Fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin for best tasting pie?

Question

Who has experience making pumkin pie with real fresh pumpkins? Is it worth the trouble, and does it taste better than using canned pumpkin?

Answer 1

I think that a lot of the people claiming that canned pumpkin is better have maybe never tried using a proper pumpkin. Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins like they sell at most supermarkets do indeed make mediocre pie, but sugar pumpkins are excellent. It's not that hard, given a good pumpkin, to make a much better pie than you can with canned.

Keep in mind, though, that I'm one of those "everything from fresh ingredients," people. I make the crust myself, too, and I use cream instead of evaporated milk.

I don't understand what everyone is going on about in terms of the difficulty involved with using a real pumpkin. It's incredibly simple: you chop it in half, clean it, roast it in the oven, scoop out the flesh, and purée it. The whole process takes maybe ten minutes of actual work (minus the baking time, during which you can be doing other things), especially if you have a good sturdy ice-cream scoop to use to clean it and later remove the flesh from the skin.

Answer 2

Yes, it is definitely worth the trouble. I was a BIG libby's pumpkin pie fan (and of course I still like it), but last fall I thought I'd try for the first time to make a pie with fresh pumpkin. I cooked it in the oven like a squash, then pureed it in the blender and used it just like canned pumpkin. OMG...it was really excellent! You must try it at least one time. I think you're supposed to add a tad bit less evaporated milk. Check the fresh pumpkin pie recipes online.

Answer 3

If I had grown pumpkins, of course I would make use of them. I wouldn't however go out and purchase fresh pumpkins just to make puree when I can buy it already in a can. But yes, Fresh is always tastes better if you have the time!

Answer 4

Canned foods are mass produced so that they always taste the same. When using fresh foods the taste can vary from one to another. I would guess that the canned pumpkin is probably a bit sweeter than the fresh. If you are buying the pumpkins from a farmstand or farmers market ask if they are sweet. If they aren't you may need to add a little sugar. Perhaps you could even substitute another variety of winter squash. Red Kuri squash is really good.

Answer 5

Fresh pumpkin is too much trouble and quite frankly it does not taste as good as canned pumpkin with the condensed milk added........over the years I've made both.....everyone always loves my pumpkin pies the best (the canned) over my apple and cherry pies......
Also most of your gourmet cooks you see on tv will tell you it's not worth the time and the effort making it from fresh pumpkin. Bon Appetite!

Answer 6

Take it from me, it is NOT worth the trouble to "think outside the can"! If you make sure that what you use is plain pureed pumpkin and not "pumpkin pie mix", your pie will be way, WAY easier and your guests will probably think it's better.Fresh tends to stay a little bit fibrous and there's just no real difference.in taste. Go with the can!! I wish you a yummy pie.

Answer 7

I've used fresh, canned, and both fresh and canned winter squash. The taste didn't change that much, but the texture did. I liked the texture of either fresh pumpkin or squash best, but it wasn't bad canned. For taste, the spices will make a big difference. I use cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg as my primary spices.

Answer 8

I made a pumpkin pie with fresh cooked pumpkin. It was delicious. Way better than those made with canned pumpkin.

Answer 9

NO do not waste your time with a fresh pumpkin canned tastes way better

Answer 10

fresh! but it has to be a pie pumpkin. halve, scoop out seeds, bake in oven about 25 min. at 350 (till soft)
canned pumpkin has SQUASH in it.
i use fresh. my family loves it.
and I DON't EVEN LIKE pumpkin pie!