutes.
• Set aside for 24 hours.
• Heat and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove cinnamon sticks.
• Pack boiling hot in hot canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headroom.
• Adjust lids and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.