Curing winter squash is a way for farmers to extend their harvest (and income) for months after the vegetables are picked – and provide an extra tasty treat at the same time. Not all winter squash needs to be cured, and it can actually lower the quality of varieties like Acorn. But for some squash, the curing process is transformational.
In warm and dry climates, winter squash can be left to cure in the field. But during fall in the Pacific Northwest, the right conditions are hard to come by. Farmers in the region looking to cure their squash move it to barns or greenhouses to stay warm, dry and well ventilated. As they cure, the squash’s skin hardens and, in some cases, changes color. Scrapes and cuts from the harvesting process remarkably heal too.
Big changes are also happening inside. Starches convert to sugar as the squash cures, which makes for a deliciously rich flavor that short-storage squashes can’t beat. Water also exits the squash, which concentrates the sugars and reduces the chances of rot in long-term storage. That means farmers can sell their winter squash until harvest starts up again in spring — months longer than without curing.
TL;DR: cured squash has flavor you can’t get without time in careful storage, which is great for eaters. It also stores better for longer, which is great for farmers.