Ways to store fresh cucumbers at home for a long period

Which cucumbers last longer at home?

To effectively store fresh cucumbers, it is recommended to choose certain varieties of fruits.

Particularly keeping varieties include:

• Sadko;
• Unwashed 40;
• Nezhinsky local;
• Nezhinsky 12;
• Competitor;
• Bush;
• Parade.

When selecting green vegetables for long-term storage, it is important to pay attention to a number of signs.

“Proper” cucumbers that can be stored for a long time should be:

1. Fresh . Overripe, soft, moldy fruits should not be stored. Rotten tails and yellow spots indicate that the vegetable has begun to rot and cannot be stored or eaten.
2. Clean . Vegetables in dirt are not suitable for storage. They will have to be washed, after which not only the contamination will be washed away from the fruit, but also the valuable protective film that covers the cucumber and allows it to be stored for as long as possible.
3. Dry . It is recommended to thoroughly dry wet vegetables in the fresh air, spreading them in one layer on a soft, clean cloth.
4. Whole . Damage to the fruit allows bacteria and fungi to penetrate into its pulp. Such cucumbers cannot be stored: just one damaged vegetable can ruin the entire stored crop.
5. Ground and dense . Cucumbers grown in open ground differ from greenhouse cucumbers in having a very thick skin, which preserves the freshness, benefits and taste of vegetables for a long time.
6. Medium size . The fruit should not be too large; the average length of a “correct” cucumber is 15-20 cm. Overgrown, yellow fruits are only suitable for harvesting seeds.

The correct choice and observance of storage conditions for fresh fruits are very important for preserving their vitamin and mineral composition.
Table of the chemical composition of cucumber (per 100 g of product)

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Is it possible to preserve fresh cucumbers until winter?

Another way to store fresh cucumbers is freezing. Housewives do not use this method very often due to the fact that when defrosting, the product loses moisture and becomes limp and tasteless. However, this storage method is suitable for further use of cucumbers in preparing okroshka.

How to do it

To freeze cucumbers, rinse them thoroughly and dry them with a towel. After this, cut into cubes and divide into portions sufficient to prepare one pan of okroshka. Place each portion in a bag and place in the freezer for storage.

It is not recommended to defrost such a product. Place one portion of frozen cucumbers in the prepared okroshka and leave to brew for 10–15 minutes. When cucumbers are defrosted, they will not lose their beneficial properties and taste.

It is recommended to store frozen cucumbers in the freezer for no more than 12 months.

How to freeze fresh cucumbers for the winter. Freezing vegetables.

Storage at room temperature

How to properly store cucumbers? The methods are similar to storing tomatoes at home in winter .

In a jar with a candle

A popular way to store cucumbers and tomatoes in a jar does not require any special skills . For the preparation you need a clean, sterilized, dry jar. Traditionally, three-liter bottles are used.

Cucumbers are rinsed with water, but not rubbed, to preserve the protective layer . Next, lay it out on a cloth to dry in the fresh air. Then they are placed loosely in the jar so that the fruits do not injure each other.

Place a candle at the bottom of the jar between the fruits and light it so that the flame does not come out of the jar. After 8-10 minutes of burning, the jar is sealed with a lid. When the candle burns out all the oxygen, it goes out.

Reference. In an airless space, the fruits will remain tasty and healthy until spring.

In polyethylene without refrigerator

To eliminate the possibility of moisture loss from green fruits, they are loosely wrapped in plastic bags or cling film. At temperatures no higher than +15...+20°C they will remain fresh and tasty for 15 to 30 days.

Which fruits are suitable for storage?

Can cucumbers be stored for a long time? They can remain fresh from 1 week to 3 months or longer, but this result is not always achieved. In order for vegetables to lie longer, it is necessary to create special conditions. But first of all, you need to choose the right fruits.

In order for cucumbers picked from the bush to be stored for a long time, they must be fresh . If you have your own summer cottage, then it will not be difficult to reduce the time from the moment of collection to bookmarking for saving. But fruits that have been left in an apartment at room temperature for several days are no longer suitable for long-term storage. If you buy cucumbers at the market, evaluate the freshness of not only individual specimens, but also the entire batch. Vegetables should not be limp, otherwise they will quickly spoil.

Before storing, make sure all cucumbers are dry.

dry and clean for storage . It is not recommended to wash cucumbers before storing. Untreated fruits have natural protection against spoilage and rotting, which disappears upon contact with water. Also carefully inspect the skin of the cucumbers for damage (they may appear on the way to the storage location). Even the slightest scratches and cracks significantly reduce the shelf life of the crop, so be sure to sort out the vegetables after purchasing.

For long-term storage, choose cucumbers with thick green skin.

Before purchasing, do not forget to find out the type of vegetables . Fruits of special varieties are best preserved, for example, “Nezhinsky”, “Kharkovsky”, “Sadko”, “Konkurent”, etc.

Fruits with a watery structure and thin skin, as well as overgrown specimens, should not be used for long-term storage. They quickly deteriorate and lose all their beneficial qualities. Greenhouse varieties with an accelerated ripening period are also not suitable for conservation.

How to store cucumbers at low temperatures

Housewives are also concerned about the question of where to store fresh cucumbers and tomatoes at low temperatures. Let's consider storage options.

In a barrel

Residents of rural areas traditionally use this method of preserving the freshness of vegetables , since it requires large rooms with a constant temperature of no higher than +4°C.

The barrels are pre-prepared: doused with boiling water and dried. The bottom is lined with horseradish leaves, which prevent the vegetables from fermenting. The fruits are placed in a barrel with their tails down. When the barrel is full, cover the vegetables with another layer of horseradish and close tightly. The container is stored in a cool, dark place until spring.

In water

You can preserve the freshness and taste of green vegetables in water. So they do not last long, only 3-4 weeks . To prepare fruits for storage, fill the container (saucepan or plastic container) with 1-2 cm of cold water. The vegetables are placed in the water with the stalks down, and the container is put away in a cool room. It is recommended to change the water once a day.

In this form, the watery vegetable does not lose valuable moisture, being fed from the container . The fruits remain crisp and fresh for a month.

In sand

You can also store vegetables in sand. To do this, line a wooden or cardboard box with newspaper, make small ventilation holes in the walls and fill it with 1-2 cm of sand . A layer of vegetables is laid out on it and covered with sand. And so on until the box is full. Cover the container with newspaper or cloth and put it in a cool place. A garage where the temperature does not drop below +4°C, as well as a glazed loggia, are suitable.

Unusual storage methods

If you have your own plot of land, you can use the methods of storing vegetables that were used by our great-grandfathers.

In a well or pond

So, cucumbers can be kept in a well. It is enough to place fresh vegetables in a clean and dry bucket and lower it so that the lower part of the container is immersed in cold water. Fruits kept in a cool, humid environment can remain fresh for up to a couple of weeks.

If you do not have a well, but have a small pond, you can keep cucumbers in it - cold water will not allow them to spoil for a long time.

In sand

Sand is another, although not the most obvious, way to store vegetables.

Cucumbers should be placed in clay bowls in layers, sprinkled with clean river sand. Vegetables prepared in this way should also be kept in a cool and dark room.

How to properly store in the refrigerator

To determine how long fresh cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator, it is important to consider that they are stored differently under different conditions. For example, they stay fresh in the vegetable tray for only a week. If you put the fruits in plastic bags or wrap them in paper, they will last in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Important! The bags are not closed tightly, as condensation will collect in them, which will spoil the fruit.

To store vegetables, you can use not only bags or paper, but also containers : containers with a lid that is not tightly closed, ceramic containers with a lid that is also not tightly closed to allow condensation to escape. Store vegetables in jars and pans. The main thing is that the lid is not closed tightly.

Shelf life of fresh cucumbers

First of all, let's figure out what the usual shelf life is for these vegetables. From my own experience, I can say that you can keep fresh cucumbers at home for about a week without any problems and without using “grandmother’s secrets.”

But in order to extend their shelf life to a month, and sometimes more, certain skills and storage conditions will be required.

Difficulties in keeping cucumbers fresh for a long time are explained by the composition of these fruits.

We know that they contain many beneficial substances:

• magnesium, which normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system and reduces the risk of heart attack;
• potassium, which removes waste and toxins from the body;
• vitamins B and C, responsible for immunity;
• carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants, and other beneficial elements.

Read more in the article about the beneficial properties of cucumbers.

And the cucumber is almost 95% water, which, on the one hand, makes it ideal for dietary dishes and daily consumption, but on the other hand, makes long-term storage a difficult task.

Long-lived vegetables

If you intend to store fresh cucumbers for a long time, assess all the risks in advance. The fact is that not all varieties are suitable for long-term storage. Therefore, figure out whether vegetables are suitable for achieving your goals. And if not, eat them fresh and buy a more shelf-stable variety instead.

• Ground. The ones that last the longest are ground cucumbers that are grown with your own hands in a garden bed and have a thick peel. Greenhouse varieties are not suitable for long-term storage; they are too thin-skinned. That is why mucus appears on their surface literally on the second day after placing vegetables in the refrigerator, followed by rot.
• Dense and undamaged. If you intend to purchase vegetables intended for long-term storage in a supermarket or market, give preference to medium-sized cucumbers. They should have a thick skin. Damaged vegetables are not suitable for these purposes. Like cucumbers hidden in plastic packaging. This product is intended to be consumed within two to three days. It is not recommended to even open the plastic packaging until you decide to eat what you bought. Otherwise, the risk of almost instantaneous damage will increase significantly.

Sluggish or too large fruits of a garden plant are not suitable for long-term storage. The former spoil too quickly, and the latter lose their pronounced cucumber taste in a short period of time. As for small cucumbers, they, unfortunately, dry out quickly. Therefore, it is better to use them for pickling or salting.

It is strictly forbidden to wash cucumbers before storing them. The vegetable has a special “native” coating designed to prevent the process of rotting.

In a jar with a candle

This method is somewhat exotic, but if you want to know how long to keep cucumbers fresh, and by “long” you mean more than a month or two, then a candle in a jar is a real godsend.

The method allows you to completely preserve the taste. It is more suitable for storing fruits just picked from the garden, but store-bought vegetables can also be saved using this method.

Sort through the cucumbers. They must be of excellent quality, without the slightest damage. Take a three-liter jar and sterilize. Wipe freshly picked or purchased cucumbers with a dry cloth; no need to wash.

Place a regular candle in a jar (any kind, just not a scented one!), and stack the vegetables around it. But don’t stuff it to the top, you need to leave some space. Light the candle and let it burn for ten minutes.

Then take the metal lid and seal the jar. This must be done so that the candle does not go out. It will go out on its own when the closed jar runs out of oxygen.

Store the container with cucumbers in a cool place.