Pumpkin Butter

This recipe is a wonderful way to use up an abundance of pumpkin!  It is tasty and my kids love it!  You can use it as jelly for PB & B's or just spread on toast, or plop some on ice cream.... endless uses!!!  You make it and put it into sterilized glass jars and it stores in the fridge for a long time.  You should not can it as it is made with pumpkin and even though we add lemon juice the acidic is not always high enough to prevent the growth of bacteria over the long term if not refridgerated.

Pumpkin Butter (also known as pumpkin curd)

3 cups pumpkin puree, either canned or fresh cooked
juice of 2 large lemons
2 1/2 cups of sugar
2 large eggs
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts ground ginger
1/4 allspice
1/4 ts nutmeg





Cut pumpkin in half, clean the goop out including all the stringy goo.  Save the seeds if you want to roast them.  Place face down into a 9x13 pan and add 1-2 cups of water.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 375.  Poke with fork to make sure it is soft when done.





Scoop the meat from the skin.




Puree in a food processor to get it nice ans smooth.






Put 3 cups of puree into a pot with the other ingredients and cook on low to medium low.





The liquid should not boil.  It should not get big bubbles coming up.  You need low and constant simmer heat for 20-30 minutes.  It should thicken and to check it put a spoon in it and see that it covers the back of the spoon nicely.



Pour into sterilized warm jars.  Leave lids off and cover with a towel.  Let them cool completely before sealing tightly.  Store in the fridge!