My winter squash does that too. It's like varnish, but will wear off fairly quickly. It sticks to my knives too and I have to take steel wool to them or those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

Yup, I think it's like a sap that helps to heal wounds on the squash skin. It takes a few scrubbings with a fingernail brush or a plastic scrubby to come off. I found it's a little easier to scrub it off several times during the slicing/shredding process when doing large amounts of squash.

I use a slicer, about 1/8 inch thick, then peel the rind off with a paring knife

I'm curious as to why you are peeling them in the first place? Especially on slices that thin. Lots of extra work.

Just like cukes and other summer squash, zucchini is normally not peeled. Especially not if you are going to bread and fry them.

We make deep fried zucchini chips all the time and slice them that thin but leave the peel on. When freezing them for breaded and frying a thicker slice 1/4" works better, peel and all.

But if you feel they must be peeled then peel the whole thing before slicing it.

Dave

Dave, Do you blanch the squash or just wash and freeze it?

I do the green zuchhini. Here where I live folks will peel the green but not the yellow. Is this not necessary for green? Boy wouldn't that be a time saver! Will look forward to your answer Dave. I honestly never looked into this, just always abided the green/yellow rule of thumb.

I only peel zucchini if it's older larger produce I'm shredding for quick breads and such. Young zucchini I treat just like summer squash. I never peel that.

Carol

Never have peeled a zucchini no matter what color except any bad spots. Even the baseball bats that we cut up into chunks for pickles.

Scrub them good first, slice them on a mandolin (1/8" for deep fried chips like potato chips and 1/4" for breading and frying), coat with whatever breading you use, spread on a cookie sheet to freeze then bag.

Dave

Thanks Dave and Carol! Wow, that's great about not having to peel. I mastered the art if freezing them, and pretty much everything else that gets frozen, in single layers on cookie sheets. Once bagged up, I can take individual pieces of the zuchhinis out like frozen chips. We eat fried zuchhini in place of French fries at least once a week. My 8 year old son can tell you exactly how many gallon bags of frozen breaded zuchhini that means we need. That little guy is a future chef/business man in progress. I am blessed. And blessed that my kids like zuchhini!! :-)