Better-than-store-bought, Pumpkin Everything

You can have your pumpkin dreams come true with quick pumpkin puree made in an Instant Pot (IP).

Use any flavorful pie pumpkin of your choice. We adore Cinderella and Sugar for their vibrant orange hued pumpkin-y flavor.

We cooked our whole pumpkin for 15 minutes in an 8 quart IP, let it cool over the colander, cleaned skin and seeds out, then used an immersion blender to puree.

A regular blender or food processor will work just as well. I had a smallish pumpkin and the entire thing fit inside the IP on the trivet, minus the stem. Recipe guide here.

I cannot underscore how wonderfully the IP makes a luxurious texture!

• It's perfectly cooked

• the skin melts off

• extra water content drains out

• seeds scoop like warm butter

Of course, cook time will depend on the size of your pumpkin or chunk. To store, we freeze puree in 2 cup portions in a mason jar, which will stay fresh for about 3 months, but we've gone longer and it was delicious...If you freeze, bursting glass jar bombs are NO-kay! Here's a refresher on freezing with glass, if you need it.

Feast your eyes...The lovely color in this photo has not been retouched.

Here are links to the BEST recipes we've made with this puree :

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Bread That Saved My Marriage

Pumpkin Pie Fruit Leather

Maple Sweetened Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Ok, next adventure is some kind of pumpkin chili... Do you have a fave?

If you are new to canning I must mention, pumpkin puree is not a safely home canned item due to its low acid and thickness, which keeps heat from penetrating evenly.

Thankfully, you can pressure can individual pumpkin chunks to store long term, but water-bath canning isn't an option.

Low acid foods like pumpkin, must stay at 240 degrees Fahrenheit for a specific amount of time to be safe against botulism and bacteria. Only a pressure canner can do this.

I'm not thinking of anyone in particular, but a lot of well-meaning homestead you tube channels have been advertising great grandma's recipe passed down from back in the day. While respectful of those traditions, they are not tested and could make you or your loved ones sick.

To safely pressure can pumpkin, visit NCHFP's site or watch my friend, Carol here.

These beautiful pumpkins come courtesy of King's Gap Farm at King's Gap State Park , PA. If you are in the area, give them a visit. You won't find finer pumpkins, beautifully grown and cultivated with love.

Happy preserving, happy fall, friends!