The perfect Halloween pumpkin? Here's how to choose the right jack-o-lantern for carving (2024)

FAQs

The perfect Halloween pumpkin? Here's how to choose the right jack-o-lantern for carving? ›

A fresh pumpkin should be solid to the touch. Avoid ones that have soft spots or sunken areas, as decay has already set in. Selecting good quality produce will ensure that your autumn display will be long lasting. High quality pumpkins have a firm, hard rind and are generally rich orange in color.

A fresh pumpkin should be solid to the touch. Avoid ones that have soft spots or sunken areas, as decay has already set in. Selecting good quality produce will ensure that your autumn display will be long lasting. High quality pumpkins have a firm, hard rind and are generally rich orange in color.

Captain Jack is an extra-large, dark orange Jack O'Lantern-type pumpkin. Captain Jack is an extra-large variety boasts a classic tall, barrel shape. Its flat bottom allows it to easily stand on its own with toppling over. Captain Jack pumpkins are most common used for carving pumpkins.

Pumpkin Varieties That Are Good for Carving

Hobbits are 10- to 12-pound pumpkins, and are considered a medium-sized variety. Autumn Golds are a very manageable variety, weighing between seven and 10 pounds. They turn a beautiful golden-orange color before fully ripe and are easy to carve, compared to other varieties.

As before, you'll want to first hollow out your pumpkin first, so that there is space to put a light inside. The more you scrape, the brighter your design will appear when there is light inside your pumpkin.

Jack O'Lanterns, as they have become known, are a variety of pumpkin bred for carving. Pie pumpkins tend to be heavier with thicker skin, while carving pumpkins are bred for thinner skin and less meat, making it easier to carve. However, any pumpkin will work.

The most lit jack-o'-lanterns on display is 30,581 and was achieved by the City of Keene, New Hampshire, represented by Let It Shine, Inc.

Pumpkins typically used for jack-o'-lanterns usually are larger, with stringier pulp and more watery flesh. However, you can still eat the jack-o-lantern variety with fairly good results.

The best kind of pumpkin for Halloween carving is what's known as a field pumpkin. They're characterised by having a very hard, dark green hooked stem, which you can use as a handle. And they're the ones which are very easy to grow at home, but which we normally end up buying.

When to Buy Your Pumpkin. According to Evan, the best time to pick a pumpkin is within a week of when you plan to carve it. "Look for a large pumpkin, heavy for its size, with unblemished skin," Evan says. And be sure to avoid the telltale sign of an older pumpkin: a dry, brittle stem.

How long will a pumpkin last after carving? ›

Generally, carved pumpkins last between 3 to 5 days, but weather and sunlight can play a huge role in your lantern's life. If you live in a colder climate, your pumpkin could last up to a week, but if it's exposed to heat, it may only last a few days.

Another method is to lightly spray the cut interior with a solution of 1 tablespoon peppermint Castile soap in a quart of water. Peppermint is a natural anti-fungal and will slow the decaying processing.

They are genetically different, so they grow to a smaller size. The interior or flesh is a darker orange. Pie pumpkins, also called sugar pumpkins, usually weigh 1 to 6 pounds. Their flesh is denser and sweeter that the bigger ones, which are called carving or jack-o'-lantern pumpkins.

If you've carved a pumpkin before, chances are you cut a circle around the pumpkin stem and reached in through the top to scoop out the pumpkin insides. We think the secret to carving the perfect pumpkin is to cut the pumpkin from the bottom rather than the top. This will also help make your pumpkin last longer.