Each year around the holidays, actually, starting the day after Halloween through Jan 1st. lol, I’m faced with the.. what I like to call, ‘hectic & hellish holiday menu-planning fiasco’. You know.. that period of time in between halloween and New Years when you’re busy with head-counts, and shopping lists, finger foods, and snacky-snacks.. hoping to please approx. 16 people, and at least two blended families via their mouths. .. did someone say “wine”?
Anyhoo… I’m always looking to change things up, just enough to keep things interesting… but not so much, that the grandparents start in with their “we never ate this non-traditional shit stuff back in the day” BS. It’s a fine line I walk I tell you.. but somehow, maaaybe somehow, this little method will be my ticket into more holiday bliss.. and less holiday mess.
Not only are we making use of the entire pumpkin here.. but we’re also minimizing our dirty dish footprint, by turning the pumpkin into an actual dutch oven.. genius you say?!, to which I answer.. perhaps. 😉
I stuffed this baby UP! I’m talking.. potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, … stuffing, and a whole bird, all infusing themselves together, and creating the BEST juices and flavors around!
The pumpkin gets succulent, scoopable, and tender, along with all the veggies, as it literally steams the bird until it’s bursting with flavor-packed juices.
~Ditch that old dutch over this year..l and getchurself a pumpkin… trust me!
What you’ll need:
A pumpkin.. large enough to fit your size bird, and fillings of choice.
A bird.. turkey, chicken, cornish hen (what I used) .. etc.
All the usual suspects.. potatoes, zucchini, carrots, celery, onion, stuffing, etc.
1 tbsp. seasoned bullion .. either powder, or stock (TO ADD INTO THE JUICES MID WAY)
Olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano.. feel free to add bay leaf, or any other spices you like.
Directions;
slice the top off of the pumpkin, and scoop out the seeds. rub some olive oil along the inside of the pumpkin, and sprinkle it with the salt, pepper, and seasonings.
Now simply fill ‘er up with the veggies… making sure NOT to add the stuffing yet.. that goes in mid-way through the cooking process.
Top it off with your bird…
And place the top of the pumpkin securely on there, trying to eliminate any gaps if possible…
Bake it on a low rack in the oven at 350 degrees for approx. 4-6 hours, or until the poultry is fully cooked through, and the pumpkin is dark, and very tender. Place some foil over the stem if necessary to prevent it from burning.
Halfway through the cooking process, sprinkle in the bullion or stock… look at all those natural juices forming in there…YUM!
and pour in the stuffing…
cover it tightly again, and put back into the oven to finish cooking! Then serve it in the beautifully cooked pumpkin, and scoop out that goodness! ~Enjoy! 🙂