Each fall I can’t wait for winter squash. It’s so yummy and delicious. Butternut is my favorite, but only because it’s much easier to prepare than acorn squash. Until last night.
Last night I made this delicious recipe. I substituted acorn squash for the pumpkin, and was once again faced with the challenge of peeling the squash. And I finally figured this out.
First halve the squash and remove the seeds. Cut a small slice off the bottom of the squash so it can sit on your cutting board. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel from the ridges.
Cut a wedge off the squash, slicing through the, um… valley? Crease? Valley – we’ll go with valley.
Now you have a nice wedge that you can turn and finish peeling.
Before slicing off another wedge, peel the exposed edge that was left on the half-squash. Then, slice through the valley again and repeat on the next wedge.
I can’t believe it’s taken me all these years to figure this out. But now that I have, acorn squash just moved up a notch in the favorite winter squash category.
The Lazy Homesteader 
I think you’ve just changed my world. Seriously. My acorns languish in their storage space all winter because I dread peeling them so much. Even though they’re so delicious. I can’t wait to try this.
Eureka!
I may go back to planting acorn squash next year!
Ive not tried acorn squash. Youve just made my new adventure easier. Thanx for sharing 🙂
Hmmmm, Not sure why you are peeling. All my squash and pie pumpkins are baked and then the insides scrap right off the skin for me to use or freeze for later use.
Because we find lots of uses for squash. That pumpkin coconut curry recipe, for example. Or we throw them in one pot meals in the dutch oven with other winter veggies – potatoes, onions, carrots or parsnips, mushrooms and rosemary. MMmmm…
I usually just cut them in half, put some butter and sugar/honey or herbs in the center and bake them – thanks for the great idea!
I was taught to peel them this way by my grandmother back in the 70’s… And something else works great too. Boil/steam them for about 10 mins first,, then cool and peel-super easy.. :).
My grand ma taught me this also cut each ridge, section then peel. But I usually put most of my hard skinned veggies in boiling water, cool and then the peel comes off easily, just like she taught me with the tomatoes. Thanks for the info, great sight.
OMG. I almost decided to pitch them because they were sitting here over a week and I was dreading cutting them. Oh how I love GOOGLE! lol
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Thank you so much. I’ve been cooking for 44 years(!!!), and never figured this out. As above, I would
just avoid or sub butternut. Love it.
Reblogged this on Letters from Marseille and commented:
THis is better than anything I can post about food today (Unless I make my great pasta, which is not mine, it’s the Italian guy’s at the market) but first read this cool way to peel squash and happy SQUASHING – as it’s FAL BABY!
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I think I’m tired, haven’t had my coffee yet, and the prospect of peeling my 2 acorn squashes makes me want to return to bed, lol. 20 “ridges” to peel in total…
I will give this a try. I confess, I do not like squash reduced to puree or “mush” so this appeals!