Preserved Pumpkin is a traditional American recipe, based on Miss Leslie's recipe of 1832, for a classic method of preserving pumpkins, by cutting into slivers and boiling in sugar syrup and bottling before using as preserved fruit or sweetmeats. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American version of: Preserved Pumpkin.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Preserved Pumpkin that's derived from, Miss Leslie of Philadelphia's 1832 volume, Seventy-five receipts for pastry, cakes and sweetmeats. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
PRESERVED PUMPKIN.
Cut slices from a fine high-coloured pumpkin, and cut the slices into chips about the thickness of a dollar. The chips should be of an equal size, six inches in length and an inch broad. Weigh them and allow to each pound of pumpkin chips, a pound of loaf-sugar. Have ready a sufficient number of fine lemons, pare off the yellow rind, and lay it aside. Cut the lemons in half, and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Allow a gill of juice to each pound of pumpkin.
Put the pumpkin into a broad pan laying the sugar among it. Pour the lemon-juice over it, Cover the pan, and let the pumpkin chips, sugar and lemon-juice, set all night.
Early in the morning put the whole into a preserving pan, and boil all together (skimming it well) till the pumpkin becomes clear and crisp, but not till it breaks. It should have the appearance of lemon-candy. You may if you choose, put some lemon-peel with it, cut in very small pieces.
Half an hour's boiling (or a little more) is generally sufficient.
When it is done, take out the pumpkin, spread it On a large dish, and strain the syrup through a bag. Put the pumpkin into your jars or glasses, pour the syrup over it, and tie it up with brandy paper.
If properly done, this is a very fine sweetmeat. The taste of the pumpkin will be lost in that of the lemon and sugar, and the syrup is particularly pleasant. It is eaten without cream, like preserved ginger. It may be laid on puff-paste shells, after they are baked.
Modern Redaction
Today we would term these 'Preserved Pumpkins' and use them as a store-cupboard staple for making pies or as a base for another dish. In the 18th and 19th centuries, however, these would have been classed amongst the range of foods known as sweetmeats (including jellies [clear jams, mixes of nuts and fruit bound with sugar, sugarplums and candied fruit).
Typically these would have been cut into balls or smaller portions, placed in special glass-shaped jars with lids, drizzled with a little of the preserving syrup and served as a sweet dish at the end of a meal. It should be noted that the 'meat' in 'sweetmeat' represents the flesh or 'meat' of the fruit itself.
Ingredients:
1 pumpkin
500g sugar per 500g pumpkin flesh
155ml lemon juice per 500g pumpkin flesh
thinly-pared zest of the lemons
Method:
Cut the pumpkin into slices and remove the seeds. Now cut the slices into chips about 15cm long, 2.5cm wide and 4mm thick.
Weight the pumpkin chips and measure out 500g of sugar per 500g of pumpkin. Pare you lemons, squeeze out the juice and allow 155ml of lemon juice per 500g pumpkin.
Arrange the pumpkin pieces in a large ceramic baking dish. Scatter the sugar over and around then pour over the lemon juice. Cover loosely and set aside over night.
The following morning, carefully transfer the entire contents of the baking dish into a large pan. Add a few strips of finely-shredded lemon zest and carefully bring to a boil. Continue cooking until the pumpkin becomes clear and crisp, but has not softened and is not breaking up (about 15 minutes).
At this point, remove the pumpkin pieces and arrange on a greased baking tray to cool. Strain the syrup through a fine-meshed sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth. Return the syrup to the pan and heat through.
Pack the pumpkin pieces into a jar, pour over the syrup, seal securely and set aside to cool.
Once cold, label then store in a cool, dark, cupboard.
