Once you’ve got two halves, congratulate yourself. Seriously, pat yourself on the back. The hard part is done. Now, grab a spoon. A big spoon. A serving spoon or an ice cream scoop works wonders.
How To Cut A Pumpkin + Pumpkin Recipes - YouTube
Scrape out all the stringy guts and seeds. Pretend you’re an archaeologist excavating a gooey, orange site. Go deep into the crevices. Leave no slimy strand behind. You want clean, smooth walls inside that pumpkin bowl.
Save the seeds! Don’t you dare toss them. Rinse them, toss them with salt and oil, and roast them. They are the crunchy reward for your hard labor. Plus, you look incredibly thrifty.
Slabs, Not Slivers
Now, what next? Are you roasting or pie-ing? If you’re making pie filling, cut each half into manageable slices. Aim for two- to three-inch wide wedges. Think of them as pumpkin steaks. They cook faster and more evenly that way.
Don’t bother peeling the skin yet. Please don’t. Raw pumpkin skin is like armor. It will ruin your knife and your mood. Roast those wedges with the skin on. The skin will slide off like a lazy cat after baking.
But what if you’re roasting cubes for soup or dinner? Same idea. Cut the wedges into chunks. One-inch cubes are Goldilocks-approved—not too big, not too small. They caramelize beautifully.
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