Pie Pumpkins like spaghetti squash - ick!

17 years ago

I harvested 14 Sugar Pie Pumpkins this fall. The first one I baked for a couple of hours. It didn't get "mushy" when I mashed it but made o.k. pie filling (still could taste a little texture in it).

The second pumpkin was great and made great pumpkin pie.

The third one, which I baked for 3 plus hours on Wednesday for my Thanksgiving pies was just like spaghetti squash. Even in the food processor, it didn't turn to puree. It still tasted like it should have been baked longer.

Tonight I tried again. After 4 hours in a 350 oven, with the juices burning on the bottom of the cake pan, I cut it open and it also is exactly like spaghetti squash. I tried putting it through a sieve, but it still had a solid texture to it.

The only thing I can think of is that somehow some of the the seeds I bought were from being cross-bred (mistakenly) with spaghetti squash. I have ten left but I really don't feel like using all that oven energy to bake anymore if I have to throw them out.

Thank heavens I baked the "Thanksgiving" pumpkin early enough so that I could rush to the store to buy some canned pumpkin.

Anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening, other than what I think?

I think I will write to the seed company and let them know how disappointed I am (Ed Hume out of Oregon).

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

Nancy
17 years ago
Wish I could help. I haven't grown pie pumpkins before, but planning to next year. If no one here has an answer for you, there is a pumpkin gourd forum here. I've never used it much, but if anyone has an answer, I bet someone there would.

Here is a link that might be useful: pumpkins
ilene_in_neok
17 years ago
Four hours at 350 degrees is a lot more than you would need to cook a pumpkin. If memory serves, I think one hour is plenty! :)

Can you fit several into the oven at the same time? Do you have a freezer where you could store the pulp? Or could you can it? I take it you now have ten left. Preparing all of them is the only way I know of that will allow you to know which are going to give you pumpkin pulp and which are going to give you spaghetti, but you're going to end up with lots of pulp, especially if they are very big. Do they all look alike on the outside?

There are many good uses for spaghetti squash, and it does retain its texture. Yes, I would write and at least let Mr. Hume know what happened. --Ilene
Related Discussions
Have:Pumpkin pie seeds and acorn squash seeds
Q
Comments (2)
Hi mary_jean! Welcome to Garden Web and The Seed Exchange I thought you might like to know there is no email link on your member page, thus no way to email you. Please see addressing newbie and newer member issues for instructions on getting it set up as well as your location in your member profile. By setting up your location in your profile, it will be displayed on your Member Page and automatically be displayed whenever you post. Happy Trading! Sue
...See More
My 'spaghetti squash' looks like zucchini!
Q
Comments (55)
" This was already pointed out years ago on this thread, but squash is notoriously easy to cross pollinate. Unless pollination is tightly controlled, there's no telling what saved seeds will produce." That is especially true for squashes in the C. pepo species, since they are so widely grown. Besides spaghetti squash, acorn squash, most pumpkins, nearly all summer squash, and even warted gourds are all C. pepo. The flowers are conspicuous & very good pollen sources, and bees will travel surprisingly great distances to feed on them... collecting & spreading pollen all the way. I have a rural garden, with no other gardens within at least 1/4 mile. Several years ago, I grew acorn squash there, and saved seed. No other members of the same species were grown there. When I grew out that seed the next year, there were several obvious crosses... apparently with a yellow zucchini & a pumpkin. Those were interesting to look at, but unpalatable. Seed saving of squash (especially C. pepo) is so problematic that hand pollination is generally necessary to ensure pure seed. By coincidence, I am growing that same bush acorn squash this year, and have hand pollinated several squashes for seed.
...See More
Made my First Pumpkin Pie
Q
Comments (10)
I'm genetically incapable of following a precise recipe. But we will shortly be making a few pies with 'Cha-Cha' kabocha squash. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and glop, bake the halves in a 350 oven for an hour - hour &15 minutes until when you pinch them, they give easily, and not burned. Let cool. Then scoop out the insides, throw out the skin. I use a food processor, but I suppose a mixer would do, but anyway, add a couple of eggs, cup-ish half & half, and the squash to the bowl, then spices. Grated fresh ginger, bit of honey, cinnamon, and couple tablespoons of lime juice. The squash itself is naturally very sweet and dense, so it doesn't take much sweetener at all. So what I've discovered is that making a custard isn't that hard, the milk and eggs does that for you with out much measuring. The question comes in with the spices, and we add a lot of cinnamon and ginger - say a tablespoon of cinnamon and a full two inches of ginger. But you're after that combination of cinnamon, ginger, and lime. You could add less, I suppose. I use a store bought crust, then bake at 350 for an hour - hour & a half, using a straw to check for doneness. The custard may split if you cook it too long, but thats not a problem, aside from cosmetics. It's wonderful for breakfast. :-)
...See More
Pie Pumpkin - Regular Pumpkin What is the difference?
Q
Comments (12)
Something I LOVE, but rarely buy due to it usually being sold in huge sizes for single me, is something called a hubbard squash. It is sort of football shaped, but rounder. Has deep furrows. Sort of looks like a huge acorn squash, but the colors of the rind are a little bit different. Sort of a bluish green, and perhaps I have seen orange ones. Anyway, the flesh is very orange. I have heard a rumor that it is hubbard squash that is used in canned "pumpkin." It is real tasty, but I can't eat it up fast enough to warrant buying it. I have made pumpkin pie from a fairly large, ubiquitous pumpkin. Not sure if it was a prime pie variety but I doubt it, a friend bought it. It was OK, pie tasted good, but yes, a stringier texture than what we are probably used to.
...See More
marymd7
17 years ago
There are better choices of varieties for pies. I have always found those little sugar pumpkins to be a bit on the stringy side. My favorite pumpkin/squash for cooking is a long island cheese squash. Butternut is also great for pies. Then too, for whatever reason (usually weather), some years some pumpkins/squash are just stringier than others.

Rather than using a food processor, I run the baked squash/pumpking through a food mill before using it in pies. You might find you get a more consistent and acceptable texture that way.
dockside_gw
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone. I just sent an email to Ed Hume so will see what the response is. Baking a lot at a time sounds like a good idea but then I'd have to freeze any that were appropriate for pie after mushing them, assuming there are any that will make into pie. I've had it, tho'. Have no intention of baking any more since 75% of what I've done, so far, are not capable of being made into pie. The first pumpkin was stringy but when put through a sieve, was fine. The "spaghetti squash-type" pumpkins still had a hard texture even after going through a sieve.

Thanks for the hint for the squash as a better alternative. I may try it next year.
deborah_ps
17 years ago
I cut up 2 small sugar pumpkins purchased at Trader Joes for my pumpkin pies. Baked them at 350* for an hour they were both more firm and drier than I expected them to be, but once I put them into the processor and whizzed them up the pulp was very smooth, although I did have to add a bit of cream to help with the dryness.
I even ground my spices, used cream and eggs and to tell the truth, for all the trouble the flavor and texture was so close to the canned I wouldn't do it again :(
carol_in_california
17 years ago
I have been using Japanese pumpkins (Kabocha squash) as a pumpkin substitute and it is very good and very sweet.
I plan on growing some this summer.

Pie Pumpkins like spaghetti squash - ick!

Comments (6)

Nancy

ilene_in_neok

Related Discussions

marymd7

dockside_gw
Original Author

deborah_ps

carol_in_california

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Pie Pumpkins like spaghetti squash - ick!

Comments (6)

Nancy

ilene_in_neok

Related Discussions

marymd7

dockside_gwOriginal Author

deborah_ps

carol_in_california

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

dockside_gw
Original Author