Although available in many areas year-round, prime season for acorn squash is early fall through winter. Squash is one of the easiest vegetables to digest, is low in calories, and makes a nutritious, filling dish. It's difficult to judge an acorn squash by its outward appearance so you will need to test the vegetable by its weight and skin texture. It should feel heavy for its size with smooth, dull skin and absolutely no soft spots.
Harvested when fully ripe, the average acorn squash weighs from one to three pounds; any larger and you risk getting a dry, stringy squash. When comparing, be aware that a lighter weight acorn squash has lost moisture through the skin and will be drier. Look for some partial orange on the skin as a sign of maturity.
On the other hand, too much orange coloring on the skin indicates an overripe squash which will be dry and stringy. A good balance between green and orange coloring is optimum. Shiny skin indicates it was picked before fully mature unless the producer has applied wax. Winter squash will last up to a month in a cool 50 to 55 F dark cellar or storage area, but only about two weeks in the refrigerator. Ideally, only cut or cooked acorn squash should be refrigerated; they will suffer chill damage at temperatures below 50 F.
Dry, hot air will cause loss of moisture, resulting in a shorter shelf life. Squash with a bit of the stem still intact will help slow down moisture loss. Plan on using acorn squash within two weeks of purchase, since you never know how long it has already been in storage and under what conditions. If you grow your own, you have more control and thus a longer storage time two to three months. Once cut, wrap raw pieces in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and use within four days. Acorn squash is easy to prepare for cooking: The simplest prep involves splitting the squash in two with a sharp knife, and then scooping out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
If a recipe calls for cubes, turn the squash half flesh side down and slice into rings, then cut away the peel with a knife. Once cut and cleaned, a half acorn squash can be baked in the oven at degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes. Chef John's Baked Acorn Squash. Check out this technique, which involves scoring the squash to let the orange-maple glaze soak in. Alternately, you can cook it in the microwave by placing it cut side down in a microwave-safe dish with an inch of water and heating for approximately 10 minutes, or until tender.
Finally, to grill acorn squash, wrap squash halves tightly with tin foil and cook over low flames until tender. Browse dozens of delicious acorn squash recipes! How to Cook Acorn Squash. Pin FB Share. Acorn Squash. Photo by Meredith. The best is to store them for winter and then use them for soups and stews as fillers. Acorn squash can get easily frozen, but you need to remove its skin using a potato peeler and then cut it into pieces before freezing.
The size of the details depends upon your choice. You must clean it from the inside by removing its seeds. Make sure no air is in the bag or box—seal acorn squash before freezing. If acorn squash is steamed, it can be frozen. You can refrigerate freshly cooked acorn squash for up to four days. If we make acorn squash soup and then freeze it, yes, it freezes great!
But thaw in the fridge a night before you want to serve it to your guest or before having it. Acorn squash mainly lasts approximately two months. If stored at a normal room temperature, it will last about one to two months.
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