Jerry Rutiz of Rutiz Family Farms carved this red kuri squash for me. It’s almost too pretty to eat!
Sweet, delicious roasted winter squash is one of the delights of the season. And I’ve got an easy way to do it. Forget wrestling to halve and seed a hard, raw gourd. This technique is a simple — and safe! — way to roast any type of winter squash for soups, pies, and more.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Pierce the squash in a few places with a large knife or meat fork, and place it on a baking sheet. Roast it until it’s browned and shiny, beginning to lose its shape, and easily pierced with a knife.
The cooking time will depend on the size and density of the squash, but figure on about 1 hour for a 5-pound squash. The denser the meat and the smaller the seed cavity, the heavier the squash will be for its size. A low-moisture, high-fiber 5-pound kabocha won’t be very large, but will take a while to reach tenderness.
Step 2: When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a long kitchen knife to halve it crosswise. The knife should slide through the pumpkin like butter.
Step 3: Remove the top half, cut side up, to a second baking sheet or cutting board. If the squash is too large or tender to manage this move in one piece, pull the top half off in sections. Scoop out and discard the seeds and strings (or save the seeds for another purpose).
Step 4: Use large spoon to scoop the flesh into a bowl. Use as is, or puree or mash it with a food processor or fork and freeze in convenient 2-cup containers to use throughout the season. You’ll be ready to make My Favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe at a moment’s notice!
Great hints. I’m looking forward to trying them out, but, I thought only the small sugar pumpkins are edible and I wonder if kabocha is available in Michigan. I have always cooked the pierced squash in the microwave in a little water to soften the outer shell, then let it cool enough to cut and scoop. The baked squash looks more appetizing.
Hi Rochelle! The only squashes and pumpkins to avoid are those grown to become jack-o-lanterns! Watery, stringy, yuck! Farmers are growing meaty squashes (pumpkin is a squash), so check out farmstand or farmers’ market near you. I am very sure Ann Arbor FM close to Zingerman’s will have a great choices. The hard squash will keep beautifully on counter as a decoration until you’re ready to roast it. Look for rock hard, heavy for size, and ASK the farmer which one best for cooking. xo
Yes, this is far and away the easiest way to handle squash. Why risk your precious fingers cutting it while hard when it will inevitably become soft and yielding after it’s baked? I LOVE the idea of freezing portions of the cooked squash for later use. I often do that with other things but had never thought about having squash all ready for pie (or soup or other dishes) at a moment’s notice–brilliant!