Tips on peeling butternut squash

[Rebam98]

Hey all!

I want to make a butternut squash dish for a Thanksgiving potluck. This is the one I have in mind. But ... peeling a bnut squash kind of intimidates me. Does anyone have any tips on how to best peel a bnut squash? The recipe calls for the squash to be cubed so I was figuring I could do one of a couple things. I could try to cut up the uncooked squash and then peel the smaller chunks. This is undesirable because 1) cutting uncooked squash is hard and 2) it sounds way time consuming. I could roast or boil the squash a bit and then peel it but as I understand it, the squash might fall apart on me. Below is a suggestion I found on the internet and I was wondering what anyone thought of it. Also, I haven't bought one yet ... so could anyone recommend a good peeler to use on the squash?

Thanks!

Idea for peeling squash

"Take your squash and put it into a suitably-sized pot. Cover it with water, put the lid on the pot, and bring it to a boil (the steam trapped in the pot will cook whatever portion of the squash is above the surface). Simmer the squash for just a few minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick can penetrate the skin but *just* the skin; roughly 4-5 minutes. Allow the squash to cool. At this point, the skin of the squash is cooked, and so is a tiny bit of the squash under the skin. These are now soft, and can be peeled effortlessly with any regular peeler. You now have a naked squash, ready to dice and prepare in any fashion that appeals to you. This technique is best used with butternut squash, but any other large meaty squash would work too (good luck finding a pot big enough for a banana squash, mind you...). "

 

[Gretchen]

If you want it raw, you can cut it into inch or inch plus "rounds". Then just cut down on the hard peel from the cross-section.

I usually want cooked pureed squash in dishes I am fixing so I halve it, place it cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake it. Then scoop it out.

I saw peeled cutup raw butternut squash in the fresh food section of Costco yesterday.

 

[Andy M.]

If you have a sharp vegetable peeler, just peel it whole and raw as you would a cucumber.

 

[jennyema]

???? I just peel it with a vegetable peeler. It's not that difficult.

 

[Rebam98]

If you want it raw, you can cut it into inch or inch plus "rounds". Then just cut down on the hard peel from the cross-section.

I usually want cooked pureed squash in dishes I am fixing so I halve it, place it cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake it. Then scoop it out.

I saw peeled cutup raw butternut squash in the fresh food section of Costco yesterday.

Thanks!

I was wondering if they had a peeled bnut squash on the market yet ... apparently!

 

[pdswife]

I microwave mine... seems to work.

 

[Gretchen]

???? I just peel it with a vegetable peeler. It's not that difficult.

I have done it whole with a paring knife. My (particular) vegetable peeler wouldn't do it. I find the peel a good bit more hard than a cuke.
I should add that my vegetable peeler is not the very rigid sort--it is on a pivot, so would be hard to use on such a hard peel. I think I know others that probably would do the job.

 

[skilletlicker]

I like to cut them in half with the big bowl on the bottom and the long neck on top. Then I've got a flat side on each piece that will stand alone on the cutting board. This makes it a little safer cut down to the flat end with a good sharp knife. My poteeler doesn't work too well on winter squash.

 

[corazon]

I use a vegetable peeler too. I also wear gloves. Butternut squash is like superglue. I can never seem to get the residue off my hands afterward.

 

[miniman]

I find it depends how long thge squash has been stored. When they are freshly picked, they do seem to peel quite easily with a good vegetable peeler. Otherwise, I am with Gretchen and cut it into quarters for roasting or rounds for dicing, using my biggest kitchen knife. I insert the point in first and then cut down, rather than trying to cut all the skin in one go.

 

[auntieshelly]

I have ten butternuts ready to harvest from my garden next week. I have peeled them with a peeler as most people suggested here, but most of the time I remove the hard outer shell like Gretchen suggested.
I love butternut squash baked, steamed, thinly sliced and sauteed. Butternut squash soup is wonderful and the cooked, mashed squash makes a wonderful pie that I like better than pumpkin pie.
Yesterday I noticed cubed butternut squash, cleaned and ready to cook in the produce section at Trader Joe's.
Good luck with your butternut recipe. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Rebam98]

Thanks everyone ... I bought what I think is a good vegetable peeler and it seemed to work well. I was prepared to boil it a little to get it off but no need to, this time.

The recipe turned out fantastic, IMO. I kept wanting to go back for more anyway. I'm bringing it to a potluck tomorrow so that will be the true test.

Hooray for another vegetable in my recipe arsenal!

 

[Gretchen]

It's a good one. Make a soup with the squash, onion, and apples.