Storing Winter Squash

It's a bit late in the season for this, but since you asked...

Winter squash and pumpkins store best in a place with moderate humidity and a cool but not cold temperature. For me this meant a cardboard box on a shelf in the mudroom, which is insulated but not heated (though open to the rest of the house). In good condition, squash and pumpkins will keep for several months this way. Some varieties keep better than others (delicata, for example, is not a great keeper; butternut can be very good).

Before storing, make sure you check the squash all over for any sign of bad spots or nicks. Even a small ding, if it breaks the skin, is an opening for bacteria and the squash will go bad. Likewise any spots that are already soft. A squash or pumpkin with any of these should be used promptly. Once in storage, you should check on your squash and pumpkins periodically (every couple weeks maybe; more often if it's convenient) so you can grab any that start to show signs of going bad and use them right away.

The other way to store squash and pumpkin is to cook and freeze it. These last few recipes I have posted have used squash from the freezer. I cook it, mash or puree it, and store it in quart-sized freezer bags in 1-cup quantities (the amount most often called for in baked goods recipes). If you have a squash that's starting to go bad and you aren't going to use it right away, you can preserve it this way.