Duck Fat & Sage Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Most recipes for roasting pumpkin seeds start out by telling you to clean off the stringy pumpkin guts, rinse them well and pat dry. I am going to buck tradition here and say pumpkin is delicious and goes well with, well… pumpkin seeds of all things. Clean off the big clumps, but don’t rinse them and it is perfectly OK to have some stray stringies (a name I just made up) in there.

When Greg made the pumpkin puree for his pumpkin pie this week, I claimed up the seeds for my own. I played with a few different flavors coming up with Duck Fat & Sage, Hibiscus Honey & Green Tea with Toasted Rice. By far, the favorite was the Duck Fat & Sage rendition, so that is the recipe I’m sharing today.

I’ve also included a basic recipe here that you can use to do your own mad scientist kitchen experiments with.

Basic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

Seeds from one large Pumpkin, or two small pie pumpkins, residual pumpkin guts optional, but highly recommended
1 tablespoon oil or rendered fat
For SAVORY Flavors: 1/4 teaspoon Salt + 1/4 teaspoon spices/herbs
For SWEET Flavors: 1 tablespoon sweetener (sugar, honey, etc) + 1 teaspoon spices

Method:

Pre-heat your over to 275. Clean the seeds, but not too well. In a medium mixing bowl combine the seeds with the oil or fat and mix to combine.

Add the herbs/spices/salt/sugar etc to the bowl and toss until everything is thoroughly coated.

Put the entire mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (critical if you are doing sweet pumpkin seeds) and pop into the over for 25-35 minutes until the seeds are crunchy and the flavors absorbed.

Duck Fat and Sage Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

Seeds from one Pumpkin, guts optional but highly suggested
1 tablespoon Rendered Duck Fat – you can buy it in tubs at many specialty markets
7-8 Fresh Sage Leaves
Kosher Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat your oven to 275.

Put the seeds in a bowl with a heaping tablespoon of melted duck fat. How do you go about melting duck fat you say? In the microwave in a heat-proof bowl in 30 second intervals until it is liquid.

Next, cut the sage leaves into thin ribbons and add them to the duck fat/pumpkin seed bowl along with a sprinkle of salt and a crack or two of fresh pepper.Give it all a stir and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put it in the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes until the seeds are crunchy, the sage crispy and the duck fat browned and crackling. You’ll know when its done – you won’t be able to resist nibbling. It seems to go faster if you give it a stir or two during cooking time.

How do you roast pumpkin seeds?

-Lydia, kitchen scrap recycler