Pumpkin pie season lasts from whenever Costco decrees (which seems to be August in recent years) and generally extends through the holiday season, meaning you have plenty of time to attempt baking your own. Sure, you can buy a pre-baked crust and a can of pumpkin pie filling. But if you're more of a DIYer, you may want to make everything from scratch.
Should that extend to roasting and pureeing your own pumpkin, however? , a and author of "Black Girl Baking", feels this is unnecessary. . She notes that home-cooked pumpkin can be watery if you don't drain it sufficiently, plus she calls the flavor "one-dimensional.
" As she explains, "Canned pumpkin is also usually a mix of different squashes, which gives it better flavor." Wait, so those cans of pumpkin puree are a lie? Well, not exactly, since pumpkin itself is a winter squash. Libby's (which is Guy's preferred brand) is made with Dickinson pumpkins, which have a similar flavor to butternut squash.
Even when it comes to nutrients, canned pumpkin holds a slight edge. While processing a food may often reduce the amount of nutrients it contains, commercially canned pumpkin actually has more fiber, vitamin A, and iron than the fresh kind. Home-cooked pumpkin still has its place So is store-bought canned pumpkin always preferable to the DIY kind? Not necessarily.
Bear in mind, Guy's recommendation pertains to pumpkin pies and doesn't extend to other recipes. If you are baking a pie, though, and you're willing to put in the effort .