How To Safely Slice Your Acorn Squash In Half

The hard rind and multiple grooves and ridges all around acorn squash are some of the reasons most people find this winter squash intimidating to slice. Where do you start cutting? How do you stop it from rolling around? What's the trick to slicing through the tough skin without injuring yourself in the process? Luckily for you, we have the answers to these questions. First, begin by gathering the equipment you'll need: a chopping board, a large sharp knife, and a spoon. Next, wash and dry the acorn squash.

Before slicing the squash in half, we need to create a flat surface on its surface for stability. So lay the squash on its side on the chopping board, hold it firmly with one hand then slice off the stem end using the other hand. Slice off the bottom end as well. Now place the acorn squash upright on one of the cut ends. Hold the acorn with a claw-hand to avoid accidentally cutting your fingers and cut through the middle of the squash from the top with the pointed end of the knife pointing downward. If it gets to tough, use your gripping hand to support the tip end of the knife and push down on the blade in a rocking motion. Now you have two halves of your acorn squash. Use the spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff out.

Even with the step-by-step instructions on how to safely slice your acorn squash in half, you may find that the rind is too tough for you to cut through. If so, there are a few ways to soften the squash before cutting it. Using a microwave is the easiest method. First, after washing and drying the squash, poke its surface in a few places with a fork to provide outlets for steam.

Place the squash in the microwave and zap it for about two to four minutes, depending on how big the squash is. Once the skin has softened enough, remove the squash from the microwave with oven mitts, then allow it to cool until you can safely handle it with bare hands. Now, slice in half following the directions we've given above. You'll be amazed at how much easier it'll be to cut through the rind.

Another way to soften the skin of acorn is to put it in boiling water and let it boil for about 15 minutes before removing and letting it cool down. You can also steam it for about 15 minutes until the skin is soft enough. Note that with all these methods, the goal is not to cook the squash through, but to simply soften the skin, so don't heat the squash for too long.

Once you've halved your acorn, you can cook it as is or further slice it into different shapes — it all depends on what recipe you're working with. For example, if you're making a stuffed acorn squash recipe, the halves work perfectly. On the other hand, if your plan is to add the squash into a soup or stew, you may need to chop it up some more. There are three shapes you can cut out of the halved squash. If you want half-moons, first place the acorn halves (one at a time) on the chopping board with the cavity facing down. Make crosswise cuts to create half-moon slices of your preferred thickness.

Another popular shape is wedges. Again, begin by placing the squash half on the cutting board with the cut side facing down. Cut through the middle longitudinally to make two quarters. Take one quarter at a time, turn it around so the cavity side is facing up, and slice it into two lengthwise to form two wedges. You can repeat this as many times as you want to get the thickness you like. After making acorn wedges, you can cut these into cubes. Just chop each wedge crosswise to make small square-like shapes. And there you have it, three different shapes from the squash halves that you can use for your acorn squash recipes.