The Squash Cutting Tip That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier
Cutting squash can not only be a huge pain, but a dangerous endeavor. In fact, according to a study, 39% of kitchen injuries come from cutting vegetables, per HuffPost, and pumpkin, rutabaga, and butternut squash, which are used to make pumpkin spice cupcakes to butternut squash mac and cheese, were ranked as the most dangerous.
It's not too surprising that squash are amongst the most difficult veggies to handle, as they're usually big and heavy. The average spaghetti squash weighs up to five pounds, while a Hubbard squash (often used in soups) can weigh as much as seven pounds on average, according to the Food Bank of Central New York. Not only are they tricky to steady on a cutting board, but they often have thick skin that requires some serious muscle to pierce through. Epicurious shares that skin from all winter squashes is edible, but the bigger the squash, the thicker the skin.
Thankfully, there is a plethora of advice out there about how to get past a squash's thick skin without hurting yourself. However, you likely haven't heard of this one recent tip that has gained popularity on social media.
Rock the squash back and forth under a knife
If you're struggling to cut a squash, Instagram user Sidney Raz has a technique for you. "Here's something I didn't know until I was in my 30's," Raz began as they scut the top off a butternut squash by simply rocking the vegetable back and forth. No sweating, swearing, or knife slipping. He simply places the squash sideways on a cutting board, sinks a knife into it slightly, and rolls the squash back and forth while the knife cuts into it deeper and deeper. Finally, seemingly effortlessly, the top of the vegetable snaps off. By using this method, Weekly Meal Prep explains, you're letting the knife do the work, and you only need to apply a little pressure while rocking through the squash.
While this strategy is extremely useful, there are other ways to ensure you don't slice your hand when preparing squash. SAS recommends following standard guidelines for safe vegetable cutting, such as using a sharp knife and placing a wet towel underneath your cutting board to keep it in place. Another hot tip is to poke holes in the squash with a knife or fork, and microwave it for two minutes before peeling, according to Gimme Some Oven. Then you can proceed to grab your knife and rock away.