Winter Squash Ed

WO1052
FOOD PRESERVATION SERIES
Winter Squash
Michigan-grown winter squash is available September through November.
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
Acorn, Banana, Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Delicious, Hubbard, Spaghetti are recommended for freezing.
FOOD SAFETY TIPS

Purchase squash with stems that are not shriveled, blackened or moist. Keep separate from meat, poultry and seafood products. Keep squash away from raw meat so that meat juices do not contaminate it Keep in the refrigerator, away from raw meat so that meat juices do not contaminate it. Wash hands before and after handling fresh produce. Scrub winter squash with a vegetable brush using cool running water before cooking and cutting. Do not use soap or detergent. Use a separate cutting board for vegetables, and keep away from raw meat, poultry and seafood Follow standardized procedures recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture for home canning.
types of winter squash

Acorn squash is round and dark green or orange on the outside. It is ideal for baking and goes well with sweet, nutty or spicy stuffing. Buttercup squash has a hard shell turban-like shape and sweeter than other varieties. It can be baked, steamed and a substitute for sweet potato. Butternut squash is pear-shaped and a creamy yellow to tan color. It is perfect for mashing. Hubbard squash grows very large and is often sold cut into pieces. After cooking, it mashes well and can be used in breads, muffins, pancakes, or soups. Spaghetti squash is oblong and a creamy yellow on the outside. The inside is stringy and mild flavored. It can be served like pasta.
hOW TO STORE
Do not wash squash before storing. Store whole winter squash in a cool (45 to 50 oF), dry place. If stored properly, most varieties will keep up to 3 months. Store cut squash in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Use cut squash within a week. Canned squash is best if consumed within a year and safe as long as lids remain vacuum sealed.
yield
One pound 1 large acorn squash. 4 half-cup servings. 1 cups mashed squash 1 small acorn squash 2 half-cup servings. 3 pounds of winter 2 pints canned. squash 10 pounds canner load of 9 pints 16 pounds canner load of 7 quarts
QUICK AND EASY SERVING TIPS

Top baked acorn squash with salt and pepper or applesauce and cinnamon. Mash butternut squash with a small amount of butter or margarine and brown sugar. Top spaghetti squash with a little butter or margarine or your favorite pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese.
cut side down, in the dish. Pierce squash several times with a knife. Microwave on high power for 6 to 7 minutes. Rotate baking dish and microwave another 6 to 7 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Note: Microwave cooking times are provided as a guide. Cooking times vary because of differences in microwave ovens. Check product often for desired doneness.
Bake. All winter squash varieties bake well. Whole Squash Scrub squash and pierce several times with a sharp knife. Place in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees F, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 to 60 minutes. If winter squash is baked with other foods or at a lower temperature, increase baking time. Halved or Cut Squash Scrub and cut squash in half or into pieces. Remove seeds and strings unless its spaghetti squash. For spaghetti squash, the strings are the squash. Put a small amount of water in a baking dish (about 1/4 inch deep). Put halves or pieces in the baking dish, cut side down. Bake uncovered at 350 o F, until tender, about 45 minutes. Steam. Steaming works well for cut pieces. Scrub squash and cut in half or into pieces. Put 1 to 2 inches of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Put squash pieces into a steamer basket. Place steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam until tender, about 12 to 20 minutes. Larger pieces of squash take longer to cook.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 40 Calories; 0 grams (g.) fat; 0 milligrams (mg.) cholesterol; 0 mg. Sodium; 2 g Dietary fiber
recipe Squash-Apple Casserole

2 cups winter squash, such as acorn, butternut or hubbard 1 cups cooking apples, such as Macintosh, Granny Smith or Rome teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1. Wash and prepare squash and apples (for extra fiber, do not peel apples). 2. Alternate layers of squash and apples in an 8x8 inch pan; layer last with apples. 3. Sprinkle spices over top layer. 4. Cover with aluminum foil. 5. Bake at 350 oF for 45-60 minutes, until squash is tender.
how to prepare
Most varieties can be substituted for each other in recipes, with the exception of spaghetti squash. Microwave Scrub whole squash (such as an acorn squash). Pierce several times with a knife. Microwave on high power for 6 to 7 minutes. Rotate squash and turn over. Microwave another 6 to 7 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Baking time varies, depending upon size of squash. Or, scrub squash and cut in half. Remove seeds and strings. Put about inch of water in a microwave-safe baking dish. Put squash halves,
how to preserve
FREEZING WINTER SQUASH Scrub and cut squash into cooking-size pieces and remove seeds. Cook until soft in boiling water, in steam, or in a pressure cooker, or bake in an oven until soft. Remove pulp from rind and mash (do not mash spaghetti squash; leave it in strings). Cool quickly by putting pan with squash in cold water and stir occasionally to speed cooling. Put cooled squash in freezer con-tainers leaving
inch headspace. Seal, label, date and freeze. Use frozen squash within 8 to 12 months for best quality. For spaghetti squash, mashing the cooked pulp is not necessary. Do not freeze more than one quart (2 to 3 pounds) of food per cubic foot of freezer capacity per day. One cubic foot will hold 30 quarts of food. CANNING WINTER SQUASH PRESSURE CANNING IS THE ONLY SAFE METHOD FOR CANNING WINTER SQUASH due to its low acid content. Scrub squash, remove seeds, cut into 1-inch slices and peel. Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. Add to a saucepan of boiling water and boil 2 minutes. Caution: do not mash or puree. Fill clean canning jars with cubes, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Fill jar to 1 inch from top with boiling hot cooking liquid. Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims. Seal, label and process using the recommended general pres-sure canner directions and process times (Table 1).
T a b l e 1 . R e c o m m e n d e d p r o c e s s t im e f o r W i n t e r S q u a s h i n a d ia l- g a u g e p r e s s u r e c a n n e r . C a n n e r P re s s u re (P S I*) a t A ltit u d e s o f S ty le of Pack Hot Jar S iz e P ro c e s s T im e 0 2 ,0 0 0 ft 1 1 lb 11 2 ,0 0 1 4 ,0 0 0 ft 1 2 lb 12 4 ,0 0 1 6 ,0 0 0 ft 1 3 lb 13 6 ,0 0 1 8 ,0 0 0 ft 1 4 lb 14
REPROCESSING If after 12 to 24 hours the lid is unsealed, replace the jar if defective, use a new lid and a screw band, and REPROCESS. Dump out the squash and liquid into a pan, reheat until boiling, and fill hot jars with squash and liquid, leaving 1 inch headspace. Follow the recommended times (Tables 1 and 2).
further information
Food Domain Website http://fooddomain.msu.edu/ National Center for Home Preservation http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html So Easy to Preserve 5th ed. 2006. Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. http://www.uga.edu/setp/ Safe Handling of Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juices http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html Food Stamp Nutrition Connection Recipe Finder http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/ index.php?mode=display&rec_id=30
This bulletin replaces E- 2663 Using, Storage and Preserving SeriesWinter Squash (Michigan State University Extension, 1990)
P in ts Q u a rts
5 5 m in 90
Table 2. Recom m ended process tim e for W inter Squash in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. Canner Pressure (PSI*) at Altitudes of Style of Pack Hot Jar Size Process Tim e 55 m in 90 0 - 1,000 ft 10 lb 10 Above 1,000 ft 15 lb 15
Pints Q uarts
*PSI pounds per square inch Source: National Center for Home Preservation http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html
Revised By Lillian Occea-Po, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Dept. of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Michigan State University Development of this material was funded by USDAs Food Stamp Program.
Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. MSU is an affirmativeaction, equal-opportunity employer. Copyright 2006 by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees. Family and Consumer Sciences grants permission to use this publication for educational purposes only with credit given to MSU. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
10/06
Designed by: Boboy Po
Reviewers: Sue Shenk & Chris Venema, Extension Educators

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WO1052

FOOD PRESERVATION SERIES

FOOD SAFETY TIPS

types of winter squash

QUICK AND EASY SERVING TIPS

recipe Squash-Apple Casserole

Designed by: Boboy Po

Reviewers: Sue Shenk & Chris Venema, Extension Educators

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