Meat In the Moon

Around 1983, I picked up a inexpensive educational booklet with suggestions for Halloween parties, games, and recipes. One of the recipes had an enchanting name, "Meat in the Moon," and supposedly it was a Jamaican dish. I made the recipe for the first Samhain I attended in Tapestry in 1984.

This meaty dish in the beautiful, orange pumpkin was an innovative and dramatic addition to the Tapestry Samhain feast.

When someone asked me if this was truly a traditional "Halloween dish" in Jamaica, I truthfully admitted that I had no idea what, if anything, was traditional for "Halloween," "All Saints' Day" or "All Hallow's" in Jamaica, because I did not find anything about it in my local library. I also admitted that I had not located anything about a "Meat in the Moon" dish in the library's cookbooks, either. I also admitted that I had changed the recipe by baking the pumpkin rather than boiling it, before adding the meat filling. I explained that I had reduced the salt and the firey spices. I made "Meat in the Moon" a couple of times, but I eventually lost the little booklet. At which point, I started making other things to put in pumpkins. Myth's Chilie in the Moon

In retrospect, I don't think many Jamaicans were celebrating the holiday know as "Halloween," "All Saints' Day" or "All Hallow's" in Jamaica in the 1980's. Although the Anglican churches in the UK annually marked All Saints' Day on November 1, this religious observance did not seem to get much attention in Jamaican culture.

In the 1990's, I actually met someone from Jamaica and asked her if she knew the dish "Meat in the Moon." She didn't know the name, but when I described it, she said that was "stuffed pumpkin." She also explained, "You know, pumpkin is not exactly the same in the USA as it is in Jamaica." In another conversation she commented, "We don't really do Halloween, like here [USA]."

Her information led me to discover the recipe below, which I remember being very close to the recipe in the little booklet. I only remember using ground beef, not ham. (Incidentally, I think I purchased this booklet at "Toys R Us." If anyone has a copy of the little booklet or the original "Meat in the Moon" recipe from that booklet, I'd be interested in seeing it.)

Yes, I have redubbed it "Meat in the Moon." Yes, this name may not be used in Jamaica.

I also found out that the pumpkin in this recipe is probably what is known as the "Caribbean pumpkin" (Cucurbita moschata) "green pumpkin," "Cuban squash," "West Indian pumpkin," or "calabaza squash." These are green pumpkins or buff-colored sugar pumpkins. They are known as culinary pumpkins or pie pumpkins. In Jamaica, these pumpkins are cultivated as a starchy food, which are often boiled and eaten in a number of dishes. I'm guessing "stuffed pumpkin" is a "seasonal" dish in Jamaica, because it requires a fresh, whole pumpkin. "Stuffed pumpkin" is probably served whenever the pumpkins are ripe, and has no cultural connection to a Jamaican celebration of "All Saints' Day."

Decorative pumpkins (either a Cucurbita pepo or Cucurbita maxima), aka field pumpkins, or Jack o'Lantern pumpkins, which have been bred to be smooth and large, are considered by many cooks to be too stringy and watery for cooking. However, decorative pumpkins can be used in recipes. They are perfectly edible. My mother sometimes did use them for pies, but she had to mash them through strainers to get the stringiness and extra water out. (I confess that I've always used a decorative pumpkin when serving "Meat in the Moon." It did look great for presentation.)

"Meat in the Moon"
Jamaican Meat Stuffed Pumpkin

boiling salted water
1 small whole pumpkin 8 to 10-inch diameter
Meat Stuffing:
2 tablespoons
salad or corn oil 2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup finely diced smoked ham
2 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried red cayenne pepper
2 large cloves garlic, mashed
3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup pimento stuffed olives
2 teaspoons capers, drained and minced
2 teaspons Pickapeppa Sause (optional)

With a sharp knife, cut a circular top (about 5-inch diameter) out of pumpkin. Save this top for lid. Scoop out seeds and scrape inside clean.

Place pumpkin in a large pan; cover with salted water. Cover pan; bring water to boil. Simmer until pumpkin meat is almost tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Pumpkin should be firm enough to hold its shape. Carefully remove from water; drain well and dry the outside. Sprinkle inside with salt.

Now, heat oil in frying pan. Add beef, ham, onion, and green pepper; cook until browned and crumbly. Remove from heat. In small bowl, mix salt, olive oil, oregano, vinegar, peppers, and garlic. Add to meat along with raisins, olives, and capers; mix well. Cover pan; cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill cooked pumpkin with meat stuffing, pressing slightly to pack it firmly. Cover loosely with pumpkin lid. Place pumpkin in shallow greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, scoope out meat filling onto dinner plates. If you used a culinary pumpkin, the pumpkin can also be sliced from top to bottom in fat wedges and served.

I must also admit I haven't made this dish since the 1980's, partly because I lost the original little booklet and partly because the Jamaican recipe is so complicated.

Cucurbita moschata pumpkin

Myth's Chilie in the Moon
Practical Celebration Recipes and Preps
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