How Do You Clean Out Butternut Squash

You've grown the squash, now what? Learn how to preserve butternut squash so yous tin bask information technology all year long. This guide covers methods for curing, canning, and freezing, forth with tips and recipes for using your preserved butternut squash.

Butternut squash is delicious and total of vitamins, nutrients, and illness-fighting antioxidants, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, and Calcium to name a few. Preserving your harvest is a great way to enjoy the health benefits of butternut squash all year long. Hither are some tips and recipes for preserving your butternut squash.

Curing Butternut Squash

Curing squash is washed by allowing the squash to dry and the skin to harden. Information technology's an of import procedure you don't want to skip. Past allowing the skin to harden earlier storing the fruit, you are creating a protective barrier that will help keep bacteria from entering the squash and go on your squash from rotting. Information technology'southward well worth the fourth dimension if you program to store your squash over the winter. Just don't worry! It'southward so easy to do and doesn't require any expensive tools or materials!

Before setting out your squash to dry, I recommend washing it in a 4:one solution of h2o and vinegar, then drying with a clean towel. This helps remove leaner living on the skin of the squash that may cause decay.

To cure your squash, you will need to set them in a warm, dry out spot with room around each squash for airflow. If the atmospheric condition is warm and dry out when you harvest, you may but leave the butternut squash to dry exterior in the sunday. If the weather condition is cool or moisture, yous may need to bring the squash indoors. Either style, you will want to identify the squash on a rack to dry or, if not using a rack, turn the squash every few days and then that every part of the squash is exposed to the air during the drying process. Even when using a rack, turn the squash one-half way through the curing process. It's recommended to allow squash to cure for iv weeks before storing.

Storing Your Squash

Afterwards curing your butternut squash for four weeks, the skin should be dry and hard. You can now store the squash in a cool, dry out place. A dry, cool basement or shed usually works well. Just make sure it is frost free and doesn't reach temperatures below freezing or to a higher place 68 degrees F. When storing them, identify them on racks or dry straw, with infinite for airflow betwixt them. Do not stack them on top of each other. This will prevent airflow and may cause your butternut squash to rot. Do not store them near apples or other fruits that emit ethylene gas, which can speed upwardly the aging process. Check them regularly and discard whatever that are going bad.

Depending on the conditions they are stored in, they should keep for at to the lowest degree a few months. I accept butternut squash in my basement right now from 10 months ago that still look really good!

Canning Butternut Squash

I love having canned butternut squash around in the winter. Information technology's a practiced replacement for canned pumpkin in well-nigh recipes and you may non fifty-fifty notice the deviation! When canning butternut squash, it is recommended you can it in chunks rather than canning it every bit a purée. It is difficult to guarantee a recommended pressure and time for canning a purée because the viscosity varies and so much from purée to purée. If the centre of the puree does not reach the needed temperature for the needed amount of fourth dimension to kill unsafe bacteria, the result could be a batch of purée that makes your family very sick, even crusade death.

Don't worry! If you tin can it in chunks using a pressure canner, your family will exist prophylactic. And it's like shooting fish in a barrel to purée the canned squash afterwards, when you're set up to make that pie!

Note: When canning butternut squash, you will demand a pressure level canner. Squash does not take the acidity levels required to safely can in a water bathroom. If you're in the market for a pressure canner, HealthyCanning.com has a great article virtually punch guess vs. weighted guess canners likewise as other good tips for dwelling canning.

Pressure Canning Butternut Squash

Canned butternut squash is a keen replacement for canned pumpkin and a adept way to preserve butternut squash for the winter.

Keyword: Butternut Squash, preservation

Force per unit area Canner
Canning Jars and Lids

Put a large pot of water on the stove to eddy.
Wash the squash. Cut off the stem terminate of the squash, so cut in one-half. Clean out the seeds and strings from the within. Pare the skin using a vegetable peeler or a knife. Cut the squash into 1 inch pieces.
Identify the butternut squash in the boiling water and flinch for 2 minutes. Exist careful to not blanch for besides long. You don't want the squash to get and then soft that it is mushy and falling apart.
Remove the blanched squash from the hot water using a strainer or strainer ladle. Loosely pack the hot squash cubes into jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Encompass with boiling h2o, still leaving 1 inch of headspace. Remove any bubbles by popping them. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and add the lids.
Procedure at eleven lbs. pressure punch guess; 10 lbs. pressure level weighted approximate (pints 70 minutes; quarts 90 minutes). Consult your possessor's manual for recommended lbs. of pressure if canning to a higher place 2,000 feet altitude.

How to Use Canned Butternut Squash:

Use canned butternut squash in any recipes calling for canned or puréed pumpkin. When puréeing canned butternut squash to utilise in recipes, make certain to bleed all the liquid from the jar offset. If you don't drain the liquid, your purée will be too watery. Try some of these recipes with your canned squash:

Butternut Squash Muffins

Butternut Squash Pie from The Spruce Eats

Freezing Butternut Squash

When freezing butternut squash, you have several options. Butternut squash can be frozen raw and used in soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and other dishes, including dishes calling for roasted butternut squash. Cooked butternut squash can also be frozen every bit cubes or equally a purée and used in soups, pies, muffins, and other recipes calling for puréed butternut squash.

Notation: Kris Bordessa at Accessible Sustainable has some bang-up tips for freezing in stonemason jars if you are looking for ways to preserve your food without plastic!

Method 1: Freezing Raw

Freezing Raw Butternut Squash

Freezing raw butternut squash gives you versatility when cooking with it later. Information technology tin be roasted, boiled, and puréed, and used in soups, casseroles, salads, and baked goods.

Launder the squash. Cut off the stem end of the squash, then cut in half. Clean out the seeds and strings from the inside. Peel the skin using a vegetable peeler or a knife. Cut the squash into 1 inch pieces.
Spread the squash cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving room for airflow between cubes. Place in freezer.
Later on squash is frozen, move information technology to an closed, freezer-safety container.

If the frozen squash is stuck to the blistering sheet, but give it a couple of minutes and endeavour again. Information technology should come right off.

Frozen squash is dandy for soups, stews, casseroles, even salads. You can roast it straight out of the freezer for recipes calling for roasted butternut squash. Or, you can boil it and purée information technology for recipes calling for butternut squash or pumpkin purée. Here are a few recipes to endeavor with your frozen butternut squash:

Method two: Freezing Cooked Butternut Squash

Freezing Cooked Butternut Squash

Freezing cooked butternut squash has the do good of a shorter cook fourth dimension later when using it in recipes. It can be frozen in cubes or as a purée.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the skin of the butternut squash with a fork in several places. Place the whole butternut squash on a baking sheet and roast for an hour, until the squash is tender and can be hands pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool.
When the butternut squash is cool enough to touch, cut off the stem stop of the squash and remove the skin. It should easily pare off. Cutting the squash in half and remove the strings and seeds. Cut into i inch cubes.

Option 1: Freeze in Cubes

Lay out the squash cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Make sure they are spread out to allow airflow. Identify in the freezer.
When squash is completely frozen, move to an closed, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer.

Option 2: Freeze Purée

Identify roasted butternut squash into a blender and purée until smoothen.
Identify purée into a freezer-rubber container for freezing or scoop spoonfuls onto a baking canvass to quick-freeze small amounts. Afterward quick-freezing, place the frozen squash into a freezer-safe container for storage.

For freezing small amounts of purée, effort using an ice cube tray or muffin tins.

How to Use Frozen Butternut Squash:

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Muffins

Honey Garlic Butternut Squash from ifoodreal.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad from Oh She Glows

Chipotlé Butternut Squash Chili from Little Spice Jar

Do you lot have any tips for preserving butternut squash? Please share with united states in the comments below!

3 Methods for Preserving Butternut Squash

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