Hell, you can even freeze pumpkin pie filling if you want. You can cut it out with some margin and use the rest of the pumpkin fruit.
Store pumpkins in a cool and dry place and allow for some air circulation. Make sure they are away from apples, pears, and other ripening fruit. Once you cut up your pumpkins, refrigerate the leftovers in a freezer bag or container. Higher storage temperature means quicker weight loss and therefore water loss for your pumpkins. And that results in slightly shorter shelf life. Some humidity is needed. To prevent any moisture accumulation on the rind, a bit of air circulation is in order.
That means the pumpkins are in a wire basket or another container that allows them to breathe. And definitely not in a plastic bag. The last thing to remember is to keep pumpkins and squash in general away from ripening fruit such as apples , pears , and the like. Many ripening fruits and veggies release ethylene gas, which helps them mature. But the excess of that gas causes pumpkins to yellow and shortens their life span. There are two ways to store cut pumpkins.
If you have the squash halved or quartered, remove the seeds and place the pumpkin in a freezer bag. If you diced or cut up the pumpkin, transfer everything into an airtight container or freezer bag and seal tight. This way, the refrigerated pumpkin will be ready to use without any further prep.
If you need the pumpkin to last for the full 4 to 5 days without any issues, consider wiping the excess moisture after one or two days of storage. A carved pumpkin will last for three to seven days at room temperature or between a week and two weeks if you leave it outside. Carved pumpkins may last longer if cut surfaces are sprayed with a sealant.
There are a few considerations that go into the length of time pumpkins last. Read on to learn all about their post-harvest lifespan and ways to keep them for longer!
Pumpkin harvest generally occurs in late September to early October. Pumpkins are grown only during the warmer months and are harvested before the first frost. The outer rind of a pumpkin will start to harden on the vine, especially during a warm autumn. The pumpkin is sometimes then kept at around room temperature for several weeks to allow the skin to harden further. After curing, a pumpkin can be placed into cool, dry storage or used as decor in a seasonal autumn display.
Cured pumpkins last much longer in storage than pumpkins with a rind not allowed to cure. The first consideration in post-harvest lifespan is to choose the healthiest individual pumpkins. Healthy pumpkins will store much, much longer than diseased or damaged fruits.
Take extra care not to damage the pumpkins while handling them. Brush any dirt off the pumpkin using the gloves. Fruits that are not fully mature or that have been injured or subjected to heavy frost do not keep.
Avoid holding the pumpkin by the stem. Damaged pumpkins have a much shorter shelf life than intact pumpkins that still have their stems. Curing is when pumpkins are held at a warm temperature for days so that the rind can heal and harden further. Some varieties of pumpkin last much longer than other varieties. These are generally old-fashioned cooking pumpkins that were grown to be stored through the winter for food.
They tend to have thicker skins than pumpkins that are easily carved into Jack-O-Lanterns. Here is a list of the estimated maximum storage shelf life for some specific pumpkin varieties:. Wait for about thirty minutes and scrub the pumpkins lightly before rinsing them off. Let them air dry for fifteen minutes on one side then flip them upside down and let dry for fifteen minutes on the other side.
To seal them well you can use a clear matt sealer eg Krylon color master clear coat Spray the tops and let it dry then flip the pumpkin and spray the bottom and let it dry. You can repeat for two coats. If carving your Halloween pumpkin is a festive family tradition in your home, make sure to glance over these tips.
The key in gutting is to get all of the pulp out by scooping away the flesh as much as possible. Try to get the inside of the pumpkin as thin as possible to keep the bugs at bay. Pick a pattern for your pumpkin, print, or draw it on some paper and moisten the paper with some water.
Lay your design flat on the pumpkin and use a thumbtack to poke holes along the design, tracing it on to the pumpkin. Use a knife to cut out your design. There are plenty of affordable options for LED lights, glow sticks or battery lit candles that can even flicker to mimic a real candle.
Try to arrange your pumpkins on a porch and not under the sun to limit deterioration from the elements. After all, even naturally, a pumpkin is shaded from the sun by its large leaves. Try to keep the display off the floor and well ventilated to lengthen its shelf life.
How to Cut The Fruit Off The Vine Leave 4 inches at the stem to ensure a good seal at the top and minimize the risk of mold inside making sure to leave the T shape on the stem. Increasing The Longevity of Your Pumpkins Picking the right pumpkin can be hard enough, but keeping it from spoiling can be an even more difficult task. Curing The Pumpkin It is important to harden a pumpkin or cure it to make it last longer.
Now that the pumpkin is cured, it is ready for storage. Storing a Pumpkin To lengthen the shelf life you should choose a dry, frost-free, and well-ventilated room to store your pumpkin.
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