Years ago, one of my dogs had a, ahem, digestive issue. So at the vet’s recommendation, I gave her cooked pumpkin quite often. It really helped her and apparently is very high in fiber. I would of course try to find sales and coupons, as she was a large dog and we went through quite a bit. Then, I learned how to cook my own. That saved me money and also makes your house smell wonderful.

Cooking vs. Carving Pumpkins

Really, any pumpkin can be scooped out and cooked. However, the general rule of thumb is that the smaller it is, the sweeter it will be. And, most farmers realize that families usually buy a pumpkin with carving in mind, not cooking. So they may tend to pay attention to growing large pumpkins and their shape, rather than focusing on flavor or texture. So wherever you choose to buy yours, ask them. Many grocery stores will have them marked as cooking vs. carving.

The general rule of thumb is that 1lb of fresh pumpkin will yield just under 1 cup of pureed pumpkin when you’re done. So if you purchase a 5lb pumpkin, you should get 5 cups of puree, and so on.

How to cook a pumpkin

Cooking a pumpkin is very easy. First, clean the outside and dry. Next, slice it in half, much like you would a canteloupe. Then, scoop out the seeds. I save the seeds and bake them too.

I prefer steaming or in the crockpot. But all you have to do is cut it up into big pieces so that it fits into whatever you’re cooking it in. So I would use a big stock pot with my steamer basket on the bottom. Add about 1 cup of water, but check to make sure it doesn’t run dry. Cover and steam for 30-50 minutes, depending on how much pumpkin you put in. It will let you know it’s done much like you do with boiling potatoes, a fork will go in easily and the skin will now come off easily (again, similar to a potato). It can also be done in the oven or microwave.

Once it’s done, just puree it like you would anything else. I use a hand mixer.

And now you have fresh pumpkin puree for pies or whatever else you’re making.

Suggested recipe

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Pizza, online last year. We did actually make it with a few modifications and it wasn’t bad. My kids wouldn’t eat, but that’s another story!

For your pet

I’m not a veterinarian, nor do I play one on the internet. However, this did help our dog with her issues. Ask your vet for specifics, or if they would recommend.