protection when cutting root veg

josiespcah6ojsh

josiespcah6ojsh

Cathlete
i was peeling a butternut squash. it slipped and cut myself pretty bad. it seems to happen alot though this was by far the worst. what can i do to prevent this from happening?

laura
 
To cut a squash, use a very sharp knife, so it will just bite in rather than slip off on to your finger. Make sure it's a big enough knife to do the job. I have no idea about peeling a squash.
 
If I were to peel a hard squash (I also rarely do, as I bake them), I would first cut it in half with a large, sharp knife, then set the halves cut-side down so that I could peel it by cutting towards a cutting surface, with my other hand safely out of the way of the blade.


(FYI: A squash isn't a root vegetable: those are potatoes, carrots, beets...anything that grows underground)
 
josiespcah6ojsh said:
what can i do to prevent this from happening?
Click to expand...

Get your husband to do it for you! :p

Seriously, though, I hope your cut heals quickly. Butternut squashes scare the daylights out of me, and I always handle them very delicately. I have a number of recipes that call for peeled and cubed squash, so I just allow a lot of time, make sure my knife is good and sharp, and try not to have other distractions (like the TV or radio). I've tried using a vegetable peeler, and that works okay, but a small paring knife works better.
 
i did use a vegi peeler that has a very sharp blade,perfect for hard vegis.did think of cutting it in half then peeling but only after that happened! i thought maybe there were special gloves i could wear for cooking.

laura
 
josiespcah6ojsh said:
i did use a vegi peeler that has a very sharp blade,perfect for hard vegis.did think of cutting it in half then peeling but only after that happened! i thought maybe there were special gloves i could wear for cooking.

laura
Click to expand...
I think there are some gloves like that. Kind of like chain mail knit, maybe out of kevlar? Don't know where I saw that, though.

Found some! If you search "cut resistant gloves" there are more listings like this: http://www.gadgetfind.com/cutresistantgloves.html and this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=180SBP5328NDD4B722N5

I think I'm going to pick up a pair of the ones from Amazon (I have very few scars, but most of the ones I have are from kitchen mishaps: burns from the oven or cuts from knives).
 
how to peel a squash

Hope this helps
For stability, use a sharp kitchen knife to cut one inch from the top and bottom of the squash, and discard.
Using a serrated peeler, peel away the thick skin until you reach the deeper orange flesh of the squash.
With a spoon or melon baller, scoop away the seeds and membranes; discard. Then cut according to your recipe directions.
 
i bought the gloves from amazone. part of my problem is that my hands shake. the cut was between my thumb and finger so i couldn't bend it.its alot better now though i had to get a tetanus shot-a reminder for everyone if they need it done-every 10 yrs. thanks!

laura
 
I found some helpful hints too :)


  • To cut a butternut squash, take a good knife and make a shallow incision all the way down its length. Insert the knife blade into the incision, then - using a rolling pin or a meat mallet - give the back of the blade a good whack! With luck, the squash will separate into two pieces. Use a spoon to remove the *seeds and the fibrous material.


  • You can use a potato peeler to remove the skin from butternut squash. If you have a particularly good peeler, you can give it a try - otherwise this could be hard work!


  • Another option is to bring a large pot of water to the boil, then put the whole squash in it and simmer for 5-10 mins. This softens the skin and makes it easier to remove (once cooled), but you may find that some of the flesh of the squash comes off with the skin.


  • A favorite method (because it's the easiest!) is to leave the skin ON when cooking butternut squash, then scrape out the flesh with a spoon afterwards. Some people eat the skins, whereas other find them too tough .
 
Thanks for the cutting and peeling tips! My student just cut her finger terribly trying to cut a butternut squash and it was bleeding right thru the bandage in class yesterday. I'll be sure to pass this onto her. I've always been scared of injuring myself too while cutting these hard squashes!
 
It sounds like you're holding the squash when you're peeling it, which you should never, ever do!! The squash should always be on the cutting board - period. First, using a chef's knife cut the bottom and top off so you have flat surface. Then cut the squash in half where the bulb of the bottom begins (side to side, not top to bottom). So you now have two pieces - the top half and the bottom half. Then you stand those pieces up on the flat surfaces you have now created and cut the skin off, using the same knife, working your way around the squash. Then you can cut the squash top into discs, cubes or whatever shape you need. The bottom you now cut in half top to bottom to expose the seeds inside. I scoop these out using a serrated grapefruit spoon. Save the seeds - you can roast them with a little salt, just like pumpkin seeds - they're delicious!!! Again, cube or slice the bottom pieces and now you're set.

(there is a good video on YouTube from Good Housekeeping that shows the knife and peeler methods. check it out)
 
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I just cut myself last week trying to get into an avocado, it was softer than I thought. My excuse was that there were earth quakes going on.

I hope your finger is healed up.

Alisha
 
I love spaghetti squash, but have the same problem you do. What I have started doing is microwaving it briefly to soften it up a bit, then cutting into it, prepping it and continue cooking it with whatever method my recipe calls for.
 
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