Preserve winter squash and pumpkins for future use

By Carol Ann Burtness, University of Minnesota Extension

Preserve fall pumpkins and squash for later use by freezing, canning or drying.

< Freezing: Mashed or pureed pumpkin and squash freeze very well. Remove the rind and boil, steam, roast or microwave cubes of the flesh until fork tender. Drain well and mash or puree. Cool the pulp and pack into rigid containers or in quality, zipper-type freezer bags. Freeze these items for up to one year. Frozen pumpkin or squash is great to use in pies, desserts and as a vegetable. Thaw pumpkin and squash in the refrigerator — not on the counter — before using.

< Canning: Canning mashed or pureed pumpkin or squash is not recommended. The density of the product prevents adequate heat transfer to the center of the jar and may allow harmful bacteria to survive. To can pumpkin or squash, cut the flesh into one-inch cubes. Boil the cubes in water for two minutes. Fill the jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving one-inch of headspace.

Pumpkin and squash are low-acid vegetables and must be pressure-canned. Process the vegetables at 11 pounds pressure in a dial-gauge pressure canner, or at 15 pounds pressure in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. For either method, process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. To use canned pumpkin or squash, drain the jars, mash the cubes and re-heat.

< Drying: Wash, peel and remove fibers and seeds from pumpkin or squash flesh. Cut into small, thin strips. Steam for four to six minutes or until translucent. Drain and pat dry. Dry the strips in a dehydrator until brittle. To reconstitute, use one cup of dried food to two cups of water. Pre-soak for one hour and then boil until tender. One cup of dried pumpkin or squash is enough for one pie.

< Pickling: Use pumpkin or squash in pickled products such as salsas, chutneys and relishes, but treat these products as fresh foods and refrigerate them. They cannot be safely canned by either the boiling water or pressure canning methods.

< Butters and preserves: Pumpkin butters and gelled preserves are popular, but they cannot be safely canned for room-temperature storage. Pumpkin and squash are low-acid foods and require special attention in preparation and processing. Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture does not have any tested recipes for safely canning pumpkin preserves (jams, jellies, conserves or pumpkin butter). Refrigerate or freeze these items to ensure they will be safe to eat.

(Carol Ann Burtness is a food science educator with University of Minnesota Extension.)