Just because the weather has turned crisp, doesn’t mean you have to put away your grill. Frankly, fall is my favorite time to grill. When the weather is cool, there is nothing more satisfying than grill-roasted or smoked meats and veggies.

One of my favorite things to grill is winter squash. It is a very modern and savory way to prepare squash and a nice change from the usual brown sugar-maple-syrup-marshmallow recipes. Those dishes have their place at the table, for sure, but try savory squash and you may never go back.

My two favorite varieties are acorn and delicata, and both work well for this recipe. But you could substitute any thick-skinned squash, such as butternut or red kuri or even spaghetti squash. If you choose spaghetti squash, mix the cranberry-sage butter in with the strands as you separate them once the squash is cooked. That way, you can serve it (almost) like buttered noodles!

The beauty of this recipe is that you let time and the convection cooking of your grill’s indirect heat bring out the best in the squash. Since you are cutting the squash in half and grilling it open, the cut flesh gets beautifully caramelized in spots and the sweet, natural flavors are concentrated. A little olive oil protects the squash and keeps it juicy and the fresh sage leaves gently perfume the orange flesh.

While the squash is cooking, make the compound butter. You also can make the butter up to three days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. I’ve added dried cranberries to my usual sage butter to provide a sweet tartness and also because the red-and-green-flecked butter is so festive and pretty. This is one fall squash dish you will make over and over again.

GRILLED ACORN SQUASH WITH CRANBERRY-SAGE BUTTER

Serves 8

2 medium acorn or delicata squash (about 3 pounds total), halved and seeded

8 fresh sage leaves

Olive oil

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Cranberry-sage butter (recipe below)

Prepare a grill for medium heat, indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the grill and cooking on the other side. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side, then cooking on that side.

Carefully trim off a slice of the rounded side of each squash half so that it will rest flat. Lightly bruise the sage leaves, then rub a quarter of them into the cavity of each squash, leaving the leaves in the squash. Drizzle the cut sides of the squash with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Wrap the bottoms of the squash with foil, leaving the tops (cut sides) uncovered.

Place the squash halves on the cooler side of the grill and cook for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Cut each piece of squash in half, then dollop with slices of the cranberry-sage butter. Serve with additional butter on the side.

CRANBERRY-SAGE BUTTER

This compound butter is best if it is made ahead and given time for the flavors to combine. Three hours is ideal. The recipe makes extra; try it on toasted rye or sourdough.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried sage

Zest of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries

2 teaspoons apple brandy or bourbon (optional)

Pinch of kosher salt

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients but the salt and mix well. Taste, then season with salt. Set an 8-inch sheet of plastic wrap on the counter, then spoon the butter into a rough log along the center. Using the plastic wrap, roll the butter up into a log, twisting the ends to seal and smooth it. Refrigerate for several hours.