How can I tell if my acorn squash is ripe before cutting it open?

Is there any way to tell if an acorn squash is ripe before cutting it open to cook it? I keep getting unripe squash from the grocery store, and I don't know they're unripe until I've cut them open, sadly turning them into compost instead of dinner.

squash ripe

Best Answer

First, as a gardener who's grown these, I can tell you that acorn squash — like all winter squash — need to be left on the vine to ripen. After picking, they will get a little sweeter as they sit for a couple weeks, but if picked too early, they won't actually continue to ripen.

That said, there's no great trick to picking a good one. If you see some some orange color in the skin, it's almost certainly ripe, though they can still be mature when all green, too.

Ideally, you should be able to trust that the farmer harvested these properly, but if you're getting unripened winter squash, someone probably screwed up out in the field. If you think the store gives a damn, it's probably worth mentioning that you're getting some bad ones.

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How can I tell if my acorn squash is ripe before cutting it open? - From above of fresh sliced zucchini placed on yellow background with sharp knife with wooden handle between halves of vegetable

How can I tell if my acorn squash is ripe before cutting it open? - From Above Shot Of Dried Leaves and Yellow Fruit

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Quick Answer about "How can I tell if my acorn squash is ripe before cutting it open?"

One of the easiest ways is by noting its color. Ripened acorn squash turns dark green in color. The portion that has been in contact with the ground will go from yellow to orange. In addition to color, the rind, or skin, of acorn squash will become hard.

How can I tell when my acorn squash is ready to harvest?

The best way to tell if your acorn squash is ready to be picked is by the color of the fruit and the texture of the skin. The part of the squash that is touching the ground should be a deep orange color. If it's light orange, the squash is not mature enough.

How do you pick a good acorn squash?

Here's what to look for! A ripe Acorn Squash is heavy for its size and has smooth, dull skin, and no soft spots. A good mix between green and orange coloring is desired. Avoid an Acorn Squash that has shiny skin, which indicates it was picked before full maturity, unless the producer has applied wax.

What color should acorn squash be inside?

Get the lowdown on this fall squash. An acorn squash is easy to recognize by its shape, which is ridged and squat like an acorn. But unlike the brown nuts that fall from oak trees, acorn squashes are typically dark green on the outside and pale yellow on the inside.

Can you eat unripe acorn squash?

'Jersey Golden Acorn' is an acorn squash variety that produces fruit that can be picked unripe without losing flavor. The flesh of this variety is sweet when the fruit is golfball-sized, and the skin is soft. You can eat unripe 'Jersey Golden Acorn' fruit raw or cooked.

How to Know When an Acorn Squash Is Ripe?

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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