Stew in a Pumpkin

IT IS FALL!!!!!!  TIME FOR PUMPKIN!!!

 I was going to name this Pumpkin Stew which is what we call it, but there isn't actually any pumpkin in the stew per say.  Once the stew is cooked in the pumpkin you can scoop out the cooked pumpkin along with your stew if you please.  This method can be used with any stew recipe of your choice but I am showing it with beef.  Basically pick out a pumpkin about the size of your cooking pot or slightly larger.  Shorter more stable pumpkins seem to work best, taller ones may need some aluminum foil in the pan to keep them from tipping over.  This also works great with small individual pumpkins and the extra work is generally worth it when your guests ooh and aah their bowls!  

Start your stew stove top until the stage where you would simmer and walk away.  At that point you would ladle your stew into your cleaned out pumpkin placed in a casserole dish for stability, lightly oil the skin, and place foil over the stem.   Bake your stew between 300-350 depending on if you want it to be ready in 1 hour or 3.

Here's my recipe that I used today.  Stew is one of those meals that is never the same way twice for me.  I use whatever I have in the fridge or needs to be used up before it goes bad.  I don't usually buy ingredients specifically for a stew.  I will use red or russet potatoes, regular carrots or baby, onions or shallots...... as well as broth, or stock, or bouillion.  Stew is how I clear the pantry ;) 

 If using meat I will add about 2 TB of flour and season liberally with salt, pepper, & paprika then let it sit and come to room temperature before browning.  See picture below the flour can't even be seen.

 Brown the meat evenly in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.  I add the vegetables and let them cook for a few minutes before de-glazing the pan.  Once again stew varies today I took the time to peel the potatoes but I don't always. 

 After de-glazing add broth or water and bring the pot to a boil.  This is when I add the stew to the pumpkin.  I placed the pumpkin in the casserole dish ahead of time and oiled the skin. **Make sure that your dish is extremely durable because this will be HEAVY!

 I am a little short today.  I would actually rather have too much stew for the pumpkin, but I could not resist the shape of this one and the stem was so pretty! 

 Put the lid on and cover the stem with foil and into the oven at 300 degrees for 1-3 hours.  It isn't exact science, whenever the meat is tender it is ready. 

 Give it a stir every so often and you can see here that this pumpkin has shrunk some and the stew has started to cook through.

 ALL DONE!  Look at how pretty this is!!! 

And below is one from a previous year when I got a little fancy with the opening