Butterkins are my new favorite thing to plant and harvest in my garden! I started growing this relatively new variety of winter squash two years ago. Butterkins were first introduced in 2014 but are just now gaining popularity among home growers.
What Are Butterkins?
I have always grown both butternut squash and pumpkins. Both take up a large amount of space. When I started growing cut flowers I had to figure out how to fit them in my garden so I grew butternut squash on a trellis. Then I finally gave up on growing pumpkins since we never actually ate them. But I missed being able to pick pumpkins to decorate with every fall. One day as I was scrolling all my favorite seed company websites when I came across a hybrid called a ButterKin. It looks like a pumpkin but tasted like a butternut squash!
They truly are the best of both worlds. I get darling medium sized pumpkins that have a tan, terracotta like skin color that are perfect for decorating with in the fall. But instead of throwing them out after Thanksgiving, or feeding them to our animals, I can store them all winter and eat them. Because let's be honest, no one is eating all 10+ pumpkins they use for decorations. Maybe one or two for pies and desserts. Maybe.
And to be perfectly honest, I think I like these better than butternut squash. Because while the taste is exactly the same, the butterkins have a smoother, velvety texture.
How To Grow Butterkins
You grow these sweet winter squashes like you would regular butternut squash. You can direct sow the seeds in the spring after all danger of frost is gone. For my zone 6b that is usually mid to late May. Or you can start them indoors 3-4 weeks before your last frost. They grow quickly so don't start them indoors before that.
You can either let the vines spread across your garden or grow them on a trellis. I have grown them on an A frame trellis both years I have grown them. In the past when I grew butternut squash, I noticed my yield went down by growing them on a trellis. This is due to the fact that the vines are not able to grow extra roots since they are not in contact with the ground. Normally, the nodes on the vines will grow roots when they are touching the soil.
But for me, the space I saved made up for that. Plus I like the look of the trellis. You have to decide if yield or space is more important to you.
The butterkins will start out green and will change color as they mature on the vine. By fall, most, if not all, will have turned the orangey tan color. But even if they haven't fully turned by the time of your first frost, you can still harvest them all. They will continue to ripen after they are picked.
You will need to order new seeds each year since this is a hybrid variety. If you try to save seeds to grow the next year, they will be unstable and will not come back true to the parent plant.
Storing Butterkins
I store butterkins the same way I store butternut squash and other winter squash. After I harvest them I let they sit in the sun. The sun will help harden the skin a bit so they last longer in storage.
After they have spent some time in the sun, I bring them in and store them in my vegetable storage cabinet which is in my dark, cool part of our basement.
They will store up to six months. However, the taste will change over time. Peak flavor is in the first 2-3 months. The squash we eat after 4-6 months are much less sweet.
You can also freeze cooked squash for up to a year. Cook it until it is soft and either mash or puree it before storing in your container of choice. I have done this and it maintains its flavor quite well.
You can also can winter squash as long as you use a pressure canner and follow the correct instructions.
How To Eat Butterkins
Butterkins are delicious! We love to eat it steamed and mashed with butter, as butternut squash soup, butternut ravioli, diced and added with other fall veggies in dishes like casseroles, and butternut squash risotto.
While the skin of the butterkin is not bad for you, it is tough and isn't pleasant to eat. You can either peel the skin off with a peeler before cooking or cut the butterkin in half and scrape the insides out after you steam.
Butterkins have solved my space problem in my garden and allowed me to grow "pumpkins" to decorate with that also taste YUMMY! I highly recommend you grow them if you like butternut squash.
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