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Here’s how to do that, according to pro chefs. Source: Eat This, Not That
- Size matters and the smaller the better - Skip the huge pumpkins and look for smaller ones, which will be easier to cut and tend to be sweeter, juicer and have less starchy flesh, Roszkowski says.
- Watch for bruises and rotting - Pumpkins at the patch often get stepped on, picked up and dropped or just put back down, leaving them bruised and that’s no good for cooking.
- Check if it’s hollow - "Just like watermelons, the best pumpkins to pick have a deep, hollow sound when you tap them," says Elena Dyulgerova, the Founder and CEO of VegeVega. "To test for a good one, hold the pumpkin with one hand, place your ear next to the pumpkin, and knock on its side with the knuckles of your other hand. If you hear an echoing, hollow sound, it's a good one. The louder the sound, the better the pumpkin."
- Note the stem - Chef Flint says to look for a stem that’s brown, dry and still firmly attached.
- Check out the color - The ripest pumpkins will be a “dazzling, deep orange” and won’t have spots of brown or green, which can indicate it’s damaged or unripe and not good for cooking.