Keeping Cucumers fresh for Pickling? (2024)

FAQs

Keeping Cucumers fresh for Pickling? ›

I pick them at the right size, brush off the flower/spines and rinse of any dust, then put them in a plastic, gallon tub with a sealable lid, about an inch of water, and into the fridge. They stay crisp for several days, until I have enough to pickle.

Once you've washed and wrapped them, the best way to store cucumbers is in the crisper drawer (a.k.a. produce drawer) of your fridge, set on high humidity with the fan closed. High humidity helps the ethylene-sensitive fruit retain moisture and keeps it from wilting.

Using Plastic Wrap

One trick for keeping cucumbers fresh is wrapping them in plastic wrap. Storing them this way will help to slow down their ripening.

Therefore, cucumbers will last longer if you store them, dried and wrapped, in a mesh produce bag or something that allows for a bit of airflow. Some air circulation will keep the cucumbers crisp, dry, and fresh for a longer period of time.

This salt treatment draws water out of the cucumbers and flavors them, so it's critically important. After layering or mixing in plenty of sea salt, I cover the salted cukes with ice cubes and a tea towel and forget about them for a few hours.

How Long Do Cucumbers Last? Cut cucumbers will last only a few days in the fridge, but whole cucumbers can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Whole cucumbers at room temperature on the countertop have a shelf life of up to a week if you keep them away from direct sunlight.

Use Calcium Chloride

Sea salt is sodium chloride. In this case, we're talking about calcium chloride! These little granules, which dilute quickly in water, are THE trick to crunchy pickles, as they prevent the enzymes from softening the pickle during lacto-fermentation.

Cucumbers are sensitive to ethylene gas released by other fruits or vegetables nearby and wrapping helps protect them from it. (If you do opt for the crisper, vents open, please.) The best option, however, is to seal your wrapped cucumber in a zip-top bag and store it in the fridge door.

The acidity in vinegar removes bacteria to keep them fresh #minitutorials #easytutorial #groceryshopping.

Keep cucumbers toward the front of the refrigerator.

Storing cucumbers below fifty degrees Fahrenheit can cause chilling injuries, such as mushy spots and faster spoilage. If you cannot store cucumbers in the crisper drawer, store them in the warmest part of the fridge, toward the front.

How do you pickle cucumbers for long shelf life? ›

The Pickling Process

In a saucepan, combine equal parts water and vinegar. Add kosher salt and sugar to the mixture and bring it to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Place garlic, dill, and peppercorns at the bottom of each storage jar. Then, tightly pack the cucumber slices into the jars.

About this method: To keep cucumbers extra crunchy, Epicurious touts this method: Wash them, thoroughly dry them, wrap them in a dish towel or paper towel, place them in an unsealed plastic bag to allow some airflow, and place them in the crisper drawer.

If you like sweet pickles, you can add sugar to the brine (I personally don't). What kind of vinegar to use? I prefer white distilled vinegar because it is colorless and offers a great tart flavor.

After the cucumbers have been salted for a period of time, you'll want to rinse off the excess salt. At this point, you may be thinking 'what the hell, I just spent all this time removing the water!

For best quality, pickle fruits or vegetables within 24 hours of harvest, or refrigerate for no more than a few days. Remove all blossoms from cucumbers and cut a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end. The blossoms contain enzymes that can cause softening of the final product.

Cucumbers are 90% percent water and cannot be frozen and preserved plain without becoming mushy. However, they can be prepared and frozen as pickles. During the pickling process, salt draws out some of the water within the cucumbers and the concentrated sugar syrup used to pickle them firms them.

Start harvesting pickler cucumbers when they are 2 to 3 inches long, and don't let the fruit grow to more than 4 or 5 inches long. Picklers tend to flabbiness in the middle when allowed to get too big.

Rather than toss out extra cucumbers, you can freeze them to prolong their shelf life. Learn the right way to freeze cukes, plus the best ways to serve them.