These are the best methods

Not all pumpkins are created equal

The cucurbit family is large and produces differently shaped fruits. Not every pumpkin has to be stripped of its hard shell before preparation. The popular Hokkaido, for example, has a soft, edible shell. The equally popular butternut has a somewhat idiosyncratic shape that can be mastered with a few tricks and tips when peeling.

Wash or wipe off

Pumpkin fruits get heavy and mostly lie on the ground due to the weight as they grow. Before peeling, the whole fruit should be rubbed with a vegetable brush under running water.

Alternatively, very large, unwieldy fruits can also be wiped off with a damp cloth.

Remove the shell of the butternut

1. Place the butternut, as this pumpkin is called in German, flat on a large cutting board and cut it in half with one Saw knife. The lower, thicker part should be a bit larger.
2. Now cut off both ends.
3. Place the top half upright on the cutting board.
4. Hold the butternut with one hand while you cut the shell from top to bottom with sawing movements. This half consists only of the pulp and can be used completely for the preparation after peeling.
5. Also place the lower half upright on the cutting board and divide it into four parts.
6. Remove the core case.
7. Line up each quarter and cut the peel from top to bottom as previously described.

Peel round pumpkins

There are different ways of peeling a round pumpkin fruit:

• Remove the skin from the whole pumpkin
• Peel the pumpkin wedges one at a time
• peel the baked pumpkin

The second variant is particularly suitable when only part of the fruit is needed at once. The rest can be stored unpeeled for a few more days.

Remove the skin from the whole pumpkin

To peel a whole pumpkin you will need a large cutting board and a large heavy knife or long saw knife.

• Decapitate the pumpkin on both sides
• Place the fruit on a kitchen board with the cut surface facing up
• Cut off the shell piece by piece from top to bottom
• Move the knife back and forth and apply pressure
• keep it close to the fruit

Peel narrow pumpkin wedges

1. Cut a straight piece from both sides of the fruit.
2. Place the pumpkin on a large wooden board and cut the part that you want to prepare immediately, several wedges.
3. Use a spoon to remove the core casing.
4. Peel off the peel from each column one after the other with a potato peeler or a sharp knife.

Peel the baked pumpkin

A peel that has been briefly heated in the oven can easily be removed from the pulp.

1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.
2. In the meantime, divide the pumpkin in half and remove the core.
3. Heat the pumpkin halves in the oven for a few minutes until the pulp has turned a little darker.
4. Wait for the pumpkin halves to cool and then peel off the peel.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Fruits: are shaped differently; have a thick shell; must be peeled
• Exception: Hokkaido bowl is soft and edible; does not need to be removed
• Butternut: Halve in the middle; Cut off ends; Peel the halves separately
• Tip: Half an unpeeled pumpkin can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days
• Whole pumpkin: cut off both ends; Place with cut surface on a cutting board
• Whole pumpkin: peel the peel all around with a knife from top to bottom
• Pumpkin wedges: cut off ends; Divide the required fruit part into wedges
• Pumpkin slices: Peel the slices one after the other with a peeler or a small sharp knife
• Baked pumpkin: cut in half and core; Bake at 180 ° C until the flesh turns darker
• Baked pumpkin: let cool down a bit; Peel off the shell