I have had the WORST time cutting pumpkins here in Malawi.  They are SO tough.  I would poke a knife in the top, hammer it in with a meat mallet, and then smack the whole pumpkin on the ground until I could get the knife through.  Whew.  Blood, sweat, and tears.  Then I asked a Malawian friend how she cuts open a pumpkin.  She said – throw it on the ground.  Really??… OK.  So I tried it.
Ha! Â Look at that! Â It split in half perfectly, ready to roast! Â And after my previous experiences with pumpkin here, throwing one on the ground with all my might felt very satisfying! Â =)
Oh wow! Thanks! I will be doing this myself from now on!
I’ve even just roasted them whole, then cut into them after they’re cooked. But it could depend on how you’re preparing them, I suppose. 🙂
I had to do that with hubbard squash here in the US. Only way to get into them was with an ax or firmly throw them on the cement.