Freeze Pumpkin: There Are These Options

Freeze pumpkin properly – this is how it works in the raw state

The pumpkin is being planted in more and more gardens. But due to the relatively short harvest time, there is more than you can actually consume. Don’t throw away the pumpkin, just freeze it. The easiest and fastest way is to freeze the pumpkin raw:

• To do this, however, you have to remove the shell and, if possible, peel out the seeds. Remove anything you don’t want to eat later, such as the stalk. Once you’ve got everything removed, you can freeze the squash.
• Tip: Cut it into small pieces or slices and put them in several freezer bags. The small pieces mean fewer voids and you can freeze more squash overall. If possible, the pumpkin pieces should not be crushed in the freezer bag, otherwise, they will be very soft after defrosting and taste worse.

Freezing a cooked pumpkin: Here’s how it works

The second way to preserve a squash is to boil it and puree it before freezing:

• To do this, cut the pumpkin into slices and place them in boiling water for at least 15 minutes. Then remove the shell, which is very easy after cooking. Note: Wait for the squash to cool before removing the skin.
• Once you’ve removed the skin, puree the squash. You can use a hand blender for this, but a fork is sometimes sufficient. Let the pumpkin dry well beforehand, otherwise, the puree will be very runny. You can also put the pumpkin puree in a freezer bag and freeze it. Instead of bags, you can use plastic containers that are suitable for freezing.
• Tip: Freeze the pumpkin as soon as possible after harvesting. Long storage times are not ideal. The longer the squash sits, the softer it becomes and loses flavor. After harvesting, get an overview of the quantities and consider how much you need directly and what quantities you can freeze. So you can make good use of your entire harvest.