Isn’t There a Better Way to Hull Pumpkin Seeds?

I’m not exactly sure why I toast pumpkin seeds every year. I buy a big pumpkin and go through a lot of trouble cutting off the top, scooping out all the slimy innards, and separating the seeds from the pulp. Even given all that work, the task isn’t done yet. After separating the seeds, I have to wash them, dry them on paper towels, peel them off paper towels, and roast them with oil and salt. I do this every year and I have no idea why, because I don’t like roasted pumpkin seeds.

Toasting pumpkin seeds from the October jack-o-lantern seems such a very nostalgic, American thing to do. We toasted them every year when I was growing up, and I was supposed to like them, but I never did. The truth is that roasted pumpkin seeds, still in the hull, are not very tolerable. The husks are—well—husky. They fall somewhere between crunchy and stringy. The little kernel inside is good, oh my yes, but it’s such a lot of work getting out, especially after already working hard to get them to this somewhat edible point, that I never found eating them enjoyable.

Getting them out of the hull prior to roasting seemed a task better left to machines.

This year, however, fully into the jack-o-lantern spirit, we bought—count them—three pumpkins, and after scraping and scooping a huge bowlful of pulp I couldn’t bear to see it all go to waste. Given that chefs and other assorted foodies rave over pumpkin seeds, I decided I’d have to find a better way to make them palatable.

I formed a two-pronged mission: first, find a method of roasting seeds that rendered them crisp and crunchy and delicious in the hull and second, see what the fuss over hulled toasted pumpkin seeds is all about.

To the first mission, I found a possible solution in Joy of Cooking, which recommended bringing to a boil a pan full of seeds in salted water and then simmering them for a couple of hours before drying, oiling, salting, and roasting them in a medium-low oven. That sounded promising. I gave it a try.

Though, after simmering, the seeds had an unappetizing gray hue, I pressed on with the directions. After an hour in the oven, here is what emerged.

You’ll have to take my word for it that these were just as good as they are pretty. They turned out just as I had hoped. They were crisp and crunchy with no weird edges that stuck in my teeth. Not to mention they tasted nutty and salty. Mission one accomplished.

Now to the second mission. After drying the seeds overnight, I found the hulls soft enough to pick off with a fingernail. A sharp paring knife worked even better. A little experimenting yielded this strategy: Starting at the pointed end, I cut off the side of the husk, trying not to cut too deeply and scrape off the side of the seed. Using my fingernails then, it was easy to peel the two flats back and slip the kernel out. Things worked even better when I recruited two helpers.

Yes, we did peel, by hand, two cups of pumpkin seeds. I have the calluses to prove it, but I’ll spare you those photos. I couldn’t think of any other technique; I never thought of Google. (I did think of it later, however, and the only technique I uncovered involved a plastic bag and a mallet. Since I wanted intact kernels, it’s just as well I did them by hand.)

Aren’t they beautiful?

Of course they are.

And let me tell you about toasting them. I now know what all the fuss is about. Hulled pumpkin seeds, cooked in a cast-iron pan over moderately low heat in a little olive oil and then salted are delicious. They are crunchy, but not crisp; they give a little when you bite them. They taste nutty. They taste just the tiniest bit like the best popcorn smell you’ve ever smelled.

Toasted hulled pumpkin seeds are worth every bit of fuss. And now I know why I should buy a big pumpkin every year.

The best way to serve the pumpkin seeds, if you can avoid eating them right out of the skillet, which I found difficult to do, is on top of pumpkin soup. The chipotle in this soup is not overpowering at all; you'll find that there's just enough heat and sweetness from the pumpkin and the merest bit of brown sugar that you'll want another bowl. And then another one after that.

Pumpkin Soup with Chipotle, Bacon and Toasted Pumpkin Kernels

4 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chipotles in adobo, minced
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, minced, or 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups milk
3 cups pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
sour cream, additional nutmeg, toasted pumpkin kernels

In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock and milk until hot but not boiling.

In a large pot, cook bacon in olive oil over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. In the same pot, cook the onion, celery, chipotle, and crystallized ginger (if using) until tender but not browned. Pour hot stock and milk over. Stir in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, grated or ground ginger (if using), and allspice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste; heat through.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a teaspoon of sour cream, a pinch of nutmeg, reserved bacon and toasted pumpkin kernels.