Ever wondered how to pick the perfect pumpkin? Here are a few easy techniques on how to pick out the right pumpkin, whether you plan on carving & decorating it or cooking with it. There are also several ways you can get your pumpkin to last longer once you have brought it home.
↓↓↓ (Click on “Read more…” below to view the rest of this post) ↓↓↓
Pumpkin Picking Tips
- The first thing you need to ask yourself is what is the pumpkin for, for decorating or for cooking. Generally Jack’O Lantern pumpkins do not make the best pumpkins for cooking. While they are perfect for carving and decorating, not so much for creating masterpieces in the kitchen. Their flesh tends to be stringy, tough and lacking in flavor.
- If you plan to carve your pumpkin, then you should know what your design is before selecting the pumpkin. If you’re using stencils, it’s also a great idea to take measurements. Nothing like getting your pumpkin home and finding out that it just doesn’t quite fit the bill.
- Squeeze the pumpkin to make sure there are no soft spots. Any soft spots and it is doubtful the pumpkin will last long.
- Check the bottom of the pumpkin, pressing it with your thumbs. If it gives a bit, it probably isn’t fresh.
- Look for a bright pumpkin that has its stem intact. A flat colored pumpkin indicates that it is older. So, find a firm, brightly colored pumpkin with a long sturdy stem and you’ve got yourself a keeper!
- A Green Stem indicates that the pumpkin was freshly harvested.
- Stand your pumpkin up to make sure it sits up straight. Do you want to carve a masterpiece only to have it weeble-wobbling around or sitting crooked?
- If you’re cooking with the pumpkin, select a pumpkin that is heavy for it’s size. And a good size cooking pumpkin is around 4-8 pounds. The smaller pumpkins have higher sugar content, are more dense and the fruit is smoother.
Pumpkin Preserving Tips
- Don’t pick up a Pumpkin by its stem. Once the stem breaks off, spoiling occurs sooner.
- Make sure to bring your pumpkin indoors if frost is predicted. A freeze will damage the pumpkin.
- Display your pumpkins out in the sun, it will help preserve the color.
- If displaying indoors, don’t ever place a pumpkin directly on a surface indoors. The pumpkin can weep fluids and create a mess.
- For displaying indoors, cut out a circle of cardboard and put a cloth between the cardboard and the pumpkin. You can also use a fabric placemat on top of a plastic placemat.
- For storing indoors, a cool, dry space is best.
