Sliced squash and chopped onions, caramelized in a skillet with bacon drippings and finished simply with salt, pepper and a pat of butter.
Skillet Squash
You don't really have to wait for summer to prepare summer squash because it's pretty much available year round these days. Still, it's one of my favorite, abundant and inexpensive, summer veggies, whether it's in a casserole, a dressing, in a gratin, or creamed. Heck, I even slice it up and snack on it raw!I enjoy it steamed or smothered also, but this skillet method takes it a step beyond, caramelizing it in bacon drippings to, as Barbara, one of the Facebook family members called it, GBD - golden brown delicious!
We are starting with bacon drippings! Squash are so neutral in flavor, that you need some boosts and, well, bacon drippings are a great way to start. You did know that bacon is a seasoning in the south, right? You can certainly start with butter or cooking oil here too, but the bacon drippings help with the caramelization process.
Don't you love this vintage grease pot? You don't need one really, I mean a lidded jar works just fine, but you definitely should be saving your bacon grease! There are many ways to use it. Be sure to stir it up once in awhile and I do keep mine in the fridge since I don't use it enough to keep it out on the counter.
Rinse and slice squash about 1/4 inch thick; set aside. I use a mandolin to make sure the slices are equal and cook evenly. I'm also using both zucchini and yellow squash here. Heat 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings over medium high heat and add onions, sautéing them until lightly browned. Take care to not burn them as they can become very bitter. For that reason, I prefer to use a slotted spoon to remove the onions and set them aside while I brown the squash, returning the onions to the pan just to warm through at the end.
Add remaining bacon fat, brown sugar, squash, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring several times, until browned. Brown sugar helps with the caramelization process also, so I like to use a little. Old school cooks often added some sugar to fresh vegetables to brighten the flavor, not enough to make it dessert mind you, but just a pinch.
Return onions to pan to warm through, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. For a little bit of heat and another flavor boost, I like to toss in some chopped, jarred, pickled jalapeno at the end. For raw jalapeno, you'll need to sauté that with the onion. Gently stir in butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve right away.
We Need Your Help! There's no paywall here on Deep South Dish - recipes, step by step photos and printables are free and available at no cost to our readers, however, advertising featured on the blog helps to pay for the groceries. If you enjoy the blog but you're using an ad blocker, please consider whitelisting Deep South Dish so I can keep the blog going!
For more of my favorite squash recipes, check out the collection on my Pinterest page!
Recipe: Skillet Squash
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: About 4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- 4 medium yellow and/or zucchini squash
- 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, butter or cooking oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoon light brown sugar, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
Rinse and slice squash about 1/4 inch thick; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings over medium high heat and sauté onions until lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside. Add remaining bacon fat to skillet, brown sugar, squash, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring several times, until browned. Return onions to pan to warm through. Gently stir in butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve right away.
Cook's Notes: Squash may also be cubed or shredded. I like to add 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeno when I return the onions to the pan for a little heat. Toss in some fresh basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary or oregano, or other favorite herbs at the end if desired. I like to use a few dashes of Bragg's Sprinkle Seasoning. {affil link} Shredded cheese is always a good addition - just blend in before serving until it is all melted in.
Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
PRINT THIS
©Deep South Dish
☛ Are you on Facebook? If you haven't already, come and join the party! We have a lot of fun & there's always room for one more at the table.
Check These Recipes Out Too Y’all!
Squash Creole
Smothered Summer Squash and Onions
Layered Squash and Tomatoes
Thank you for supporting my work! Please note that Images and Full Post Content including photographs and recipe ©Deep South Dish. Recipes are offered for your own personal use only and while pinning and sharing links is welcomed and encouraged, do not copy and paste post or recipe text to repost or republish to any social media (such as other Facebook pages, etc.), blogs, websites, forums, or any print medium, without explicit prior permission. Unauthorized use of content from ©Deep South Dish is a violation of both the federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and copyright law. All rights reserved.
Material Disclosure: Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.
190819BHP
.
