Cooking butternut squash can be intimidating. It’s kind of big, its density can make it hard to cut through, and it gets a little slippery when peeled.

Using the right tools — a sharp chef’s knife, a solid peeler, and a nonslip cutting board — will make things easier and safeguard your hands. Once you peel, cut, and roast butternut squash a few times, you will also have the know-how to roast other winter squashes, and, by extension, other hard, root vegetables like beets, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, yams, celery root, and sunchokes (with some variations in prepping and roasting time).

Or you can just customize butternut with your own flair and enjoy it many times before spring sets in. These tips will help you become a very confident squash handler and roaster:

Separate the Bulb and Neck

The hollow bulb and solid neck have two different shapes, and separating them helps you cut each one more evenly. Cut a line right at the shoulder of the bulb to reveal the seeds. Wedge the blade of a sharp chef’s knife into the squash and press down to slice off the bulb at the shoulder, exposing the seeds. Scoop them all out at once.

Work Clean

It may seem fussy at first, but try lining up your pieces evenly when you work. This habit will make your prep more pleasing.

Make It Yours

Adorn with optional extras such as a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a small clove of garlic grated into the oil, or a sprinkling of fennel seeds or curry powder.