Halloween and Thanksgiving are giving way to Christmas, New Year's eve celebration and other high holy days.
With this time of great celebration there is usually a meal with plenty of great food.
One of the vegetables of the season is the great pumpkin. It can be used pies and custards. It can also be preserved as a sweet pickled pumpkin. It's a sweetly tart taste that might be a new taste for many people.
Any pumpkin can be used but the "Cinderella" pumpkin, like the one used to make Cinderella's carriage, is usually best as it has the most pulp.
If you have never had or made sweet pickled pumpkin, here is an opportunity to expand your epicurean delights.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year! May 2021 be awesome!
Sweet Pickled Pumpkin
2 4" cinnamon sticks
12 whole allspice
10 whole cloves
1 lemon
6 cups granulated sugar
4 cups white vinegar
24 cups cubed seeded peeled pumpkin or butternut squash (¾ inch cubes)
- Prepare canner, jars and lids.
- Zest lemon, using a fine toothed grater, and set aside. Remove and discard white pith. Separate segments from
- membrane and coarsely chop. Squeeze any juice from membrane and add to segments. Set aside. Discard membrane and pith.
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine lemon zest, pulp and juice, sugar, vinegar and spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes. Add pumpkin, return to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes, until heated through.
- Pack hot pumpkin into hot jars to within a generous ½ inch of the top of the jar. Ladle hot syrup into the jar to cover pumpkin, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more syrup. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 20 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
From page 301 in the Ball Complete Book of Home
preserving, 2012