Baked Acorn Squash

Most people add brown sugar, honey or maple syrup to their baked acorn squash. If the squash are sweet, this is not necessary. You can get some squash that are not quite ripe, are overgrown or old that do not have good flavor no matter what you do to them. Here are some tips for buying sweet, ripe squash.

Look for squash that feel heavy for their size with smooth, dark green skin (lighter weight ones have lost moisture through the skin and will be drier). You should see a deep orange spot on the underside where it sat on the ground. A deep orange means it is ripe and sweet.

Avoid any squash that has soft spots, has dull and wrinkled skin. Also, too much orange coloring on the skin indicates an overripe squash which will be dry and stringy.

2 acorn squash
2 Tbsp. salted butter
salt
water, for baking pan

Cut the squash in half length wise. Remove the seeds and any strings that hold the seeds in. Place the halves of the acorn squash with the cut side up in a baking dish just a little larger than the squash. Pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the dish, then preheat your oven to 375° F.

Place about 1/2 Tbsp. of butter in each squash half and spinkle with salt. The salt is important for bringing out the sweetness of the squash.

Bake at 375° F for about an hour (maybe more, depending on the size of the squash) checking it every so often and basting the inside flesh with the melted butter. When the flesh is soft when pricked with a fork or knife tip, they are done. Don't prick in the center of the squash or the butter will disappear into the flesh. Test the cut edge at the top of the squash.

Serves 4