Sweet and sour pickled buternut squash

Growing up on a farm in Germany in the fifties, most food was homemade or raised at home. Cabbage was turned into sauerkraut, and cucumbers into pickles. Vegetables were canned. Pork was turned into wurst, and pumpkin was made into a sweet-and-sour treat and preserved for cold winter days, served as a side dish with roasts, sausages, or cold plates. We didn't have freezers—only a small refrigerator. When I saw a recipe for sweet-and-sour pumpkin on a German website, I had to try it. It took several attempts, but I finally got approval from my German friends and others. Of course, you have to like sweet-and-sour. I substituted butternut squash for pumpkin, which I prefer. 

As I write this post, I have a jar of sweet-and-sour butternut squash next to me. Tasting it helps me describe it better. I love the sweetness that first hits your taste buds, followed by the vinegar kicking in to balance it out. It’s been a while since I made it, and I have to decipher my notes on the recipe. It’s not easy, and that’s part of why I have my blog—to make sense of my scribbling and stay connected with my blogger friends. 

I like how the original author of this recipe canned the sweet-and-sour pumpkin. It's so simple—you just bake it in the oven. I enjoy learning new things that make my life easier. If you choose not to can it, it will stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. I canned a few jars and kept the rest in the fridge.

This sweet-and-sour squash would be perfect on a cheeseboard or any other type of platter right now. I add it to my meat dishes.

If you decide to make this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Remember, though, you need to like the sweet-and-sour combination. I remember my high school girlfriend Gabriele, who passed away years ago in a terrible accident, hated the sweet and sour combo. I still miss her. 

Print the recipe

 


Ingredients:


This recipe yields approximately 8 cups of sweet-and-sour butternut squash. 
Run the jars that you are going to use through the dishwasher before you fill them. 

3 ½ pounds of butternut squash
2 cups of white wine vinegar 
2 cups of sugar
1 lemon, with peel included
1 vanilla bean
1 1-inch piece of ginger
 2 cinnamon sticks 
1 TSP.  cloves
1 ½ cups of water

Directions:

Peel the squash and cut it into ½-inch cubes or slices, depending on your preference. Mix ½ cup vinegar with ½ cup water, then add the squash to a covered container and refrigerate overnight. 
Peel the lemon into thin slices, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Set aside and squeeze out the lemon juice. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cut the bean into four pieces. Peel the ginger and slice it into small pieces. Add the sugar, the remaining vinegar, all the spices, and 1 ½ cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the squash with the liquid and cook for about 3 minutes. As I mentioned before, I like my squash a little crunchy. 
Ladle the squash and liquid into clean jars. I made a larger jar and stored it in the fridge, where it will last a week or longer. Mine never does. I filled the rest of the squash into canning jars, sealed them, and baked them in a preheated 400-degree oven. I placed the jars in a pan with hot water, making sure they don’t touch each other. Turn off the oven once the liquid in the squash starts to bubble. Leave the jars in the oven for 30 minutes without opening the doors. Take the jars out of the oven and test for sealing. I put mine upside down until they pop; that means they are sealed.
Guten Appetit!
Adapted from a German website called Lecker
By the Sunnycovechef
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Here’s a delicious vegetarian lasagna made with butternut squash and . It’s a true gem and makes a stunning presentation on any table.
​Click here for the recipe.

Another recipe I have made many times is halibut with a butternut squash coulis and edamame beans. A culinary delight for the health-conscious cook. 
​Click here for the recipe