HUGE Hubbard Squash!

[withm]

I watched my nearly blind 92 yr old neighbor cut up a huge watermelon a couple weeks ago. I was amazed, and aghast, at the same time. I want to be like her when I grow up.

This is how she did it:

First sharpen your biggest knife. Dull knives, besides being harder to cut with, will slip, and are more likely to cause injury. Dull knife cuts hurt a lot more than sharp cuts. You really don't want to know how I know about these things.

Start the first cut into the squash, as far as you can go with it. Hold onto the knife handle with one hand, then using your dominant hand and a rubber mallet (or even a hammer if that's all you have), tap gently, but firmly, on the other end of the knife, and rock the knife back and forth until the cut is complete. Don't just slam either the knife or the hammer - that will just cause the whole thing to roll, risking injury to yourself, or to the knife. My neighbor's weapon of choice is a hammer.... and she's still got all her fingers. LOL.

If you can, start by cutting off one thin but long edge, so you can set the remaining squash on your cutting board on a flat side - this will make subsequent cuts easier. If the cutting board is sliding around, put a damp paper towel underneath, between the cutting board and the countertop.

[indysteel]

Too funny! When I first read this thread title, I thought it said "Hubbard squats". I thought I was about to read the newest torture your NIFS trainer had thought up. You got huge squats? And you want to cut them up? Wait, what??? Then, i reread it. Oh, huge squash. That makes more sense.

[Catrin]

Too funny! When I first read this thread title, I thought it said "Hubbard squats". I thought I was about to read the newest torture your NIFS trainer had thought up. You got huge squats? And you want to cut them up? Wait, what??? Then, i reread it. Oh, huge squash. That makes more sense.

Thank you so much Indy - I just spent about a minute truly laughing out loud and was even at the verge of tears Thank you!

[marni]

I have been known to take the sucker out to the garage and cut it with my husbands band saw- then I buy him a new blade. It's cheaper than a run to the ER.

I also tend to buy microwave size squashes.

marni

[OakLeaf]

I wouldn't use a good straight bladed knife on a hard squash. You'll just dull the blade. Watermelon rind is no comparison. I really think serrated is the way to go.

[Catrin]

Thanks for the ideas - I didn't buy these two squash, someone at work gave them to me. It would be a shame to waste them, but a trip to the ER would be an even larger shame. I wonder if I were to stab one of them a few dozen times and put the whole thing in the oven for 10-15 minutes would soften that thick skin up a bit... I don't have a serrated knife large enough for this though it might be good to have one large enough for this purpose anyway.

[Atlas]

I think you could roast it whole for a while and then cut it. Mind you I haven't tried this, but that's basically what's done with smaller squash and par-cooking them in the microwave, then cutting them. Since they were free it wouldn't hurt to experiment.