Dinner in a Pumpkin Recipe Ground Beef
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11/09/2001
I'm editing this to add a few suggestions I've worked out over the years. First, an hour is rarely going to be enough time to cook the pumpkin/stuffing mixture, the pumpkin will be tough. Two hours may be more reasonable, or at least until the pumpkin meat is relatively easy to scoop out with a spoon, it really depends on the size of your pumpkin. Check it every 15 minutes or so after an hour and a half to be safe. Make sure you cut the top opening almost straight across to ensure that there is enough 'lip' to hold the pumpkin top for cooking, the pumpkin will deflate and shrink a bit when fully cooked, so you will need to adjust for that. Finally, I take 2 tablespoons of brown suger and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, mix them together, coat the inside of the empty pumpkin as if you were flouring a cake pan, then pour out any excess before I spoon in the filling. This really helps to give the pumpkin a nice flavor when you spoon it out with the stuffing when serving. Hope you enjoy this one!
10/30/2004
Great!! Great!! Great!! I microwaved the pumpkin a bit first - just about 8 minutes on 600 - helped! Also - I drained my meats - THEN added the spices - so they don't get drained away! I used HOT pork sausage. Also, I cooked some frozen French cut green beans and used those, instead of canned. I also used fresh mushrooms and added them after draining the meats, but before the spices. Next time - I will use 2 lbs of ground beef, add one more can of cream of mushroom soup, and add a generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning. That way - it's great in a pumpkin - or great on it's own (at other times of the year) on buns! Love the spices - they mixed well with the the hint of cajun seasoning too (actually Sylvia's Soul Food Seasoning)!!! I think next year - I will also spread cajun seasoning on the inside of the pumpkin too! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!
11/17/2004
Originally reviewed Reviewed: Nov. 17, 2004: I made this as a Harvest dinner on Halloween eve for my family. Everybody liked it; the guys went back for seconds. This is a fun-to-cook, festive, *different* recipe that I would definitely recommend you try. Be sure to put a cookie sheet under the pumpkin as it bakes. Oh, and be sure to have some nice crusty rolls with the dinner, too. Updated review - I've now been making various "Dinner in a Pumpkin" recipes for the past several years, and this one is by far my favorite. This year I added some roughly chopped water chestnuts to the mix and liked the results very much. This recipe for Dinner in a Pumpkin will probably be the one I make from here on out. Great find, Teri!
10/23/2002
All three of my kids actually said it was fantastic (Not any easy accomplishment) They also liked the fact that it was served in a pumpkin shell instead of a bowl. Great complex flavors. Would be good with soft french bread or dinner rolls and a salad. (Made me pretty thirsty too so it could be that I added too much salt. I usually don't add salt when cooking so everyone can just add it to their own taste. This time I salted as I cooked. Flavor was great but I've been thirsty for two hours now.)
10/28/2010
I was skeptical at first, especially with adding the pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar. I went for it and am glad I did! The flavor is awesome! Do NOT omit these ingredients. I followed the advice and rubbed the inside of the pumpkin with these seasonings. It was so good, I wish I added more. My children and husband were skeptical also and turning their noses up until they tasted it. They each had seconds and licked their plates clean, literally! I scraped the orange skin off to make eyes, nose and mouth to look like a jack-o-lantern. So cute, thanks Teri!
11/04/2001
This dish is as good to look at as it is to eat. S.C.
10/30/2002
Loved this dish!!! The filling reminded me of a stroganoff, but cooking it in the pumpkin made it twice as good! We didn't need anything but some buttered rolls. I can't wait to give this recipe to my friends.
10/13/2005
This was wonderful! I did cook it for about 1 1/2 hours and the pumpkin was thoroughly cooked. I also rubbed pumpkin pie spice on the inside of the pumpkin. It added a great flavor to the cooked pumkin. My dinner guests were quite impressed with the presentation. Will make again.
12/15/2009
I originally reviewed this recipe in DEC 2009. I wanted to add some comments as I make this every year and just love it. - Rub the insides of the pumpkins with the pumpkin spice - Precook the pumpkins for 1/2 hour before stuffing and re-baking - Used ground turkey to skinny it up a bit - I agree with others that you should drain the meat before adding the spices otherwise they wash aways - for the same reason I think the rice should be cooked separately from the meat otherwise the chicken broth might wash away the spice on the meat. I usually cannot find a large pie pumpkin so I usually end up buying two medium size ones and the filling is enough for both... so I give one away and take the burden of cooking one meal away from a friend :)
10/24/2005
Maybe it's just my hubby and me, but the pumpkin pie spice seemed to give it an odd flavor.
11/14/2005
This is an excellent way to use a smaller pumpkin...I added curry powder and cayenne pepper along with a roasted whole garlic to give it a little more flavor. Will make this every year as my family and guests gave it rave reviews.
10/29/2011
Excellent! A new family tradition for fall! I adapated a little, left out the soups the second time and made a white sauce instead!
10/25/2005
I made this for an all pumpkin dinner and everyone really enjoyed it. Since we had 4 couples, I baked the meat mixture in 4 pie pumpkins. We'll be having this meal again!
11/07/2007
Absolutely the BEST Dinner in a Pumpkin I've ever eaten! I followed it to a tee, except for using ground turkey in place of beef. This will be a now be a traditional Halloween meal for our family.
10/13/2012
This tastes amazing. I didn't have green beans or mushrooms, so I substituted chopped apple and craisins. SO AUTUMNY! I love it.
11/06/2011
Very good and festive! Mixed reviews from my five kids, but I absolutely LOVED the pumpkin mixed with the meat/rice mixture. We used a soy "meat" because we're veggies. It made a ton!
10/21/2009
It took a bit more work and time than I was expecting, but I had a great result. It's a recipe that can be toyed with and ingredients adjusted based on what you have in the kitchen or what you like best in a casserole.
11/03/2011
My kids love this recipe. Instead of canned mushrooms I sauted fresh mushrooms w/onion and celery then browned the meat. I also added sliced water chestnuts for crunch.
09/14/2010
I spent alot of time making this dish for a party and no one really liked it. I wil tell you though, I thought It was so good! I will make this dish again in a smaller portion for my family. I wouldnt change a thing
11/01/2009
Used 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 pound hot smoked sausage cut up small. Put half the pumpkin pie spice inside the pumpkin to coat it and half in the meat. Used beef broth, white rice, 2 cans cream of mushroom, no mushroom pieces or green beans. Tried Adding cabbage. Cooked 1.5 hours and could have gone longer - pumpkin was cooked but just barely. Big hit. Either cut up cabbage smaller or leave out and try peas perhaps. Don't like green beans or mushrooms much so didn't try them. Loved the flavor of this dish. Hit with the kids and the house smelled awesome. Love that you can add pumpkin to your plate or leave it out, great flexibility. Pumpkin pie spice works great in this application and will definitely be making this again. (Though I guess I changed it a bunch LOL!) Had too much for our pumpkin to close it properly, not sure how important that is.
10/02/2009
PERFECT just as it is -- has become a family favorite - our annual 'trick or treat' night dinner!! have shared this with tons of friends - unique AND delicious
12/31/2006
This was phenomenal! A great fall meal with excellent presentation. The spices are unique and make for a complex, intriguing dish.
11/02/2003
My husband and I liked this recipe. My 8 year old son wouldn't touch it! The flavor was different but good. The pumpkin didn't cook completely in an hour and was hard. Next time we will cook it longer.
12/27/2004
Delicious - made this for a Halloween party to a very impressed crowd.
03/03/2008
I was looking for a savory way to make stuffed acorn squash and this fit the bill. I took another reviewers suggestion and used curry instead of pumpkin pie spice, and hot Italian sausage. Instead of mushrooms, I chopped up some water chestnuts -- and I served the green beans on the side, since acorn squash is so much smaller of a vehicle than a pumpkin. Thanks Teri for the inspiration.
10/19/2008
I made this recipe for a fall party I attended and it was a HUGE success. I stuffed the mixture into two smaller pumpkins and then arranged them on a big serving platter surrounded by seasonal gourds. It was delicious and beautiful! I had several people ask for the recipe!
10/24/2011
Perfect dinner for the fall/holidays. Feeds alot of people and the salt in the meat is balanced out with the sweetness of the pumpkin meat.
11/03/2013
I was super excited to make this for halloween. I started the meat mix it smelled so goooooood & wow the taste it was amazing. I rubbed the pumpkin with the seasons like suggested. Then I scooped the meat mix in which I thought was weird since it was already cooked. I added the greens beans put my pumpkin in the oven. 1 1/2 hrs later I pulled it out and the juice from the pumpkin was mixed in the meat. I did not care for the flavor. But I still was going to serve it. I put the pumpkin in my center pice on my table 10mins later it bleed every where :/ I was beyond mad.
10/31/2013
This was really good! My family loved it.
11/12/2012
This was awesome. Had our neighbors over and her picky teenage daughter asked for seconds!!! Will make this a yearly fall tradition.
02/13/2014
It was a little bland for my taste - but my boyfriend (who likes blander food) loved it. Plus, serving dinner in a pumpkin is just cool@
10/26/2008
My mom made this for me and my brother and sister every Halloween night. This is the only thing we would eat before going out trick or treating. I almost think we liked the pumpkin dinner better than the treats!!!!!
11/02/2013
Helpful hint: I visited my local produce stand that has a huge pumpkin patch on November 2. All their pumpkins, including the sugar pumpkins were on sale - $5 for a wheelbarrow full! Wow! This was delicious! Even though I'd read all the reviews, I was skeptical about the sugar and spices. What a delightful surprise! I'll be making this again!
12/03/2005
I didn't like this at all. The spice in it didn't taste good with the hamburger mixture. Sorry, not going to make this again.
02/15/2006
I was so excited to try this recipe, but am sorry to say we did not enjoy it at all. I followed the recipe exactly and was disappointed. After a bite or two, we ended up ordering pizza. Sorry.
10/13/2007
This was such a fun recipe and really unique to serve. We ate it, but the leftovers aren't looking so appealing today. Not a good sign. I recommend adding the pumpkin pie spice gradually, tasting to see when enough is enough - I think it overpowered the dish. If I make it again, I'll omit it completely and cut the recipe in half.
11/15/2013
Eh. Not very flavorful and even after following the instructions the pumpkin was uncooked and the insides were not hot.
10/18/2016
I have made this many times. I have followed the directions to a tee except i do micro the pumpkins for few to cut down on baking time and i cook rice in my micro rice cooker also to cut down on time and it was delish :) and I have added curry ginger tumeric cayenne and garlic for kicks which was excellent. I also save the seeds and roast most of them and plant some the next year... I do use more mushroom soup then celery soup. And prefer to use ground bison to beef and venison to sausage when I can find it
11/01/2015
Very good. Definitely use a roaster pan. I was apprehensive about the TWO TABLESPOONS of pumpkin pie spice, so did 1 1/2 and gave it a nice flavor. The husband and 10 year old liked it. Had to bake for about an hour and 45 minutes, and the pumpkin inside was so tender and good. Thanks for sharing this one! Was great with a salad and french bread as others suggested.
10/31/2015
I used turkey and instead of mushrooms and green beans I used bell peppers. I think next time I'll try it with the green beans. It was DELICIOUS!!
11/01/2015
This is delicious! I added garlic and onion and a little curry powder and dusted the inside of the SUGAR pumpkins as suggested. I microwaved the pumpkins for 4 minutes before stuffing so they only needed 1 hour cooking time. The pumpkin flesh was amazing with the meat mixture.
10/10/2020
I would add more spice like a sausage or Portuguese chourico
03/22/2008
A lot of work.
09/25/2019
I love this for a fall dinner! I had a small pumpkin that I prebaked in the oven. I made less filling and only used I can of soup (cream of mushroom). I also changed the meat and used beef summer sausage and added onion, garlic, left over rice, and some green beans that I cooked together on the stove before stuffing it into the pumpkin. I also dusted the inside of the pumpkin with pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar as well as adding it to the filling. Then just warmed it in the oven.
12/28/2014
Did not like this recipe. The spices were off tasting with the other ingredients. They just did not marry well.
10/04/2017
Will definitely be making this as a Halloween/Harvest staple. My only problem with it was I had to use 6 sugar pumpkins to get it all in a pumpkin. Thank goodness I had plenty on hand! I couldn't find any large ones at the grocery. And as @Geekette already stated it was closer to 2 hours before it was finally cooked. Nonetheless, interesting and delicious! Well worth every bite.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/41108/teris-dinner-in-a-pumpkin/
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