Using real pumpkin

My wife and I are carving a pumpkin tonight for the little one. I want to keep what's left aside and use it in a brew. I have NO CLUE what part of the pumpkin I actually use in a pumpkin ale. The pumpkin weighs 10#. I doubt I'll net the 60oz most recipes call for.

Obviously we're salting and roasting the seeds to enjoy.

Should I just throw in everything that's left? Just cut it up, bake it, and boil it, and let it fall into the trub?

The “standard” method is to cut up the flesh (the solid stuff that they carving is done to), roast it in the oven until it is soft, then add it to the mash or boil. That said with this method it is pretty rare to get any “squash” flavor, most pumpkin beers are just about the spice.

As for the springy inside part (I assume that is what you are talking about), this does have a good deal of squash flavor. When I make butternut squash soup to sauté and then boil the sringy bits and seeds to make a stock that I mix the roasted squash into. So you might be able to get some squash flavor from your relatively small amount (and even if you don’t the spices will do most of the work for you).

The smaller pumpkins make better for cooking, sweeter. When I made my pumpkin cheesecake I took one small pumpkin (also called sugar/cheese pumkin), cut in half, scooped out insides, put cut half's on an oiled cookie sheet, that goes into a 350 oven for an hour. Too keep it from drying out put a pie tin or something of that nature with a few cups of water in a lower rack.

After the pumpkin has cooled separate the meat from the skin and blend. This mush can be frozen for later use.

The carver pumpkins are just that, not good for cooking as the flavor and texture are lacking. If in a pinch you can use butternut squash or canned pumpkin.

If using to make beer, lots of rice hulls... Pumpkin spice is mandatory, otherwise your just making squash beer.

I see, thanks for your help.

Oldsock said:

The “standard” method is to cut up the flesh (the solid stuff that they carving is done to), roast it in the oven until it is soft, then add it to the mash or boil. That said with this method it is pretty rare to get any “squash” flavor, most pumpkin beers are just about the spice.

As for the springy inside part (I assume that is what you are talking about), this does have a good deal of squash flavor. When I make butternut squash soup to sauté and then boil the sringy bits and seeds to make a stock that I mix the roasted squash into. So you might be able to get some squash flavor from your relatively small amount (and even if you don’t the spices will do most of the work for you).

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at what temp?

~350. I like doing it on aluminum foil for easier transfer and clean up. Some people add spices or brown sugar as well before roasting, but I haven't given either a shot.