Use this guide to make shopping for, prepping, and cooking winter squash easier.
It should also feel heavy for its size.
Some squash will naturally have blemishes or bumps on the skin, which are nothing to worry about.
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Storage
You’ll want to store winter squash in a cold, dry, and dark place.
There’s no need to refrigerate hearty winter squash until sliced.
Some cooking applications also lend themselves to peeled squash, like silky smooth soup or puree.
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This means your first order of business when preparing some winter squash, likethick-skinned butternut, is peeling it.
If super tender, like the skin on delicata, it can be eaten along with the flesh.
They’re all fairly similar to cook and work with.
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When working with winter squash, a goodsharp knifeis always imperative.
Prep the squash as described above.
In a saucepan with a steamer insert, bring an inch of water to a boil.
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How To Microwave Winter Squash
you could cook a whole squash with this method.
Before cooking, pierce the skin all over with a fork or knife.
Cook longer at one-minute intervals until tender if needed.
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Flavorwise, it has a mild sweetness, strong nuttiness, and starchiness similar to asweet potato.
Like many winter squash, a sharp knife is needed to slice through the firm flesh.
After that, it’s up to you as to how to cook this versatile variety.
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It’s well-suited to baking, boiling, and steaming, but roasting really concentrates itssweet, nutty flavor.
The “cap” on top should be firm when the fruit is mature and ready to use.
The base of the squash should also have a round ridge, while kabocha will have a button-like base.
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These squash are also significantly sweeter than butternut, hence honey in the name.
The skin is tough and usually discarded after cooking as it’s tough to peel when thesquash is raw.
Inside, the buttery flesh is a golden yellow-orange color.
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Look for dull skin when purchasing, as shine indicates the squash is underripe.
It’s suitable for stuffing, roasting, steaming, and even soup.
It’s delightful just served on its own, slow-roasted, and topped with butter, too.
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you’re able to eat the skin of this vibrant squash or choose to remove it.
Inside, it has deep-orange flesh that is visually reminiscent of pumpkin and has a similar flavor, too.
The flesh is orange and fluffy, which might remind you of a sweet potato.
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This variety is widely used in many Asian cuisines, including Japanese cooking.
This kind of kabocha is distinctly more savory than the closely related red kabocha.
In terms of cooking, opt for squash in the smaller 3- to 5-pound range.
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These squash have thick skins that allow for a long shelf-life of six months or more when properly stored.
It also means they are difficult to peel, so cook them with the skin on.
The squash is ideal for baking and also stuffing, much like acorn squash.
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The flesh is mildly sweet and has a chestnut-like flavor (kurimeans chestnut in Japanese).
On the smaller side, they typically weigh around 3 to 5 pounds but can be slightly larger.
Its flesh is a little drier than other winter squash, and it has a yellow-orange hue.
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It’s well suited for any recipe calling for winter squash and makes for a beautifully smooth squash soup.
It can be served with marinara just like pasta or incorporated into acheesy casserole.
Carnival
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This variety is a hybrid of acorn and sweet dumpling squash.
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After harvesting, the green color slowly fades, leaving only the cream and orange colors behind.
Inside the small squash is a sweet and buttery orange flesh.
Catch them at your local market in early fall through winter like most hearty squash varieties.
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Sugar Pumpkin
This Halloween staple is the stuff that pie dreams are made of.
It’s often used to make the pumpkin puree that we bake up into a custardy dessert every Thanksgiving.
It’s also good for so much more than dessert.
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They can grow to be extremely large, sometimes as long as almost 3 feet.
Inside the flesh is orange, dense, and firm.
When cooked, it’s rich, earthy, and mildly sweet.
This squash can grow to 10 to 15 inches in diameter up to 5 or 6 pounds.
Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center.Winter Squash: Storage Tips.
