How to Pressure Can Pumpkin Safely
Canned Pumpkin for Pies & More
Canning pumpkin at home is a great way to keep fresh pumpkin on hand for pies, soups and fall baking all year long. Sugar pumpkins have the best flavor and texture. Once they are pressure canned in safe 1 inch chunks, you can turn them into puree whenever you need it. The process takes time. The results are worth it. One quart jar makes one pumpkin pie. You can plan your batches around how much baking you want to do through the season.
IIf you enjoy stocking your pantry with homemade staples, canning pumpkin is a simple project that fits a practical homestead kitchen. Try saving the seeds to plant next year. You reduce food waste. You enjoy the taste of real pumpkin in your recipes instead of store bought cans.
What You’ll Learn:
- The safe way to can pumpkin for pie filling
- How to prep sugar pumpkins for canning
- The difference between canned pumpkin chunks and puree
- Helpful tips to make canning easier and less messy
Canning Pumpkin Pie Filling?
Pumpkin pie filling cannot be safely canned at home. Puree is too dense for heat to reach the center of the jar. All tested canning methods require pumpkin to be canned in 1 inch chunks.
Once your jars are processed, you can puree the chunks to make pie, muffins, scones, cake, soups and other Fall baking. One quart jar makes one pumpkin pie.
We find sugar pumpkins work best because they are smaller and sweeter than carving pumpkins. Don’t forget to save the seeds!
Canning Pumpkin: What You Need to Know
Store bought canned pumpkin is often a blend of pumpkin and squash. Homemade canned pumpkin is different because:
- Pumpkin must be canned in chunks, not puree
- Puree is made after opening the jar and the used or frozen.
- Pumpkin is a low acid food and requires pressure canned
- Puree is not safe for home canning
If you want ready to use pumpkin, you should freeze it.
Tips for How to Can Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Move chunks gently with your bubble remover to release air pockets and fit more into each jar.
- Start early in the day. Each batch takes 65 to 90 minutes plus natural release time.
- Keep pumpkin pieces at 1 inch for safe heat penetration.
- A large pumpkin may fill 1 to 4 quart jars depending on size.
- One quart jar equals one pumpkin pie.
- Use a sturdy ice cream scoop to remove seeds and strings.
- A vegetable peeler helps reduce waste when removing the skin.
Ingredients
- Sugar pumpkins
- Salt
- Water
Equipment
- Headspace stick
- Pressure canner
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Cutting board
- Ice cream scoop
- Canning jars
- Bubble remover
How to Make Safely Canned Pie Pumpkin for Pies and Soups
- Prep the Pumpkins: Wash, peel and remove seeds. Cut into 1 inch chunks.
- Blanch the Pumpkin: Bring water to a boil. Add pumpkin chunks and boil for 2 minutes.
- Pack the Jars: Fill jars with hot pumpkin chunks. Add hot cooking liquid, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Remove Air Bubbles: Use your bubble remover to release trapped air. Adjust chunks if needed.
- Wipe Rims and Add Lids: Clean rims with a damp cloth. Add lids and rings.
- Pressure Can: Pumpkin must be pressure canned.
Quarts: 90 minutes
Pints: 55 minutes
Processing time begins once your canner reaches 10 pounds of pressure. - Cool and Store: Allow the canner to release naturally. Store jars in a cool pantry.
Tips for How to Can Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Move chunks gently with your bubble remover to release air pockets and fit more into each jar.
- Start early in the day. Each batch takes 65–90 minutes plus natural release time.
- Keep pumpkin pieces at 1 inch for safe heat penetration.
- A large pumpkin may fill 1 to 4 quart jars depending on size.
- One quart jar equals one pumpkin pie.
- Use a sturdy ice cream scoop to remove seeds and strings.
- A vegetable peeler helps reduce waste when removing the skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you safely can pumpkin puree?
No. Puree is too dense for safe heat penetration. Only chunks can be canned.
What size should pumpkin chunks be?
Pumpkin must be cut into 1 inch pieces for safe canning.
How long do you pressure can pumpkin?
Quarts process for 90 minutes. Pints process for 55 minutes.
What type of pumpkin works best?
Sugar pumpkins. They are smaller, sweeter and have better texture.
Can you water bath can pumpkin?
No. Pumpkin is low acid and must be pressure canned.
How many jars make one pumpkin pie?
One quart jar makes one pie. Two pint jars equal one pie.
Can you season pumpkin before canning?
No. Seasoning changes density. Add spices after opening the jar.
Can you freeze pumpkin puree instead?
If you want to use pumpkin puree, freezing is the best option.
How to Pressure Can Pumpkin Chucks for Homemade Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- pie pumpkins
- hot water
- salt
Instructions
- Wash the pumpkins removing dirt and remove the stems.
- Cut the pumpkins in half with a knife.
- With the ice cream scoop, scoop out all the seeds and string insides from the pumpkin. This works best inside a bowl as seeds like to go EVERYWHERE.
- Use the vegetable peeler to peel the outer rind off the pumpkin.
- IF this does not work for you, you can cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces and remove the peel. Last option is to use the knife, but be careful not to remove too much outer later.
- Cut the pumpkin into one-inch pieces and place into a Dutch oven with water in it.Repeat until pot is full or your are done cutting up pumpkin.
- Place Dutch oven on stove and bring water to a boil. Let water boil for 2 minutes and then remove from the heat.
- At the same time, put at least water in your pressure canner and heat up. Water should be at least 2" deep, if not more. (2 quarts worth)
- Also get hot water ready to go into the jars once the pumpkin is done cooking.
- Place your canning funnel on the jar. Use a strainer ladle and strain pumpkin before placing into jar (without water from boiling pumpkin)
- Fill the jars, leaving 1" headspace.Add hot water to hot jars and remove air bubbles.
- Clean the top of the jar and place the seal and band on the jar and finger tighten.
- Water should be same temp as jars.
- Bring the pressure cooker up to 10 pounds pressure and process for 55 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.Note: Time starts once 10 pounds of pressure is reached.
- After processing time has completed, turn off heat and allow pressure to release from canner.
- Once pressure is released, CAREFULLY remove the lid from the pot. Turn it AWAY from you as there may be hot steam or water on the lid.
- Let the jars sit for at LEAST 5 minutes in the canner before removing.If you don't the water will escape from the jars.
- Remove the jars and place on the counter to cool with the jar carrier. You can place them on a towel and cover with a towel to allow to cool for 24 hours.Remember, they are hot!
- After 24 hours, remove bands and check that the lids have sealed. (removing the band and checking that the seal is secure).Date and label jars.
Video
Notes
Tips for How to Can Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Start early in the day. Each batch takes 65–90 minutes plus natural release time.
- Keep pumpkin pieces at 1 inch for safe heat penetration.
- A large pumpkin may fill 1 to 4 quart jars depending on size.
- One quart jar equals one pumpkin pie.
- Use a sturdy ice cream scoop to remove seeds and strings.
- A vegetable peeler helps reduce waste when removing the skin.
- Move chunks gently with your bubble remover to release air pockets and fit more into each jar.
How much water do you need to boil the pumpkin before you can it and can you use the water from the boiled pumpkin to can it??
Hello. Enough water to cover the pumpkin. I followed the recipe from Ball Canning and it does not mention reusing water and it doesn’t say to use fresh water. I’ve used fresh clean hot water for this.
Can I put the spices in the pumpkin
Before I can the pumpkin
Hello.
No spices go in. It can alter the canned pumpkin acidity and the spices could turn.
I have a recipe I got years ago for pumpkin pie in a jar. It has sugar and all the spices in it. I have used it several years. You can pts. for 1 hour and qtrs.. for 80 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure, All you have to do is add eggs and evaporated milk. Do you think this recipe is still safe or not?
Hello.
I’ve not found in current canning practices that you can can a pie in a jar.
Pumpkin needs to be canned in cubes.
You can read more here at the National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/tips/fall/pumpkins.html and Michigan State University also shared details on this. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/preserving_pumpkin_safely
I freeze my pumpkin spices included. 1 Quart of pumpkin makes 2 9″ pies.
Great idea. I was just thinking about doing that myself, so it would be easy to make.
I know this is an old post, but can you tell me what size jars you used and how many are needed to equal a can of pumpkin puree?
Hi Rachel, I used pint jars. Because you have to leave the pumpkin pie in chunks and there is dead space, you need 2 pint jars to make a regular pumpkin pie.
Happy canning/pie making1
How and huh water bath canning and 10lbs of pressure???
You use a pressure canner and bring it up to 10 pounds pressure.
This sounds like a great idea especially if you want to enjoy fresh pumpkin year round.