From Ronda’s Front Porch to Yours
There is something about fresh cucumbers in the summer. Cucumbers can grow well in Texas because they can grow in full sun and in variety of soil types. There are several types of cucumbers from slicing to pickling cucumbers, but all varieties can just be eaten fresh from the garden.
Harvest cucumbers when they are 3-4 inches in length for pickling, or 6-8 inches for slicing cucumbers and when a dark green.
Cucumbers are a great snack because they are a good source of vitamin C and low in calories. They are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol (unless you add those to them)
When you get cucumbers from your garden (or a neighbor) you can store them in the refrigerator.
Do no wash before storing as the water can increase spoilage. They can be stored in a plastic bag up to one week.
One way to enjoy cucumbers is by pickling them. Pickles can be water bath canned for long-term shelf storage or you can make refrigerator pickles which don’t require canning but must go in the fridge and are good for up to two months. You can change up the flavor according to your preference by making them sweet or sour depending on the type of brine you use. Try out these easy recipes.
Refrigerator Pickles
Directions
1. Wash your cucumber
2. Pack your sliced cucumbers snugly into a clean container (like Mason jar)
3. Prepare a brine, choose sour or sweet
Sour Brine
3 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 cups water
3 tablespoons canning/pickling salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons mix of your favorite dried seasoning: I like mix of dill seed, mustard seed and celery seed.
You can also add some fresh peppers such as jalapeno for spice.
Sweet Brine
3 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 cups water
2 Tablespoons canning/picking salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons of mix of your favorite dried seasonings. I like a mix of dill seed, mustard seed and celery seed.
You can add fresh pepper here also.
PS. These brines are good with any vegetable not just cucumbers
4. Bring brine to a boil and let boil for two minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Fill the jars with the brine to within a half-inch from the top. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the fridge. Date and label. Allow to develop flavor for at least two days.
Best if used in two-three weeks but can be good for two months, but may not be as crunchy.
There are also lots of cucumber salads recipes. A great recipe to try is:
Sweet and Spicy
Cucumber Salad
3-4 medium cucumbers thin sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon if using table salt)
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced red onion
Place cucumbers in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss well and let sit for 1 hour to pull some of the water from cucumbers.
Make the marinade: Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced around 1/3 cup. Should take around 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add red onion. Let sit until cool to room temp.
After the cucumbers have sat for the hour, lightly rinse the salt. Then place in a bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Chill for at least two hours then enjoy.
For recipes and more resources on food preservation visit us on our Facebook page at Scurry County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
Source: Felice Acker, FCS Extension Agent, Castro County