Canning Butternut Squash

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Every fall, our garden hands us a mountain of butternut squash. Some years we bring in 80 or more! Canning butternut squash is one of the ways I put that big harvest away for winter.

It’s a simple pressure canning recipe with just squash, water, and a little salt if you like. You pack plain squash cubes into jars, so each one can become soup, a quick side dish, or a pie later on.

We grow a large garden every year, and butternut squash always gets a good-sized spot in it. It’s one of our family’s favorites, and it grows well for us year after year. That’s a lot of squash to keep up with, though.

So I use a mix of ways to preserve it. I freeze some as butternut squash puree and some as cubes. I can a batch of cubes for the pantry. And a lot of it goes down to our root cellar, where we eat it and keep processing it through the winter.

Canned squash is the handiest of them all on a busy night. The jars sit on the pantry shelf and don’t take up any room in the freezer. Just open a jar, drain it, and it’s already cooked.

If you grow your own, take a look at when to harvest butternut squash so your squash is ripe and ready before you start canning.

Ingredients

• 16 pounds of butternut squash
• Canning salt (optional)
• Water

It takes about 2 1/4 pounds of butternut squash to fill one quart jar. So 7 quart jars take about 16 pounds of squash, and 9 pint jars take about 10 pounds.

Supplies

• Pressure canner
• Pint or quart canning jars
• New lids and rings
• Large, sharp knife and a vegetable peeler
• Jar lifter
• Canning funnel
• Bubble remover tool or a plastic spatula
• Clean, damp cloth for wiping the jar rims

Why Butternut Squash Needs To Be Pressure Canned

Butternut squash is a low-acid food, like most vegetables. Low-acid foods need higher temperatures than boiling water can reach. That’s why it’s recommended to pressure can butternut squash and other winter squash.

The good news is that pressure canning butternut squash is easy once you have a pressure canner. If you’ve canned other vegetables before, like mushrooms, you already know most of the steps.

How To Can Butternut Squash

Step 1: Peel And Cube The Squash

Wash the butternut squash, then peel it with a sharp vegetable peeler or knife. Cut it in half and scrape out the seeds.

Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Try to keep the cubes about the same size so they process evenly.

Step 2: Fill The Jars

Pack the raw squash cubes loosely into your pint or quart jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Don’t press them down. The water needs room to flow around the cubes.

If you’re using salt, add 1/2 teaspoon to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon to each quart jar.

Fill the jars with water, still leaving 1 inch of headspace.

Step 3: Debubble And Add The Lids

Run a bubble remover tool or plastic spatula around the inside of each jar to release any air bubbles. Top up with a little more water if needed.

Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth. Place the lids on and screw the rings on finger-tight, not fully tightened.

Step 4: Pressure Can The Squash

Place the jars in your pressure canner with the amount of water your canner’s manual calls for. Lock the lid and let steam vent for 10 minutes before adding the weight.

Once the canner reaches the right pressure, start your timer.

• Pint jars: process for 55 minutes
• Quart jars: process for 90 minutes

Keep the pressure steady the whole time. If it drops below the right pressure, bring it back up and start the timer over from the beginning.

Step 5: Cool And Check The Seals

When the time is up, turn off the heat. Let the canner come back down to zero pressure on its own. Don’t rush it.

Once it’s at zero, wait 10 minutes, then carefully remove the weight and take off the lid, tilting it away from you. Let the jars sit for 10 minutes, then lift the jars out with a jar lifter and set them on a towel.

Let the jars sit for 12 to 24 hours without moving them. Then check the seals. A sealed lid won’t flex or pop when you press the center.

Pressure Canning Times And Altitude Adjustments

The processing time depends on your jar size. The pressure depends on your altitude and the type of canner you have.

Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner

Pint jars:

• 0 to 1,000 feet: 55 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure
• Above 1,000 feet: 55 minutes at 15 pounds of pressure

Quart jars:

• 0 to 1,000 feet: 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure
• Above 1,000 feet: 90 minutes at 15 pounds of pressure

Dial Gauge Pressure Canner

Pint jars:

• 0 to 2,000 feet: 55 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure
• 2,001 to 4,000 feet: 55 minutes at 12 pounds of pressure
• 4,001 to 6,000 feet: 55 minutes at 13 pounds of pressure
• 6,001 to 8,000 feet: 55 minutes at 14 pounds of pressure

Quart jars:

• 0 to 2,000 feet: 90 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure
• 2,001 to 4,000 feet: 90 minutes at 12 pounds of pressure
• 4,001 to 6,000 feet: 90 minutes at 13 pounds of pressure
• 6,001 to 8,000 feet: 90 minutes at 14 pounds of pressure

Substitutions

• Other winter squash: You can can other dense winter squash the same way, like buttercup, acorn, or hubbard squash. Pumpkin works too. Just peel it, cut it into 1-inch cubes, and use the same processing times.
• No salt: Salt only adds flavor. You can leave it out for a lower sodium option.

Variations

• Hot pack: If you prefer the hot pack method, blanch the squash cubes in boiling water for 2 minutes before filling the jars. Then fill the jars with the hot cooking water. The processing times stay the same.
• Pint jars: Pint jars are handy for smaller families or for side dishes. They process for 55 minutes instead of 90.

How To Store Canned Butternut Squash

Before storing your jars, check that every lid has sealed. Take off the rings, wash the jars, and add a label with the date.

Store the jars in a cool, dark, dry place, like a pantry or basement shelf. For the best flavor and texture, use your canned butternut squash within about a year. But they will last longer when properly canned and stored.

Once you open a jar, keep any leftovers in the fridge and use them within 3 to 4 days.

How To Use Canned Butternut Squash

Canned butternut squash is already cooked, so it’s ready to use right out of the jar. Just drain off the water first. Here are a few easy ideas:

• Soup: Simmer the cubes with broth and onions, then blend it smooth. Or stir the cubes into any of these cozy fall soup recipes.
• Quick side dish: Warm the cubes in a pan with butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar or cinnamon.
• Pie or baking: Drain the squash well and mash it, then use it in place of pumpkin in pies, muffins, and breads.
• Mashed squash: Mash it with butter, salt, and pepper for an easy side with supper.

Prefer to freeze your squash instead? You can make butternut squash puree and freeze it in bags for later.

FAQ’s

More Canning Recipes

• How To Can Mushrooms
• How To Can Pickled Beets

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