Howdy, gardeners. Today we're talking about a personal favorite of mine - butternut squash!
I really dig butternut, and always have a ton of them diced up in my freezer. I go a little crazy growing it, but it's such a hearty and filling staple that I can never get enough of.
Plus it's got tons of great vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium, dense calories and plenty of fiber.
Alright picture this: golden butternut squash, harvested straight from your garden. Except instead of going bad in a couple weeks like grocery store squash, it keeps for months and months after the season ends.
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I'm talking about the magic of squash curing, my friend!
We're going to look at how to cure butternut squash here for ultimate storage-readiness, and equally important - the most supreme scrumptiousness.
What Is Butternut Curing?
Curing is a time-honored technique that ensures your butternut squash reaches its full potential!
When you leave your squash to mature on the vine and go through the natural curing process, it undergoes its alchemical transformation. The squash's skin toughens, its sugars intensify, and it becomes more robust.
Crucially, the moist inner pulp also dries out so the squash isn't so wet inside.
This combo is the key to that longer shelf life and enhanced flavor.
Grocery store squash is not cured, which is super lame. Good luck keeping it on your counter for months. Fat chance!
I've gotten 6 months out of a cured butternut squash at room temp in my kitchen, though, and my kitchen is 80F. Who knows how long those puppies would have gone in a 50F basement or root cellar!
That's some long shelf-life. Curing is what gives that VIP treatment to your squash, which you spent so much time and effort growing.
The extra little bit of patience for curing is crucial here, so don't rush things.
Butternut Squash Curing Process
Let those butternut squash cure right where they grew, on the vine for a couple weeks after you start eyeing them for picking.
Mama Nature has hooked us up with the perfect curing enviro for our squash. By simply leaving them in the field and exercising some patience, you're harnessing the power of the natural curing process.
Let the squash hang out in the sun as the vine completely dies back and turns brown. Watch closely as the vine dies back - this is the natural drying and hardening process.
The vine is pulling moisture from the center of the squash out, and is the only way for moisture to leave the squash. For this reason, it's important to leave it connected to the vine in order to cure if you plan to store the squash long-term.
One thing to ensure is that they have adequate air circulation. Try to space your squash out and avoid overcrowding.
Consider picking squash up off the ground and putting something under them if you didn't grow them vertically. This will keep the soil critters from chewing on them. Make sure the soil isn't TOO moist under each squash. Sometimes growing squash vertically here can prevent any soft spots from soil contact. I also find that positioning my squash on the sand outside of my plots allows them to stay attached to the vine, while staying dry.
If you need to, you can put a piece of wood, a plastic lid, a plate or even a few layers of cardboard underneath any squash that are resting on very wet soil. This will help prevent them from rotting.
During this curing phase, you'll notice a transformation of the squash's skin. It will gradually develop a lovely golden tan color, indicating that the curing process is taking place.
The hardest part is to resist the temptation to pick or move them prematurely. If they snap off the vine, they won't cure as well.
The moisture is being wicked out of them through the vines, so it's important to be delicate if you move them.
Just leave them be for now, letting their inner moisture be slowly pulled out through the drying vine.
Patience Is Key for Butternut Curing
As a regenerative gardener, patience is perhaps our most important garden tool.
The curing process requires exercising a bit of that patience, but trust me, the rewards are worth it!
Minor blemishes or scratches may heal and seal during this time, ensuring the squash's longevity in storage.
After the vine has withered away completely, it is still pulling moisture out of the squash. Hang onto that patience for just a couple more weeks while the butternut squash cures and becomes ready for harvest.
After an extra couple weeks on the brown dried vines, it's time to check out the squash and see if they're ready.
Give them a gentle tap; if the sound resonates with a hollow tone, congratulations, you've reached the butternut squash pinnacle!
Harvesting Butternut for Long-Term Storage
When the fruits have reached full maturity and the vine has completely withered, turned brown, and died back, wait 2 weeks as mentioned above.
After 2 weeks of time to lounge around in the field and slowly cure, now's the time to grab those shears and harvest your butternut squash.
During those 2 weeks the moisture was slowly wicking out of the squash from the inside out through the vine. If we hadn't allowed it to cure, the inside would be wet. That's not good for storage. Problem solved, though!
I used some 3.5" polyester trellis netting on T-posts above and was extremely surprised by just how many butternut squash it will hold up off the ground.
I had 60+ lbs of them all hanging from it!
Squash Is Ready for Storage
Congrats to ya! Your butternut squash has undergone its incredible transformation and is now ready to take its place in your pantry or root cellar (or as a holiday decoration on your mantle).
Its skin should be hard and firmly attached to the flesh. Give it a gentle tap; if it sounds hollow, jackpot!
Store your cured butternut squash in a cool, dark, dry place with good ventilation. A temperature of around 50 to 55F (10 to 13C) is ideal for long-term storage.
I've had cured butternut last 6 months months at 80F in a warm house, but I don't personally recommend it. Cooler temps are better for longer storage.
Wrapping Up...
Et Voila! You now possess the knowledge to unlock the full potential of your butternut squash harvest. Use it wisely.
By allowing your squash to cure on the vine, you are treating yourself to a truly remarkable experience - a flavor-packed delight that can be savored for months to come!
By growing food locally, organically, and in harmony with the planet, we can rebuild our soils, green the desert, sequester carbon, and play our part in saving our precious home.
Don't forget to save some butternut squash seeds for planting next season, and then roast and salt the rest just like pumpkin seeds.
I love butternut squash seeds in my granola personally, and of course they make the perfect topping for butternut squash soup.
Happy curing, all ya gardeners. May your butternut squash harvests be so bountiful that they overflow onto all your neighbors porches.
P.S. - Butternut squash are really dang good when roasted with turnips, beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips!
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