winter squash-how to get into?
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patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
For Hubbard squash I have repeatedly been told, and read, that the best method (safer than an axe) is to drop the thing out of a second-story window, or off a very tall deck, onto a hard surface. Once it is opened that way, you can use a big ol' knife or whatever to whack up smaller.
For normal non-bombproof non-giant winter squashes, I use a great big ol' knife, get it started as best I can with the MIDDLE of the knife blade, then grab something heavy and unbreakable (usually a large can of storeboughten tomatoes, but have used a brick too) and whack it onto the end of the knife to hammer the knife further into the squash. (Not banging on the pointy tip, I mean, but banging on the 'spine' of the knife -- the part of it that is still sticking out of the squash while the middle of the knife is embedded in it, you know?)
This is not perhaps the VERY kindest thing to do to a knife, but I have yet to damage or break one despite doing this fairly regularly, and it WORKS
Once you've got it cut in two pieces, it's much easier to make further cuts.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
Pat
For normal non-bombproof non-giant winter squashes, I use a great big ol' knife, get it started as best I can with the MIDDLE of the knife blade, then grab something heavy and unbreakable (usually a large can of storeboughten tomatoes, but have used a brick too) and whack it onto the end of the knife to hammer the knife further into the squash. (Not banging on the pointy tip, I mean, but banging on the 'spine' of the knife -- the part of it that is still sticking out of the squash while the middle of the knife is embedded in it, you know?)
This is not perhaps the VERY kindest thing to do to a knife, but I have yet to damage or break one despite doing this fairly regularly, and it WORKS
Once you've got it cut in two pieces, it's much easier to make further cuts.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
Pat
Ridgerunner
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My wife does not cut open a winter squash. I do. They can be a real challenge. She just does not have the body strength. I'm the one that cooks them anyway. And I don't do the big Hubbards. The Baby Blue Hubbards, yes, but not the big ones.
I use the largest kitchen knife we have. I don't use anything to pound on the knife but I can certainly understand why you would. (Pat, seems like a big wooden mallet would be kinder to the knife and you'd get less brick dust) Depending on the size and shape of the squash, I usually can get the knife point in to get it started, then situate the knife in the cut so I can push down carefully with two hands. I consider it dangerous. The squash can slip and you could easily seriously hurt yourself.
After it is split in two, I take a spoon and scrape out the seeds. I used to then peel it with a smaller knife after cutting it into smaller strips. Pat is right. It is a lot easier to cut once you make that initial cut. But after cutting my thumb trying to peel that hard shell off, I now put some water in a pan, put the squash cut down on the pan, and bake it until it is soft. Then I either cut or scrape the squash out or turn the squash over, put butter and brown sugar on it, maybe with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and bake it a few more minutes to melt the butter and let the flavor work its magic.
I feed the seeds to my chickens. They supposedly contain a substance that is a natural wormer. It does not kill the worms and totally eliminate them, but it causes many of them to turn loose of the intestinal walls and be expelled from the body. Not supposed to be any required withdrawal period for the eggs or meat either.
I have been known to use an ax on squash that are going straight to the chickens, usually a squash with a worm hole in it. Considering what else I do with that ax, I'm not sure I'd want to use it directly on my food.
I use the largest kitchen knife we have. I don't use anything to pound on the knife but I can certainly understand why you would. (Pat, seems like a big wooden mallet would be kinder to the knife and you'd get less brick dust) Depending on the size and shape of the squash, I usually can get the knife point in to get it started, then situate the knife in the cut so I can push down carefully with two hands. I consider it dangerous. The squash can slip and you could easily seriously hurt yourself.
After it is split in two, I take a spoon and scrape out the seeds. I used to then peel it with a smaller knife after cutting it into smaller strips. Pat is right. It is a lot easier to cut once you make that initial cut. But after cutting my thumb trying to peel that hard shell off, I now put some water in a pan, put the squash cut down on the pan, and bake it until it is soft. Then I either cut or scrape the squash out or turn the squash over, put butter and brown sugar on it, maybe with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and bake it a few more minutes to melt the butter and let the flavor work its magic.
I feed the seeds to my chickens. They supposedly contain a substance that is a natural wormer. It does not kill the worms and totally eliminate them, but it causes many of them to turn loose of the intestinal walls and be expelled from the body. Not supposed to be any required withdrawal period for the eggs or meat either.
I have been known to use an ax on squash that are going straight to the chickens, usually a squash with a worm hole in it. Considering what else I do with that ax, I'm not sure I'd want to use it directly on my food.
journey11
Garden Master
I use a very sharp butcher knife (think that's what it's called--short, thick blade). I lay the squash on a cutting board and stab the knife into the middle of it (trying to line up to cut it in nice halves). Then I push down the knife blade to one side, rotate the squash and press down again, and again, just letting it follow its own course, until I've cut it along the "equator". The knife blade is buried in the squash the whole time, so I don't worry about hurting myself and I can press as hard as needed.
For butternut squash, you can also just peel them with a veggie peeler first, then they'll be a bit easier to cut up.
For butternut squash, you can also just peel them with a veggie peeler first, then they'll be a bit easier to cut up.
dragonlaurel
Attractive To Bees
Machetes work.
I've also used a butcher knife and started it with the tip.
I've also used a butcher knife and started it with the tip.
hoodat
Garden Addicted
I have one of those big oriental steamers. I just put the squash in it and steam it for awhile. The skin is easier to split after that. If you're on good terms with your grocer you can ask them to take it in back and split it for you. Most will be glad to do it. For them it's an everyday thing.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Oh, there is another strategy you can use for "borderline" squashes that don't quite need you to pound on the knife but are still real hard to cut:
Get the knife in as well as you can by normal pushing -- again, get the *middle* of the knife blade into the squash, so the end is still exposed -- then turn the whole thing upside down and wham it carefully against the edge of the kitchen counter, hitting the spine of the far end of the knife against the counter. (It helps if you have old and dented countertops already LOL but I've never done noticeable damage). The momentum of the squash itself will help force it down further onto the blade, til the knife is about 3/4 through and then you can return it to its normal position on the cuttingboard and finish with a good final push.
Ridgerunner, I don't actually have a wooden mallet in the kitchen, I use a brick in a recycled baggie from the brand of tortillas we buy. I realize that is probably not how most people do things, but a brick in a bag really flattens the bejeebers out of a pork cutlet or whatever
Pat
Get the knife in as well as you can by normal pushing -- again, get the *middle* of the knife blade into the squash, so the end is still exposed -- then turn the whole thing upside down and wham it carefully against the edge of the kitchen counter, hitting the spine of the far end of the knife against the counter. (It helps if you have old and dented countertops already LOL but I've never done noticeable damage). The momentum of the squash itself will help force it down further onto the blade, til the knife is about 3/4 through and then you can return it to its normal position on the cuttingboard and finish with a good final push.
Ridgerunner, I don't actually have a wooden mallet in the kitchen, I use a brick in a recycled baggie from the brand of tortillas we buy. I realize that is probably not how most people do things, but a brick in a bag really flattens the bejeebers out of a pork cutlet or whatever
Pat
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hoodat
Garden Addicted
I misread your post at first and thought you said you hit it with the tortillas you buy. I was about to suggest you find another source for your tortillas.patandchickens said:Oh, there is another strategy you can use for "borderline" squashes that don't quite need you to pound on the knife but are still real hard to cut:
Get the knife in as well as you can by normal pushing -- again, get the *middle* of the knife blade into the squash, so the end is still exposed -- then turn the whole thing upside down and wham it carefully against the edge of the kitchen counter, hitting the spine of the far end of the knife against the counter. (It helps if you have old and dented countertops already LOL but I've never done noticeable damage). The momentum of the squash itself will help force it down further onto the blade, til the knife is about 3/4 through and then you can return it to its normal position on the cuttingboard and finish with a good final push.
Ridgerunner, I don't actually have a wooden mallet in the kitchen, I use a brick in a recycled baggie from the brand of tortillas we buy. I realize that is probably not how most people do things, but a brick in a bag really flattens the bejeebers out of a pork cutlet or whatever
Pat
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Good tips! Have lots of butternuts and little sphagetti squash ripening. just bought veg.and flower seed from Dollar General marked down to 17 cents to freeze for later including some other types of squashes. I'm still wondering, seriously, if anyone uses an alcohol cleaned hacksaw or bandsaw. Can anyone think of a reason not to?
