Big Mac Pumpkin
Estimated Inventory, ea : 0
This item was last sold on : 11/14/24
Description/Taste
Big Mac pumpkins are an extremely large variety with a wide range of sizes, measuring 45 centimeters to as much as 1.8 meters in width when fully grown. Their hefty weight ranges from about 27 to 90 kilograms each. They have a rounded, slightly flattened or slumped shape and a round beige stem. Big Mac pumpkins display a vibrant red-orange hue, often with green spots and splotches, especially on the areas where the pumpkin lies flat. Their skin is rough, deeply ribbed, and can grow up to ten centimeters thick. When sliced open, Big Mac pumpkins are revealed to have a yellow-orange flesh that's dense, fine-grained, and encases a large central cavity with stringy pulp and many flat, cream-colored seeds. This variety has a dry, fibrous texture with a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Big Mac pumpkins are available from fall to early winter.
Current Facts
Big Mac pumpkins are botanically classified as Cucurbita maxima and are members of the Cucurbitaceae family along with squash and gourds. Also known as Big Max pumpkins, this giant hybrid grows on sprawling vines and is technically a squash rather than a true pumpkin. While squash and pumpkins have a closely intertwined history and are often used interchangeably, Big Macs are botanically a large-growing member of the squash family, rather than the pumpkin species Cucurbita pepo. Big Macs are predominately grown as exhibition pumpkins and are valued for their giant size and ornamental capabilities. They can also be used as carving pumpkins during the Halloween season.
Nutritional Value
Big Mac pumpkins are rich in vitamin A, promoting good vision, skin health, and immune function. Their vitamin C content further supports the immune system and aids in collagen production. The presence of phosphorus and magnesium in Big Mac pumpkins is crucial for maintaining strong bones and teeth, as well as playing a role in energy production and muscle function. The copper, iron, and zinc found in this variety is vital for red blood cell formation, oxygen transportation throughout the body, and wound healing. Fiber in Big Mac pumpkins aids digestion and helps maintain a healthy gut, while tryptophan, an amino acid, can enhance mood by promoting serotonin production, potentially helping regulate sleep and mood disorders.
Applications
Big Mac pumpkins are not typically used for cooking or baking because of their cumbersome size, but they are still edible and can be prepared in the same way as smaller pumpkins. Big Mac pumpkins can be canned, puréed, or sliced into cubes to toss into various recipes. When cooked, they may be incorporated into pasta, salads, curries, casseroles, soups, vegetable bakes, enchiladas, and potato dishes. They can also be utilized in desserts like pies, cheesecakes, custards, muffins, pumpkin bread, waffles, pancakes, and frostings. The flavors of Big Mac pumpkins pair well with ingredients such as pork, sage, fontina cheese, hummus, tahini, kale, quinoa, cranberries, chocolate chips, caramel, coconut, peanut butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. These pumpkins can be stored in the refrigerator or in cans, either as a purée or cooked and diced.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Giant pumpkins like the Big Mac variety have been cultivated for centuries. It wasn’t until the late 19th century, when breeders began crossing different cultivars, that selective breeding for progressively larger pumpkins became more achievable. One of the most notable examples of this was when a man named William Warnock crossed multiple pumpkin varieties to produce one that weighed over 165 kilograms, which he exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. He then went on to cultivate a prize-winning pumpkin for the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris. By the 1970s and 80s, Howard Dill of Nova Scotia, Canada had bred a cultivar called the Atlantic Giant that weighed over 900 kilograms.
Geography/History
Big Mac pumpkins were developed in Goderich, Ontario. They thrive in warm climates with full sun to partial shade and daytime temperatures between approximately 21 and 27 degrees Celsius. They are a cultivated variety that’s sown in home gardens and on commercial farms to achieve their colossal size. Big Mac pumpkins are thought to have originated from carefully selected seeds cultivated by William Warnock in the late 19th century. He developed this variety specifically for producing massive pumpkins capable of winning contests. These pumpkins were then introduced by the W. Atlee Burpee Company in 1964 and thus became a more commercially available variety. Today, Big Mac pumpkins can be primarily found through online seed catalogs. They may occasionally be offered at specialty grocers and farmers' markets across the United States and Canada.
