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Cooking Winter Squash

There are several methods that can be used to cook winter squash. Some of the more common methods are shown below.

Boiled

Steamed

Baked

Microwaved

Grilled

 

Tips

  When baking, add butter and brown sugar to the cavity for a sweeter taste.

  To remove some of the moisture from the squash before cooking, sprinkle the raw flesh with salt, place cavity side down on a couple of layers of paper towels and allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes. The salt will draw the moisture out and the paper towel will absorb it. Rinse with cold water before cooking.

  To remove fibers from fibrous squash, whip cooked squash with an electric mixer. The fibers will be caught up in the mixer blades.

  The skin on the squash will be easier to remove after the squash is cooked.

Boiled

Boiling is not recommended because of the tendency of the squash to become watery and lose flavor, but it can be done using one of the following methods:

Method #1:

1. To boil an uncut, unpeeled squash, pierce the skin in several places with the tip of a sharp knife.
2. Place it in a large pot and add water until squash is covered.
3. Bring water to a boil and continue to cook, covered, at a medium boil for up to 1 hour.
4. The squash is done if tender when poked with a fork.

Method #2:

1. Cut squash into pieces that are approximately 3/4 inch square.
2. Place in a pan with just a little water.
3. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes or just until it is tender. Do not overcook.

Steamed

Steaming is a good method to use for cooking winter squash.

1. Cut squash in half, quarters, slices, or pieces and season as desired.
2. Place squash on steamer rack in a saucepan and cook over boiling water.
3. Cooking time may vary from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the freshness and type of squash and the size pieces being steamed.

Baked

Cut squash in half and remove seeds and stringy fibers as shown in Winter Squash Preparation.

1.  Place squash halves, cut side down in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet. Pierce the skin several times to prevent the squash from exploding while it is baking.
2.  Place the squash in an oven preheated to 350°F. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3.  Check squash for doneness by poking with a fork in the thickest part of the squash. Squash should be tender when pierced. The longer the squash is baked the more water that will evaporate from the squash, making the squash sweeter in taste.
4.  When done, scrape the cooked squash away from the skin and place in a bowl.
5.  After all the squash is removed from the skin, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter and season to taste. The amount of butter will vary according to the size of the squash and personal taste.
6.  Mash the squash with a fork until the butter is well blended. If necessary, warm squash in the microwave or place it bake in the oven for a short time so it will be hot when it is served. 7.  Instead of mashing the squash it could be left on the skin, cut into wedges and then brushed with melted butter. Then sprinkled with salt, pepper and brown sugar.

Microwaved

When cooking squash in the microwave, cooking times will vary according to the strength of the microwave being used.

1.  Cut squash in half and remove seeds and stringy fibers as shown above in squash preparation. Pierce the skin in several places on each half to prevent the squash from exploding while it is cooking.
2.  Place the squash in a glass bowl with cut sides facing the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a vent on one edge for the steam to escape.
3.  Place in the microwave and cook on high for 10 to 20 minutes. Poke squash with a fork to check for desired tenderness. If not done, place back in the microwave on high again and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Check again for doneness.
4.  While the squash is cooking, prepare a glaze consisting of 1 1/2 tbsp. of butter, 1 1/2 tbsp. of brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Heat the mixture until the butter and sugar are well combined and it has begun to thicken. Place cooked squash on a cookie sheet with cut side up and drizzle glaze on the edges and in the cavity of the squash halves.
5.  Place under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes until the glaze has caramelized. Cut into smaller serving sizes if necessary and serve while hot.

Grilled

Because of the dense, hard flesh that winter squash has, it is best to partial cook it before grilling. Follow the preparation instructions in Winter Squash Preparation for partial cooking and then peeling the squash.

1.  Once the squash has been peeled, cut in half and seeded, cut it into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
2.  Place the squash pieces on metal skewers and brush with melted butter.
3.  Place the squash on the grill over indirect high heat. Cook with the hood down for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once through cooking time.
4.  Check squash for doneness by poking with a fork. Squash should be tender when pierced.
5.  When done, remove squash from the grill and brush with a mixture of 1/4 cup melted butter and 2 tablespoons of honey. Serve while warm.