How to peel a tough pumpkin

To date, pumpkin is actively used in cooking. Its pulp is used for cooking first courses, salads or baked in the oven. Despite the fact that this culture is able to lie for a sufficiently long period of time, many housewives prefer to freeze the product. Undoubtedly, you will have to peel the pumpkin in any case if you plan to use it for cooking. Since the peel can be quite tough, the peeling process can take a lot of time and effort.

Features of cleaning depending on the type and variety of pumpkin

Today, a large number of varieties can be found on sale, which may differ not only in shape and size, but also in the thickness of the peel. Conventionally, 3 types can be distinguished:

1. Hard varieties – in this case, the peel can be compared in hardness with the bark of a tree, as a result of which cleaning will be quite difficult. A distinctive feature is the late ripening period and sugar taste.
2. Large-fruited varieties – includes a large number of species. Sometimes the pulp is compared with watermelon. The peel in this case is much softer than the previous version.
3. Muscat varieties – the culture is harvested in an immature state before the onset of the first frost. A distinctive feature is considered to be quite juicy and crispy flesh. Due to the fact that the peel is thin, the cleaning process does not take much time.

In addition, it is worth taking into account the fact that all existing varieties are divided into summer and winter. Thus, the fruits of summer varieties have a thinner peel than winter ones, which are intended for long-term storage.

How to peel a hard pumpkin with a knife

There are a large number of ways to quickly peel a pumpkin. If you need to peel young fruits with a thin peel, you can get by with a knife or a vegetable peeler. If the peel is hard enough, then you will have to look for other methods of cleaning.

In order to peel the peel using a kitchen knife, it is recommended to adhere to the following work algorithm:

1. The first step is to choose a suitable fruit that has no damage. Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove any existing dust and dirt.
2. For work, it is worth using a sufficiently long and wide kitchen knife. It is recommended that you first cut off the bottom and lid of the pumpkin, as a result of which it will become stable and make cleaning work much easier.
3. Then it is worth cutting the fruit in half, moving from the beginning of the lid to the bottom.
4. Once the fruit is cut into pieces, it is worth starting to remove the seeds and fibrous pulp. For these purposes, a spoon is perfect.
5. Each part must be placed on a cutting board cut down, and then remove the peel with a knife, making planing movements.

If the peel is quite thick, and the pumpkin is large, then you can cut it not in half, but into more parts.

How to clean a small pumpkin

Many housewives do not like to peel a pumpkin, and this is not surprising, because this process takes not only a lot of time, but also strength. In addition, it is worth taking into account the fact that, depending on the variety used, the thickness of the peel may also differ, as a result of which a lot of effort will have to be made to obtain the desired result.

As practice shows, most small fruits have a fairly soft peel, which, if necessary, can be removed with a vegetable peeler. In addition, the fruit can be placed in the microwave for a while, as a result of which you can not cut the vegetable into pieces, but cook it as a whole.

How to peel a large pumpkin

Most often, quite large fruits can be found on sale, which are distinguished by a very hard crust. In this case, the cleaning process will take much more time and effort. In such a situation, it is worth considering in advance what size pieces are required to prepare the dish. The pumpkin is carefully cut in half, after which it is divided into small pieces. As practice shows, removing the peel in this way is much easier and easier. In addition, you can put the fruit in water for a while, as a result of which the skin will become soft, then it will not be difficult to remove it.

How to peel a pumpkin for cooking whole

Since this culture is actively used for cooking, housewives quite often face the need to peel the pumpkin pulp. As practice shows, if you plan to bake the fruit as a whole, then it is not at all necessary to remove the peel. It will be enough to cut off the upper part and use a spoon to remove the fibrous pulp and seeds. Once cooked, the skin will fall off on its own. If you still need to remove the skin, you can use a vegetable peeler. As a rule, it is suitable for small and smooth fruits.

How to quickly and easily peel a hard pumpkin

Before peeling the fruit with a knife, it should be borne in mind that there is a high probability of injuring your hands if the peel is thick enough. To peel the pumpkin quickly, they often resort to heating.

You can soften the crust using a microwave or oven. If the first option is selected, then the algorithm of actions will be as follows:

1. First of all, you need to thoroughly wash the fruit, then wipe it dry with a towel.
2. With the help of a knife, cuts of small depth are made on the peel in several places.
3. If the pumpkin is large enough and does not fit in the microwave, it is recommended to cut the fruit in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
4. After that, the pumpkin is placed in a plastic bag and sent to the microwave. If the fruit is small, then you can send it for heat treatment as a whole.
5. The power should be at the maximum level, the time should be set to about 2-3 minutes. Due to the fact that the vegetable is heated, it will be quite easy to remove the peel from a fruit of any size and without much effort.

You can use a sharp knife for cleaning. If necessary, the pumpkin can be pre-cut into small pieces, which will greatly facilitate the work.

A few tips for peeling pumpkins

In order to make the work go faster, you can follow some tricks:

• to make the cleaning process as quick and easy as possible, it is recommended to take a large deep container, put a pumpkin in it and fill it with clean water. In this form, the fetus should be throughout the night. In the morning the skin will become quite soft;
• in order to peel a fairly tough peel, it is recommended to make several small cuts on the pumpkin with a knife, place it in a microwave oven at maximum temperature for several minutes. If the fruit is large, then it should be cut into several parts;
• you can also make a few punctures with a knife and put the fruit in a preheated oven. For small fruits, 10 minutes will be enough, for large ones, the time should be increased to 20 minutes. The most important thing is to prevent the pulp from baking.

By following these recommendations, you can quickly remove the peel of any hardness. For work it is best to use a saw blade.

Conclusion

Cleaning a pumpkin at home is quite difficult and problematic, but possible. If you follow some recommendations and take into account certain tricks that can significantly facilitate the work process, then this lesson will not seem so difficult and impossible.