skip to main content

Can you freeze raw winter squash?

2 years ago

I don't know what I was thinking! I'm still working through a couple of cooked pie pumpkins, and I have a fairy tale and a jack which I thought I'd just soon, but then T'day Cousin asked for the chocolate crust pumpkin pear pie, so I got an extra couple pairs of pie pumpkins until the end of crop to make sure I'd have nice ones. Okay, blame it on time change and working through the last look at my order time, it being long dark by then, but I seem to have thought, when I first saw my farm box and could have traded them out, that a kabocha and butternut would be good additions to my kitchen!

What was I thinking?? Sometimes, often maybe, they might arrive petite, but both are what I'd call medium-large. Okay, I guess the kabocha can just be zapped, even if it's big. Maybe I should give the butternut away. I wander if I had a recipe in mind...or maybe I just wasn't thinking. What was I thinking?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

floraluk2
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Won't they store for weeks in a cool, dry place uncut?
plllog
Original Author
2 years ago
Sure....but there are six small and two large pumpkins also cool dry placing until I can finish cooking them...
Related Discussions
Can I use any Winter squash instead of Butternut Squash
Q
Comments (9)
I agree with Annie on the interchangeable part....but I prefer hubbard to butternut. There really are lots of varieties of winter squash....all of them with subtle differences. I find acorn stringy, butternut a little dense, some delicata a little watery, hubbard HUGE and sometimes stringy, Marina del chioggia has a bit of a smokey taste....and I am still searching for the elusive galleux....said to be the sweetest and most delectable. And it must be, a friend gave me one and I left it outside for a bit as a fall decoration and the critters ate it up!! In spite of stringy, watery etc...I love all winter squashes!!
...See More
Can I freeze raw chunks of butternut squash?
Q
Comments (10)
I have freezer full of stuff frozen from my spring garden. I had a garden for the first time in years and since retiring had the time. Unfortunately, I didn't allow for the fact that all the years longing for the time to do this, I had a family at home to help eat it up. Actually the only two things I had a problem with an abundance of were squash and tomatoes. The rest we managed to use up rather quickly. Having said that this is what I did. Clean your squash and slice in in about 1/2 to 1" pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. When pieces are frozen, remove and place in a freezer bag, I use Food Saver and seal, but a freezer bag will work if you squeeze out as much air as possible. I do not blanch as I don't like the mushy quality it gives the finished product and I haven't gotten sick yet. I froze the tomatoes whole using the same method and use them in cooking. Frozen tomatoes will be mushy when thawed so will not work for anything else. I much prefer the flavor when used in sauces and you don't have all the sodium and preservatives you get in canned.
...See More
Can I freeze this butternut squash soup?
Q
Comments (6)
Freezes great. May look a bit different when thawed, meaning not your first soup, but it might need a wiz in the blender or a stick blender. I like to heat and blend with something fresh like parsley or cilantro, or a topping of yogurt mixed with a bit of feta or goat cheese. No need really but just to boost the freezer flavor if it gets a bit separated. Usually heat in a sauce pan takes care of that. Some nice toasted croutons or toasted slices of bread. Even just a half cup of milk or coconut milk adds a nice flavor boost. Freeze in pint containers so you get more meals out of it.
...See More
Can you grow winter squash in the winter?
Q
Comments (6)
USDA zones are *specifically* how cold it gets in the winter (which is why they are not all that useful for summer gardening). That's all they are. They are "winter hardiness" zones. They are defined by average annual extreme minimum temperature. Mainly used to establish over-winter survivability of perennials, but can also be useful for establishing survivability of winter crops in general. Zone 10b is 35-40F Zone 10a is 30-35F Zone 9b is 25-30F So if you live in zone 10b or higher, on average, you won't encounter a freeze. Now, wind slightly above freezing combined with moist foliage can produce dew point temperatures that are lower than freezing. To the extent squash can't freeze, 10b and above is where you'd need to be in the winter. But squash just don't like cold weather in general.
...See More
party_music50
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I had to search, but according to this site, three example things that do not require blanching before being frozen are: tomatoes, peppers, and WINTER SQUASH! How amazing!

https://www.thekitchn.com/when-freezing-fresh-vegetables-blanch-them-first-tips-from-the-kitchn-215947
plllog thanked party_music50
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
2 years ago
Winter squash keeps for a very long time - months, IMPE.

You could always make some pumpkin soup and freeze that too...
plllog thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
porkchop_z5b_MI
2 years ago
IDK if you can freeze them, but I don't think you should. Why play around with ruining the texture of a perfectly fine winter squash. Stick them in the coolest place in your house or crawlspace and they will last for months. I harvest butternut in October and usually get through the last of them around March. So yes - months.
plllog thanked porkchop_z5b_MI
agmss15
2 years ago
I once had a whole harvest of winter squash that I was seasoning freeze solid on my porch. I realized that I could thaw and cook them right then. But if I let them thaw and did not process them they were ruined. I chunked them up - steamed and riced them. And then froze the puree. I really liked having small packages of the puree in the freezer. For soups, pies, rolls, puppy bellyaches or just a quick side dish.
plllog thanked agmss15
plllog
Original Author
2 years ago
Mxk3, I appreciate that, but there is no such place in my house. My cool is not the kind of cool you're thinking of. And yes, the butternut might last until the new year just fine, but would I want to look at it?

PM, THANK-YOU for the research and answer!!!!! I've been staring at screens for worky kindof stuff way too much and you've saved my poor abused eeyes.

The problem with soups and purees is wheather I'd actuallh remember to use them.

So, given that I hate breaking down butternut anyway--we've already had the sap discussion--and given your responses, and given that I had a minion in the right place, I offered said minion the butternut and her eyes lit up. :)

The kabocha is trying to hide amongst the pumpkins and pretending to be orange....

Related Stories

GREEN BUILDING The Big Freeze: Inventors Break New Ground to Keep Things Cool

By Olivia Strigari

Old-fashioned fridges can be energy guzzlers, but there are more eco-friendly ways of keeping food fresh, as these global innovations show

WINTER GARDENING 8 Tips for Keeping Your Houseplants Healthy in Winter

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Reduce watering, stop fertilizing, move them into the light and more

HOUSEPLANTS Indoor Winter Gardens for Cheerier Days

By Laura Gaskill

Bring plants inside for drab-days mood boosting — not to mention cleaner indoor air and protection for your greenery

INDUSTRIAL STYLE My Houzz: From Raw Space to Hip Home in a Converted Utah Garage

Creative repurposing with an industrial edge defines the first home of an engaged couple in Salt Lake City

TRADE PROGRAM Trend Report: New Ways to Get Homes Ready for Winter

By Amara Holstein

Ensuring comfort during the coldest months

0

GARDENING GUIDES 3 Easy Ways You Can Garden for Nature

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Your choice of plants can help wildlife while cleaning the air and water

WORLD OF DESIGN World of Design: These Gardeners Dig Cold Climates

By Sara Norrman

Passionate gardeners in Maine, Russia and northern Sweden know how to get the most from their short growing seasons and freezing conditions

FARM YOUR YARD How to Navigate a Seed Catalog

By Marianne Lipanovich

Seed catalogs can help you discover what to grow in a garden — once you learn how to decipher them

HOLIDAYS Porch Decorating Ideas From Thanksgiving to New Year’s

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Long-lasting wreaths, potted plants and more can cheer up your entryway from fall through winter

WINTER GARDENING Extend Your Growing Season With a Cold Frame in the Garden

By Paintbox Garden

If the sun's shining, it might be time to sow seeds under glass to transplant or harvest

Sponsored

More Discussions

Do you want to see what I got FREE this week.....take a peek...

63

What do you eat when it's REALLY hot?

30

Sigh. I bought some ice cream...

16

Smile of the Day

6

Favorite fruits and recipes… berries included

9