How to Easily Peel a Tough Pumpkin

Do you need to peel the pumpkin?

Pumpkin is rightfully considered the true queen of autumn. It's used to make delicious and healthy porridges, purees, salads, pie fillings, and other dishes. There are many varieties of this crop, the most commonly grown being butternut squash, hard-rind pumpkin, and large-fruited pumpkin.

Many home cooks wonder whether it's necessary to peel pumpkin before cooking. Much depends on the dish you plan to prepare. Therefore, pumpkin, a healthy product, isn't always peeled. For example, if you want to roast the vegetable in slices in the oven, sprinkle it with sugar or drizzle it with syrup. Or you can do without it – simmer it on a baking sheet with a little water or grate it first. Some get creative, cooking the dish right in the pumpkin. This also eliminates the need to peel the pumpkin first.

Basic peeling options

Once you've selected a fruit of your choice, you should prepare to peel it, if necessary. Start by selecting the right fruit. Be sure to remove any dirt, leaves, and so on. Then rinse thoroughly under running water. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel or napkin and set aside to dry completely. You should also consider whether you plan to cut the entire fruit and where to store any excess.

How do you peel the outer layer of the pumpkin you've chosen? There are two proven methods. The first method requires a microwave, a wooden cutting board, and both large and small knives. First, make several piercings and cuts in the peel. If you've got a large pumpkin, you may need to cut it in half. Next, scoop out the seeds inside. After that, you can microwave the pumpkin, turn it on full power, and remove it after a few minutes. Simply lift the edge of the softened peel with a knife to easily remove it.

You can do this without a microwave. The second method requires placing the dried halves of the vegetable, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Then, bake them in the oven for 10-20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them, or you'll end up with a baked vegetable. Once you remove the halves from the oven, you can easily remove the top layer using the same knife.

How to remove seeds

Another important step is removing the seeds from the center of the pumpkin, as they are unlikely to produce a tasty dish. To obtain the peeled inside, cut the pumpkin in half. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the seeds along with any orange flesh and place them on a plate. You can then continue preparing the pumpkin. If you plan to use the seeds, place them in a sieve, rinse them, place them on a board, and roll them with a rolling pin. Then, pour them into a pot of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, drain in a colander, dry, and peel.

Secrets and tips

Every homemaker has their own secrets to make peeling vegetables quicker and easier. Before microwaving, it's best to pierce the fruit in several places. Larger fruits should always be cut in half. If you're baking the fruit, be careful not to let the skin and flesh cook at the same time.

If there are any pieces of vegetables left over that were not used during the preparation of the dish, they can be stored in the refrigerator, but not longer than 1 week.

It's recommended to place them in a bag and place them in the freezer. Remember that cooked pumpkin parts don't keep as long as fresh ones. Leftover baked pumpkin can be pureed and also stored in the freezer. They can be later added to dishes such as soups, porridges, and other dishes. If you don't have a microwave or oven at home, it's recommended to use a serrated knife to peel the pumpkin. Removing the unsoftened outer skin with any other tool will be quite difficult.

Video: How to Deal with Pumpkin Peel

This video will show you how to properly peel the tough skin of a pumpkin.