The Skinny on... Winter Squash

From gigantic to single-serve, in gorgeous shapes and autumn colors, winter squash is one of the season’s great vegetables. Here’s what you need to know about choosing, prepping, cooking and enjoying this cold-weather favorite.

Article By: Mark Scarbrough and Bruce Weinstein

All About Winter Squash
What’s at the Market: Winter squash varieties range from gigantic to modest, family-feeders to meals for two. Size Matters: Large varieties have hard, inedible skins but creamy, soft flesh once cooked. Excellent in stews, gratins, casseroles and vegetable purées (a kind of squash version of mashed potatoes). By contrast, smaller varieties have hard but edible skins once cooked. Their flesh is decidedly sweeter, a bit like a sweet potato. They’re great roasted, stuffed, stewed, steamed or braised. Choosing Squash: You want hard, durable vegetables. Make sure there are no mushy spots; there should be no give to the skin anywhere at all. The stems should be intact, dried, and beige to brown. Storage: Store winter squash in a cool, dry, ventilated spot. It’s best not to refrigerate winter squash unless you live in a hot climate and don’t have a choice — the flesh can lose its aromatic notes in an environment that cold. You can leave a winter squash out as a table centerpiece for 2 weeks and then still cook it, provided the skin hasn’t gone soft.

All About Winter Squash

What’s at the Market: Winter squash varieties range from gigantic to modest, family-feeders to meals for two.
Size Matters: Large varieties have hard, inedible skins but creamy, soft flesh once cooked. Excellent in stews, gratins, casseroles and vegetable purées (a kind of squash version of mashed potatoes). By contrast, smaller varieties have hard but edible skins once cooked. Their flesh is decidedly sweeter, a bit like a sweet potato. They’re great roasted, stuffed, stewed, steamed or braised.
Choosing Squash: You want hard, durable vegetables. Make sure there are no mushy spots; there should be no give to the skin anywhere at all. The stems should be intact, dried, and beige to brown.
Storage: Store winter squash in a cool, dry, ventilated spot. It’s best not to refrigerate winter squash unless you live in a hot climate and don’t have a choice — the flesh can lose its aromatic notes in an environment that cold. You can leave a winter squash out as a table centerpiece for 2 weeks and then still cook it, provided the skin hasn’t gone soft.

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