How to Dehydrate and Preserve Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Dehydrating pumpkin and squash puree is a wonderful way to store it for long term use and have it ready again quickly and simply for baking. Dehydrated squash puree keeps very well and will last at least two years when stored properly in a cool, airtight container. It is ready to use, travels well, and takes up much less space than frozen puree. It is also safe, where home canned pumpkin puree is not safe, and home canning of these purees is warned against by the USDA.

I make a large batch of fresh puree at once when I find a good deal on pie pumpkins or butternut squash. After I've roasted and pureed the pumpkins and squashes, I prepare to dehydrate them. I have an Excalibur dehydrator with square trays, but these instructions can be adapted for any model of dehydrator.

To dehydrate winter squash, I lay parchment paper on the trays of my dehydrator. The parchment paper is easy to use, and it keeps the dried puree pieces from sticking to the screens on the tray. Onto each tray, I measure two cups of puree. I measure the puree when putting it onto the trays for a number of reasons. Having equal amounts on each tray will ensure the same approximate finish time for each. Also, when the puree has dehydrated, I will know how much puree the dehydrated material (which takes up much less space) represents. I use two cups because it fits nicely on my trays and also because most recipes calling for pumpkin or squash, including pie, call for a can of pumpkin. A can is 15oz, so two cups is a good replacement with homemade puree.

I spread the puree evenly on the trays until it is about ¼ inch thick all over. After I've loaded the trays into the dehydrator, I set the temperature dial for 125 degrees and let it go. I'll start checking on the puree after about six hours to see how it's drying, and it generally takes between six and ten hours to dry completely. This wide variance is due to many factors, including how humid it is and how much water the vegetables were holding in the first place.

After the puree has completely dried out, I'll fold up the pieces or roll them or tear them up, depending how I plan to store them. I've found that putting them into sandwich bags, which I then will keep in a food safe bucket with an airtight seal or a large food container is a good way to have them ready to grab whenever I want to have some puree to use in breads or pies.

Dehydrating winter squash is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to store it. Dehydrated pumpkin puree doesn't take additional energy or cause crowding when prepared in large amounts, like freezing would. It also takes much less space to store in large amounts than store bought or home canned puree does. Making homemade puree ahead of time is also less expensive than buying it a can at a time because squashes and pumpkins can be bought very cheaply when they are in season and after the autumn holidays are over.