Acorn squash: have 10. How can I store them, or can I?

Answer 1

Just Ducky is right, and cooked acorn squash is easy to freeze, either as puree or stuffed back into the shells.

Try cooking it, scraping the meat out, and pureeing it with sauteed onions and cooked spicy pork sausage....and with crisp apple bits (like Granny Smith), it's heavenly! (Yes, it freezes like this, too.)

Answer 2

Do you have a root cellar? Basement?

Winter squash will last up to a month in a cool (50 to 55 degrees F.) dark cellar or storage area, but only about two weeks in the refrigerator. Ideally, only cut or cooked acorn squash should be refrigerated. They will suffer chill damage at temperatures below 50 degrees F.

Dry hot air will cause loss of moisture, resulting in a shorter shelf life. Squash with a bit of the stem still intact will help slow down moisture loss.

Cook squash and remove the pulp from the skin. You can leave it in chunks or mash it. Place in airtight containers and freeze ten to twelve months at 0 degrees F.

Answer 3

Winter squashes, like acorn, last for a long time if they aren't cut open. I have sometimes had mine up to several months, when storing in a cool, dry place. But to really ensure you don't lose them, I'd go ahead and cook them, puree the "meat" and freeze. Or at least do part of them that way.

Answer 4

Store them cool, dry and dark, separated so they don't touch one another. My grandmother stored all sorts of squashes in her basement, on wooden bookshelf looking racks. Each time she went down to get something, she'd roll them over and check them out to make sure they were doing okay. I seem to remember she had them that way most all winter- but her basement was COLD, likely just slightly above freezing. They can dry out, from moisture loss, or if they have any bruised spots those can rot. If you have freezer room, though, they do better frozen cut into rings. Or you can just cook them down and freeze the pulp, if you aren't set on having squash rings. My mother freezes hers in rings, and some in pulp, and has really good luck that way. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Over the past couple of weeks we have had numerous questions on when to harvest squash and pumpkins and how to store them.

Winter squash are allowed to become fully matured before use. Winter squash when the stems turn light green and the skin becomes hard so it is not easily scratched. Test by sticking your thumbnail into the stem near the fruit. The squash is mature if the indentation does not fill up with liquid. When squash is mature the fresh, bright, juvenile surface sheen of the skin changes to a dull, dry-appearing surface. Most orange colored pumpkins have softer skin than those mentioned above, but exhibit the same surface appearance.
Squash and pumpkins are still very much alive even after they have been removed from the vine. Curing prolongs the life of the fruit by slowing the rate of respiration and protecting against storage rots. Mature squash and pumpkins are more successfully stored than immature fruit.

Respiration rate is most effectively controlled by lowering the temperature of the fruit. For each 18-degree F drop in temperature, the respiration rate is cut in half. However, chilling injury can occur to some fruits stored below 50 degrees F.

Dead vines are not necessarily an indication of maturity in squash and pumpkins, although growth ceases when they die. When vines die prematurely, from disease, etc., the fruits are most likely immature and low in quality, and generally do not store as well as those grown on healthy vines.

Take special care to guard against scratches, cuts, or bruises to the fruits. Injuries are unsightly and they also provide an easy entrance for various rot-producing organisms. Avoid storing large pumpkins and squash by stacking them on top of each other. Do not store pumpkins, particularly large fruited types, on hard surfaces such as concrete. Padding material, such as grain straw, should be used liberally if fruits have to be stacked during harvest.

Steps to Minimize Squash and Pumpkin Rots 1. Avoid injuring fruit while on the vine. 1. Harvest fruits when they are mature and the rind is hard, but before night temperatures are below 40oF and well before a frost or a hard freeze. 2. Do not harvest or handle wet fruit. Do not let harvested fruit get wet. 3. Harvest fruit by cutting the stem to leave a 3- to 4-inch handles for pumpkins and about a 1-inch stump for squash. 4. Harvest, pack, handle, and store fruit carefully to avoid injuries. 5. Discard all fruits that are immature, injured, or have rot or blemishes. These fruits should not be stored. 6. Do not pick up freshly harvested fruit by the stem because it will break off and provide easy access for rot organisms. 7. For better keeping, cure pumpkins for 10 to 20 days at 80 to 85oF with good ventilation. Store with good ventilation at 50 to 55oF and 50 to 75% relative humidity. Refrigeration (35 to 45oF) may cause chilling injuries and shorten shelf life. Storage at high temperature results in excessive loss of weight, color, and culinary qualities, while high humidity promotes rot.

Answer 6

acorn squash does not require refrigeration. It will store very well on your kitchen counter for weeks.

Answer 7

two good ways ,the basement is a good place to store winter squashes ,or any place cool and dry the shold hold for at lest 6 months this way.

or you could blanch and freeze them : in a large pot bring 6 to 8 qts. watther to a rapid boil ,place peeled and cut squash into watter wait for watter to return to a boil ,time 3 minuets remove shock cool (in cold running watter) package and freeze .
repeat as necesary