Pumpkin Chip Preserves

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Ingredients:

5 -5 1/2 lbs pumpkin preferably a cheese or pie pumpkin
5 cups sugar
2 large lemons juice and zest of minced
1 large lemon sliced thin

Steps:

DAY BEFORE CANNING Cut the pumpkin into large chunks
discarding the stems
seeds
and stringy innards attached to them Pare the skin from the chunks Slice each chunk into pieces 1/2 to 3/4 square
as evenly as you can Stir to combine the pumpkin pieces in a large glass or ceramic bowl with the sugar
lemon juice and zest
and 1/2 cup water Cover and let the mixture sit overnight
or a few hours longer
at room temperature It will give off a good bit of liquid
DAY OF CANNING Prepare 5 or 6 half-pint canning jars by washing thoroughly Place the jars on a rack in a boiling water canner
but DO NOT add water yet
Spoon the pumpkin mixture into a large heavy saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat Reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook
covered
until the pumpkin pieces are quite tender
but still hold their shape and have become somewhat translucent in a glaze of thick syrup
about 30 minutes
As soon as you have reduced the heat for the pumpkin mixture
fill the canner with water; water should be at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars You may need to add 1 cup of white vinegar if you have hard water in your area Boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize It will take about 20--30 minutes for the water to come to a boil Start timing from the time it reaches a good steady boil
While pumpkin is cooking
blanch the lemon slices in a small saucepan of boiling water
just enough to soften them
and drain Stir the lemon slices into the chips just before removing the preserves from the heat
Once the jars have sterilized and the pumpkin is ready
remove jars from canner to a surface covered in heavy towels or layers of newspaper NEVER place hot jars on a bare countertop
as the difference in temperature could cause jars to shatter Spoon the chips into the hot jars
leaving at least 1/4-inch head space
Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes Refrigerate jars after opening