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Canning Pumpkin | How to Can Pumpkin

Canning pumpkin helps us capture the flavor of fall, so we can enjoy pumpkin even when it's not in season.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 7 pints
Calories: 43 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 10 cups pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin 1-6 pound pumpkin
  • boiling water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash your jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Step up your pressure canner with the amount of water recommended by the manufacturer. Turn your heat to low. Place the clean jars in the canning pot to warm. Heat the lids in warm water if your brand of lids recommends it.
  2. Wash the pumpkin skins well on the outside.
  3. Cut the pumpkins in half carefully. A large meat cleaver and a hammer will make quick work of this task.
  4. Scrape out the seeds and the stringy stuff, botanically the endocarp.
  5. Place the cut-side down on your cutting board.
  6. Cut one-inch wide slices, as shown in the photo above in the article.
  7. Use a paring knife to cut the skin off of your one-inch slices.This is the easiest way we’ve found to peel it.
  8. Cut each slice into one-inch cubes after peeling.
  9. Heat a large pot with clean water to blanch the pumpkin cubes. Boil the water.
  10. Get another clean pot boiling to fill the jars. Don't use the blanching liquid.
  11. Once boiling, add pumpkin cubes in batches and blanch the pumpkin for 2 minutes, using a spider tool to remove the pieces and add them to your warm jars, leaving a one-inch headspace.
  12. Fill the jars with clean, boiling water, leaving the one-inch headspace.
  13. Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a damp paper towel.
  14. Center the lid on the jar. Secure the bands finger-tip tight.

Notes

  • Choose pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins.
  • Pro tips
  • See serving suggestions in the article above!
  • Altitude Adjustment for Canning Pumpkin
  • Dial Gauge canner Pint jars – 55 minutes Quart jars- 90 minutes
  • 0-2000 feet above sea level                      11 pounds per square inch
  • 2001-4000 feet above sea level               12 psi   
  • 4001-6000 feet above sea level               13 psi
  • 6000+ feet above sea level                       14 psi
  • Weighted-gauge canner Pints- 55 minutes Quarts- 90 minutes
  • 1-1000 feet above sea level                       10 psi
  • 1000+ feet above sea level                        15 psi
  • Size: Opt for small to medium-sized pumpkins, typically referred to as “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins. They usually weigh between 4 to 8 pounds.
  • Flavor & Texture: These pumpkins have a sweeter flavor and smoother, less fibrous texture, making them ideal for canning.
  • Flesh Thickness: Sugar pumpkins have denser flesh, yielding more pumpkin per pound than larger carving pumpkins.
  • Important! Do NOT mash or puree the pumpkin before canning it. The pumpkin puree will not heat evenly, and the heat from home canners may not kill all of the botulinum toxins, potentially causing illness. If you need purée, you can purée it for a recipe when you need it.
  • Use this canning recipe for any fall or winter squash. Butternut, acorn, blue hubbard, turban, etc., all can beautifully.
  • If you can pumpkin at too high of a psi or for too long, you may get some brown caramelization because the sugars have caramelized. It’s not necessarily a bad thing with pumpkins. It can actually taste good.
  • Pumpkin is a low-acid fruit/vegetable and must be pressure-canned! DO NOT use a water bath canner, it will not get hot enough to kill botulinum toxin.

Nutrition Information

Calories 43kcal (2%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 0.2g (0%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g Monounsaturated Fat 0.02g Sodium 2mg (0%) Potassium 563mg (16%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 14107IU (282%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 35mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 7pints

Amount Per Serving

Calories 43

% Daily Value*

Calories 43kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 0.2g 0%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g 0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.02g 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Potassium 563mg 12%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 14107IU 282%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 35mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.