They Will Last Until Spring: How to Store Fresh and Pickled Cucumbers Correctly

A few tricks will help you keep cucumbers juicy and fresh for a long time. In August, cucumbers are harvested and used for canning for the winter. And fresh cucumbers are eaten as quickly as possible before they rot.

How to store fresh cucumbers

Fresh cucumbers are easily stored for 5-7 days, and with some tricks, the storage period can be extended up to 1 month. An important rule of thumb when storing cucumbers: don’t wash them beforehand, or you’ll wash away their natural protective coating. Wash the vegetables only just before cooking.

Keep cucumbers in the refrigerator away from the freezer. These vegetables cannot tolerate temperatures near 0º and will spoil quickly. They will last 3-4 days in the vegetable compartment. If you put cucumbers in a bag and put wet gauze on top of the package – the vegetables will “live” for 2 weeks.

Extending the shelf life up to a month will help ordinary water. To do this, pour 2 cm of water into a bowl or tray and place cucumbers vertically with their tails in the water. The disadvantage of the method is that the water must be changed once a day.

Another long-term way to store cucumbers is on paper. Wrap each vegetable in the newspaper, napkins, or baking parchment. Then place the wrapped cucumbers in a large bag. This will keep the vegetables fresh for about 3 weeks.

Indoors, cucumbers will keep 10 days at +8° air, and 3 days at +15° or higher. Extend the storage period to a week in a warm room by wrapping the cucumbers in a wet cloth and putting them in a dark place, periodically wetting the cloth.

How to store pickles

Salted and lightly salted cucumbers should be stored in cold and dark places at a temperature no higher than +4 °. A dry cellar or cellar is ideal.

If you are sure of the quality of canned cucumbers you can store them in a dark place at room temperature. Prepare a quality canning that will help your recipe for pickled cucumbers. If the quality of the pickles raises doubts, it is better to put them in the refrigerator.

After opening the jar pickles are stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks. Keep them in the brine in which the pickled cucumbers are. The liquid should completely cover the vegetables. If pickles have become soft and no longer crunchy – it is better to throw them away, even if the taste has not changed.

How not to store cucumbers

Cucumbers can not be stored without access to air, for example, in a tightly sealed bag, otherwise they “suffocate” and will quickly rot. Also, these vegetables should not be stored near fruits rich in ethylene, such as apples, peaches, and ripe tomatoes. Ethylene makes cucumbers rot faster.

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Written by Emma Miller

I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and own a private nutrition practice, where I provide one-on-one nutritional counseling to patients. I specialize in chronic disease prevention/ management, vegan/ vegetarian nutrition, pre-natal/ postpartum nutrition, wellness coaching, medical nutrition therapy, and weight management.

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