When we talk about squash, would you agree we speak of Butternut, Acorn, Hubbarb, Banana, and Spaghetti? These are all delicious. But I discovered another variety a few weeks ago that simply knocked my socks off.

Sweet Meat Squash is beyond delicious. Its name says it all. This squash is absolutely the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. I’m curious if any of you are familiar with it? It’s been around since 1947 and made its public debut in the Pacific Northwest.

This is a blue-gray, heirloom winter squash known for its ultra sweet, dense, and buttery orange flesh. It is an heirloom variety that stores exceptionally well, for over eight months, and its creamy texture makes it a great substitute for pumpkin in pies and other baked goods. 

I tried something with it that was so successful, I have to share: I baked it and some apples, then pureed the apples and squash in my high-speed blender (I have a Vitamix) with a smidge of vanilla extract. The result was a silky, yummy pudding.

But I took it a step further and filled a tall drinking glass with about 2/3 cup of the puree. I then poured sparkling mineral water over this, stirred well, and voila—we had what I call “legal” soda pop! Everyone that tried it was applauding and asking for seconds. You don’t necessarily need a Sweet Meat Squash for this drink or pudding, of course, but I’m convinced it’s the best of the best.

When you read about preparing a winter squash for baking, you’ll typically find the instructions say that a sturdy knife is needed to cut it open. But there’s a better way, and thank goodness, because we all know how really hard it is to cut an unbaked squash in half.

The way to make cutting a whole winter squash in half VERY EASY is to bake it whole, first. This is not just a way to make cutting it easier, it also protects the nutrients from escaping through steam (as they do when baked as cut halves).

You can bake a whole winter squash two ways—in an Instant Pot or in the oven:

INSTANT POT

Remove the squash stem.

Place the Instant Pot rack into the pot.

Add 2 cups of water.

Set the squash on the rack.

Secure the lid and close the valve.

Select the Pressure Cook button and set the time for 10 minutes for a 2- to 3-pound squash.

Cooking Time Guide:

2 to 3 pounds: 10 minutes

3 to 4 pounds: 12 minutes

4 to 5 pounds: 14 minutes

5 to 6 pounds: 16 minutes

OVEN

Remove the squash stem.

Place squash in a baking dish.

Add 1 cup of water.

Put into a pre-heated 375-degree oven.

Set the timer for 90 minutes for a 2- to 3-pound squash.

The squash is done when a fork easily inserts through the skin.

Note: For larger squash, increase the bake time until the squash passes the fork test.

Once the squash passes the fork test, remove it from the Instant Pot or oven and place it on a clean cutting surface. Slice the squash open (practically like cutting butter) and scoop out the seeds. Be careful, the squash will be hot!

From here the choice is yours—pureed with apples into a pudding or “legal” soda pop, or added to soups and stews, or baked into a pie or a quick bread…the list goes on!

My motto is: “If it’s easy to do, we’re more inclined to do it!” (whatever the “it” may be). Give this idea a try and see how easy easy it is to prep your winter squash. So easy in fact, that we’ll likely eat much more of it this winter!