Pumpkin Butter

Yield: 6 cups


Ingredients

    • 6½ lb. pie pumpkins

    • 3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

    • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

    • 1 tsp. table salt

    • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

    • 1 tsp. lemon zest

    • ¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice


Preparation

  1. Prepare the pumpkin: Peel, seed, and cut up the pumpkin. Place pumpkin in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and mash pumpkin. Whip with a hand mixer until smooth. (You should have 6½ cups pumpkin purée.) 

  2. Cook the pumpkin mixture: In the same large pot, combine the pumpkin purée and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil and stir constantly for 10 minutes.  

  3. Jar the pumpkin butter: Ladle into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Cover with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath in the canner. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Check to make sure the lids are sealed.