As a healthy snack, smoothie or in a salad - crunchy cucumbers are THE summer vegetable par excellence and provide great refreshment in the heat. Low in calories, healthy and full of vitamins and nutrients - the crunchy vegetables have become an integral part of our table and enrich our kitchen. Although cucumbers are available in the supermarket all year round, the warm summer months are the best time to enjoy them as fresh as possible. And since everything from your own garden simply tastes better, more and more people are choosing to grow cucumbers. But what should we do if we have produced more than we can consume? What is the best way to harvest and store cucumbers? Can we keep them in the fridge? Or what about freezing? We have been clever for you and found the bestTips and tricksput together how the vegetables last the longest and stay fresh.
How to harvest cucumbers? How to do it right!
Cucumbers are an extremely delicate vegetable and if you want to enjoy a generous harvest, you should try some of the most common onesMistakes when growing cucumbersdefinitely prevent. So that you can enjoy the crunchy summer favorite until autumn, we will explain to you how best to harvest your cucumbers. However, the perfect time depends on the type of cucumber. But all varieties have one thing in common and so that they taste nice and crispy and fresh, the following rule applies when harvesting: it is better to do it too early than too late. Cucumbers are the best known and are best harvested when they are around 15 centimeters tall. Gherkins and pickles, on the other hand, are usually slightly curved and are harvested at a maximum of 9 centimeters. For the small cornichons, a length of 5 centimeters is considered optimal.
To avoid a bitter taste, when harvesting, make sure the cucumbers have smooth skin and an even color. Also remember that the earlier you harvest the cucumbers, the more fruits and flowers the plants will produce. So that you don't cut off entire shoots and avoid possible injuries, use theHarvesting the cucumbersscissors or a sharp knife and be sure to wear gloves. Also be sure to leave a small, approximately 1-inch (2.5 cm) section of stem attached to the cucumber. This will prevent the vegetables from rotting quickly. Early morning or later in the evening are considered the optimal time to harvest cucumbers - this is when the vegetables actually have the most nutrients.
Store cucumbers in the basement?
Did you get a bountiful harvest or did the neighbors share theirs with you? Then the question arises: how to store the cucumbers so that they stay fresh for as long as possible? Unfortunately, due to its high water content, the vegetable does not last that long. Cucumbers originally come from India and can therefore be sensitive to cold. But it shouldn't be too hot and in the summer heat in the kitchen, the vegetables can be eaten for a maximum of 2 days. Cucumbers are best stored in a dark place and at a temperature between 10 and 15 degrees. If the temperature is too low, the vegetables quickly become mushy and soft and no longer taste as good. In the pantry or cellar, where it is pleasantly cool, the cucumbers stay fresh for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
How to store cucumbers in the refrigerator?
Don't have a cellar or are you just used to storing fruit and vegetables in the fridge? Although this is actually not the optimal place for the plant, you can do with a fewTips the cucumbersstore in the refrigerator. However, to prevent them from becoming soft, mushy or freezing, it is important to choose the warmest areas - this is either the vegetable compartment or the door. There are now some modern refrigerators that have the so-called “basement zone” where you can best store your cucumbers.
If you decide to store the cucumbers in the refrigerator, you should first wash them thoroughly and let them dry completely. Then, wrap each cucumber in a clean tea towel and place them in an airtight glass or plastic container. And here's something else to pay attention to when harvesting and storing cucumbers: Tomatoes and cucumbers go wonderfully together in salads, but the opposite is true when storing them. Fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, pears and apples produce ethylene and should not be stored with cucumbers. The reason for this is that the gas quickly causes the cucumbers to overripe and are no longer edible.
Harvesting and storing cucumbers: Can you freeze cucumbers?
Anyone who wants to harvest and store their cucumbers optimally is often faced with the question: Can you freeze cucumbers? The answer to that is “yes”. In principle, you can freeze the vegetables without any problem, but due to the high water content, they tend to become spongy and mushy when thawed. In this case, the cucumbers would be unsuitable for a salad. But if you use these for smoothies, soups orDips knows TzatzikiIf you want to use it, then that's no problem. Before you put the cucumbers in the freezer, you should first peel them and scrape out the watery insides. Then cut into thick slices, place in a freezer bag and you're done - frozen cucumbers will last for up to 1 year.
