Food - Drink
What To Avoid When Buying Butternut Squash
By KATHERINE BECK
Butternut squash is a fall and winter staple suited for soups, ravioli, and more. Most winter squashes can last for months in the refrigerator, freezer, or stored at room temperature, so if you plan to buy a surplus of butternut squash, follow these tips to purchase perfectly ripe specimens.
Whether you're buying at a farmer's market or grocery store, look for butternut squash with a deep beige coloring and a non-shiny appearance on the outside. Bronze streaks on the rind are acceptable, but any green areas or shininess on the skin indicate that the squash is underripe.
You can also gently poke the squash's skin with your fingernail, and if your nail leaves an indentation or mark, the squash needs some more time to mature; ripe squash will have a hard rind. It is possible to ripen squash off the vine, but it's a far better idea to just buy a ripe one in the first place.