Crazy About Butternut Squash!!!!

I must be Crazy!! 

 Went shopping one Saturday morning -  butternut squash was on sale for 49 cents a pound. 

I love butternut squash!!  Bought 22 lbs on Saturday. 

Went to my local farmers market the next day  - he had lovely butternut squashes so I loaded up my arms with 30 pounds more!!.

So here we are 52 lbs of butternut squash.

What do you do with 52 lbs of squash - can it of course.
 

28 – 34- 1 quart/litre size Mason jars. Any brand will work nicely.

Lids and rings - make sure you buy/have the right size for your jars

Large bowls,pots  (for the peeled squash)

Small pot of boiling water to simmer the seals & rings in (I like to rings to be warm when placed on the seals)

A paring knife and a chef's knife, chopping board.

Measuring spoon

Salt (I use sea salt - but any good table salt will work)

Clean towels

Jar lifter for grabbing those hot jars

Canning funnel for filling the jars

Magnetic lid lifter – for taking the hot seals and rings out of the water

Canning Jar Wrench – I use this to empty the hot water out of the waiting jars (saves your fingers)

Pressure Canner - the one I use is a Mirro 22 Quart  weighted Gauge

Squash is a non-acidic vegetable so it has to be canned using a pressure canner to remove all possible organisms and botulism.

First step is to peel and quarter the squash.

After peeling the squash, cut in quarters and remove the seeds and stringy inner flesh.

All the squash has been peeled and seeds removed.

52 pounds later!!

Chop the squash into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

I use the raw pack method of canning vegetables.

Butternut squash is very tender -  processing by the hot pack method - you end up with mushy squash - as I found by experience the first time I canned butternut squash.

Hot pack method is bringing the vegetables and water to a boil, boiling for 2 minutes,  then packing in hot sterilized jars and processing.

Raw pack method is packing the squash into the hot sterilized jars, leaving 1 inch head room, then filling the jar with boiling water, sealing and processing.

I use 1 tsp sea salt per jar. - Salt is not a requirement - salt is by your choice

Fill the jars, release air bubbles with either a knife or plastic end of a spatula, place hot seal and ring on the jar, tighten down, place in the pressure canner.

1/2 cup white vinegar helps with hard water spots on the jars and inside the pressure canner.

There should be 2 inches of hot water in the pressure canner before placing the filled jars into it.   Hot water is necessary as the jars being placed into the pressure canner are hot - if the is cold water in the canner - the jars can crack.

As you place the jars in the canner the level will rise, after all jars are in the level should be 2 to 3 inches from the bottom of the jar.

If the water is too high remove water with a measuring cup.

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Put the lid on the canner, secure tight, weighed petcock should be at 15 lbs pressure.

0-1000 ft sea level - 10 lbs pressure for 90 minutes
above 1000 feet sea level - 15 lbs pressure for 90 minutes


Turn the burner on high, heat until the petcock is furiously dancing, then turn the heat down to medium-high - the petcock should be doing a gentle dance at this time.

Here we are all done.

I must admit did not can all 52 lbs of the squash.  I did can 48 pounds.  Cooked the rest over the next couple of days to eat.

I use the canned butternut squash to make soup, cook and mash with butter and honey, add to fried potatoes.

This canning adventure yielded  34 - 1 quart jars.

You will need approximately 2 jars for a small batch of butternut squash soup for appetizers. 

For a hearty 4 person meal you will need 4 jars.  Goes nicely with a loaf of fresh pumpernickel bread.