Tricks To Peeling Butternut Squash

For those who love them, winter squashes are the best thing about the onset of cold weather. Each fall, as the nights cool and the leaves begin to turn, supermarkets and farmers markets alike begin to fill with colorful, tasty winter squashes. Butternut squash is especially popular with many cooks because of its flavor, keeping qualities and small seed cavity. However, it can be difficult to peel.

Conventional Peeling

Many cookbooks and university extension websites blithely describe butternut squash as a thin-skinned variety, which they are; and therefore easy to peel, which they are not. The traditional approach to peeling a butternut is to use your very sharpest paring knife or peeler, and hack at a whole or cut up squash until you've either peeled it or decided to bake it with the peel on, after all. There are easier ways to do it, but the conventional method will work if you work patiently and methodically.

Conventional Method in Detail

The easiest way to peel the squash conventionally is to cut it into pieces. It's very firm in texture, so you'll need a heavy-bladed knife or cleaver. First, sever the seed cavity from the thick neck of the squash by cutting it crosswise, just above its rounded "belly." Turn the seed cavity onto its cut side, and cut it vertically into horseshoe shaped 1-inch pieces. Slice the neck into 1-inch rounds. Use your sharpest paring knife or a good Swiss-style peeler, the Y-shaped variety, to remove the skin from the edge of each strip.

Boiling Water Method

Like tomatoes, a squash is easier to peel if you blanch it in boiling water to soften and loosen the skin. Begin by putting your squash into a large pot. Run enough water into the pot to cover the squash completely, then take the squash back out of the pot. Bring the water to a boil, and put the squash back in. Blanch it for four to five minutes, then remove it from the boiling water and rinse it with cold water. Once it's cool enough to handle, peel it whole or in pieces with your peeler. The skin will remove easily.

Microwave Method

You can also use a microwave oven to loosen the skin of your squash. Prick the skin in several places with a fork, for steam to escape. For an average 2- to 3-pound butternut squash, microwave on high for six to eight minutes, until the skin is shiny and you're beginning to smell squash. Rinse the squash under cold running water until it's cool enough to handle, then peel it whole or in pieces with your peeler or paring knife.