Pumpkin pie is a popular delicacy, especially in the fall. However, the appropriate pumpkin is required to make the ultimate pumpkin pie.
In this article, we will look at the many sorts of pumpkins and help you decide which one is best for preparing that delectable pumpkin pie.
What Is The Best Pumpkin For Pie?
The Sugar Pie pumpkin, also known as the Sugar Pumpkin or Pie Pumpkin, is considered the best pumpkin for creating pumpkin pie.
These pumpkins are smaller in size than giant carving pumpkins and have been cultivated specifically for their sweet and creamy flesh, making them perfect for pies and other sweets.
Sugar Pie pumpkins have a softer texture and a sweeter flavor than larger pumpkins, which can be stringy and bland.
When creating pumpkin pie, bake or steam the Sugar Pie pumpkin to soften the flesh before pureeing it for the filling.
You can also use canned pumpkin puree, which is frequently made from Sugar Pie pumpkins and is a practical choice for baking pies all year.
Perfect pumpkin pie necessitates the use of the proper pumpkin.
10 Best Pumpkins For Pie
1. Jarrahdale Jarrahdale Pumpkin
This blue-gray heirloom pumpkin with deep ribs is from New Zealand. It has a deep orange, dense, sweet, smooth-grained meat that tastes like pumpkin and is number one on my list.
They also keep for months in a cool garage, cellar, or shed. I’ve had them for over a year. They usually weigh between 6 and 10 pounds.
2. Kabocha Pumpkin
This is a Japanese type with dark green skin and delicious yellow, firm meat that is widely available in the Far East and Australia.
You can store the seeds for planting the next year. Simply wipe them, pat them dry with a paper towel, and place them inside a paper envelope.
3. Lakota Pumpkin
A heritage variety with exceptional flavor and sweetness that is more popular in the midwestern regions.
Along with the slight ribbing, this pear-shaped pumpkin has crimson skin and black-green striping.
These tiny to medium-sized pumpkins weigh about 6 pounds. They have a delicious, thick flesh that resembles butternut squash.
4. Kakai Pumpkin
The skin of this pumpkin has broad orange stripes.
Kakai is a popular variety in Australia and Japan, producing the lucrative green pumpkin seed oil that some European studies believe helps prostate health.
Not only can you eat the flesh, but you can also scoop out the enormous, dark green, hull-less seeds, which are wonderful roasted.
The seeds are a vibrant blue. Kakai also carves exceptionally well, making it a true multi-purpose pumpkin.
These medium-sized pumpkins often weigh around 6 pounds.
5. Cinderella Rouge Pumpkin
These French pumpkins have a storybook appearance reminiscent of Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage.
They contain moist, sweet, thick flesh that is great for pies. You can decorate them and then eat them at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
6. Neck Pumpkin
These heirloom pumpkins have the smooth, sweet orange flesh of a gigantic mutant butternut squash.
Neck, sometimes known as “crockneck pumpkin,” is a relative of butternut varieties. It boasts a delicious, silky, stringless, bright orange flesh.
It grows late and is a full-vining variety. It coils as it grows and can reach lengths of 24 to 30 inches.
7. Fairytale Pumpkin
Medium to huge, dense (heavy for their size), with a flattened, highly ridged shape that matures to a deep tan or orangish color.
The flesh inside is delicious, rich, and deep orange, and it can be used in any pumpkin or winter squash recipe.
It also goes well with strong flavors, such as curries or soups, because the flesh holds up nicely.
Fairytales range in size from 2 to 18 inches wide and weigh roughly 15 pounds.
8. Long Island Cheese Pumpkin
The term comes from the fact that it resembles a flattened wheel of cheese. The skin is a pale orange color.
However, the flesh is a deep orange color, thick, and tasty. It became known in New York for its pumpkin pies.
9. New England Pie Pumpkin
OK, this is the conventional pie pumpkin that most people envision and utilize. It’s a good pumpkin, much less stringy than larger carving pumpkins for Jack O’ Lanterns.
Sugar Pie, Small Sugar, Sugar Bush, Sugar Snack, Pam Pie, and other variations of the New England Pie Pumpkin exist.
While I prefer the other squashes mentioned above, pie pumpkins have the advantage of being widely available, even in grocery shops like Wal-Mart.
10. Flat White Boer Ford Pumpkin
This is a flat pumpkin that appears to have been squished under a truck.
They have a very small seed chamber and solid, sweet flesh and can be stored for months in a cold, dark, dry environment.
The skin begins dazzling white and gradually turns somewhat pink during storage. 3 to 5 inches tall, 8 to 12 inches wide, and weighs 10 to 15 pounds on average.
Characteristics Of The Best Pumpkins For Pies
Pumpkins have particular qualities that make them ideal for pies. The following are the reasons why these pumpkins are the greatest for pies, baking, and cooking.
Low Water Content
The denser the pumpkin, the better the puree for use in recipes. It will also enhance the flavor of any cooked food.
Little To No String
If you’ve ever carved a pumpkin, you’re probably aware of how much stringy fibrous pumpkin needs to be scraped out. These stringy strands are unpleasant to consume and produce a lumpy purée.
Flavor
The flavor of large carving pumpkins can be harsh. When selecting the best pumpkin for pies, look for pumpkins with a touch of sweetness to the flesh, whereas I prefer more nutty or earthy notes in savory meals.
Color
Depending on the type of pumpkin used, you can create a lot more brilliant and attractive hue. Regular carving pumpkins, as well as sugar pie pumpkins sold in most supermarkets, can have a very dull, light orange tint.
The sugar pumpkin, often known as the pie pumpkin, is unquestionably the greatest pumpkin for your pie.
Its sweet, firm flesh is ideal for producing the traditional pumpkin pie flavor and texture. So, the next time you want to prepare a wonderful pumpkin pie, make sure you use the best pumpkin possible.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find it helpful.
