How long can cucumbers be stored in water? We store fresh cucumbers. Clean and dry

You can buy fresh cucumbers in supermarkets both in winter and summer. Difference fresh cucumbers from the garden and winter greenhouses, significant both in taste and price. If the owners harvest a good harvest of cucumbers from their gardens, the information presented in this article on how to keep them fresh longer will be relevant and useful for them.

Everyone knows that the composition contains the most water. Therefore, it is quite difficult to preserve them, since moisture is quickly lost during storage. With the loss of water, vegetables lose taste qualities, their appearance spoils.

Fresh cucumbers require storage. In order for their quality to be preserved for a long time, it is necessary to maintain high air humidity and coolness.

What determines the shelf life? First of all, it depends on the quality of the vegetables themselves. It is advisable that they are stored immediately after collection. If several days have passed since they were collected, cucumbers cannot be used for storage. When buying cucumbers at the market, it is recommended to evaluate the condition of the entire batch. Loss of elasticity and yellowing of some fruits also indicate that they were collected earlier.

The next factor that you need to pay attention to when choosing cucumbers for storage is the condition of the fruit skin. It is desirable that it be dense and dry, without any damage. The presence of even minor damage leads to rapid spoilage of the fruit. Sometimes you can find watery fruits. They are also unsuitable for storage.

Important! You should remember the basic rule of preparing cucumbers for storage: soaking or washing cucumbers is strictly prohibited.

Important! Overripe fruits are also not suitable for storage. They are best used for preservation or immediate consumption.

When choosing cucumbers for storage, you need to take them into account. There are varieties that are intended for long storage, for example, Nezhinsky, Kharkovsky, Sadko, Competitor, Parade and others.

Methods for storing cucumbers

To extend the shelf life of fresh cucumbers, you must use one of the methods listed below. Depending on the chosen method, there may be different terms storing them in a form suitable for human consumption.

Regardless of the storage method, cucumbers must be periodically inspected and those that show signs of spoilage must be selected.

Way	Description
Storing cucumbers at room temperature	At natural conditions the vegetable can be stored for about three days. Cucumbers should not be washed before storing. Their surface has a protective coating that protects the vegetable from drying out and damage. If it is washed off, the fruits will quickly rot or shrivel. Also, with intense evaporation of moisture during room temperatures their use will lead to rapid spoilage of vegetables.
Refrigerated storage	The storage of cucumbers is influenced by the air temperature and humidity in the room where they are located. If the temperature is between +10°C and +15°C and there is high humidity, cucumbers can stay fresh for several days. Any packaging can serve as a container: paper boxes and bags, all kinds of boxes. You can additionally wrap the cucumbers in damp gauze. The moisture content of the fabric is checked periodically. If the air temperature is lowered to 8 °C, the shelf life can be increased to ten days.
Using the refrigerator	Refrigeration can significantly increase the shelf life of cucumbers. Cucumbers are stored in a special compartment, which is intended for vegetables and fruits. It is important to avoid placing them in the area near the freezer. Freezing of cucumbers leads to softening of the fruit and very rapid spoilage.

Important! Cucumbers and bananas should be stored separately. These fruits emit volatile substances that accelerate ripening, and this leads to rapid spoilage of cucumbers.

The easiest way is to place freshly picked cucumbers in the refrigerator without any additional processing. They need to be placed in the vegetable compartment. We can enjoy fresh cucumbers with this storage for about a week.

Important! After this period, yellowness appears on them, and then mucus.

What can you do to increase the shelf life of fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator? There are some interesting ways to help do this.

Storing cucumbers using unusual methods

In our grandmothers' time there were no refrigerators. They successfully stored vegetables in basements, closets, ponds, and wells. The methods are very effective.

Important! There is no exact data on the shelf life of such methods.

Using sand to store cucumbers. Boxes are used for storing cucumbers. The fruits are placed tightly there, and sand is poured between them. It must be clean and dry. You can use dried river sand. The container filled to the top is closed and stored in a cool place.
Storing cucumbers in a well. If there is a well in the yard, it can be successfully used for storing cucumbers. The cucumbers are laid out in a dry bucket, covered with a piece of cloth on top. A full bucket on a long cord is lowered to a level in the well where the water touches the bottom. Cooling with well water and always high humidity will keep cucumbers fresh for a long time.
Use of vacuum packaging. Vacuum packaging can be used to store any vegetables. Prepared cucumbers are placed in vacuum bags, from which air is pumped out using a pump. The bags are placed in a dark, cool place, preferably in the refrigerator. This method has a number of advantages: without air, bacteria and fungi do not penetrate into the bags. In addition, cucumbers retain their flavor and nutritional value.
Storing cucumbers in cabbage. The use of this method begins while planting cucumbers and cabbage. For this, late cabbage is used, which is planted in rows. Cucumbers are planted along a row of cabbage. When small cucumbers appear, they, together with the vine of the bush, are carefully placed around the stalk of the cabbage, between its leaves. The cucumbers will grow right inside the cabbage. After ripening, the cabbage is cut along with the cucumbers that are inside. Everything is placed together in a cool place. Growing and storing two vegetables together allows you to keep cucumbers in good condition until spring.
An effective storage method using a burning candle. First you need to clean the cucumbers from dirt. There is no need to wet them with water. Place the fruits in a glass container, filling it three-quarters of the way. A burning candle is placed on the cucumbers in the middle of the container. The burning time should be about 15 minutes. After this, everything is tightly closed with a lid. There is no need to put out the candle. The candle will burn inside until all the oxygen is burned out. After this, the flame will go out on its own. Carbon dioxide is formed in the container, which will prevent rot from forming. Those who have tried this method assure that cucumbers remain fresh until spring. It is advisable to open the lid before the holidays, because after opening the lid, the vegetables must be consumed within a day or two. This effective method allows you to preserve cucumbers for up to three months.

There are other ways to store cucumbers. Let's look at them.

How to preserve freshly harvested cucumbers before processing?

It happens that the cucumbers were harvested somewhere in the country, and there is no way to process them right away. It's summer, there's no refrigerator. The question arises: how to store cucumbers for several days in such conditions? The way out of this situation may be to use this method.

In the garden you need to dig a small hole in which the bottom and walls are lined with nettles.

Fresh cucumbers are packed in plastic bags and placed on nettles.

The top of the cucumbers is also covered with nettles, and a layer of plastic film is placed on top of everything.

The pit needs to be opened in two to three days. You will see wilted nettles that look like they just came from the garden fresh cucumbers.

Preservation of cucumbers

Recycling fresh vegetables canning is a popular method of using the harvested crop. There are a great many recipes for preserving cucumbers in jars and barrels. The most common are salted, pickled, lightly salted cucumbers, as well as cucumber salads.

Important! Of course, storing them this way will last much longer.

We present the simplest recipe for canned cucumbers.

Clean three liter jar all ingredients are added except cucumbers and salt: horseradish leaf, dill umbrella, Bay leaf, a piece of hot capsicum.

Cucumbers are placed in a jar. About 2 kg of cucumbers fit into a three-liter jar.

Fall asleep table salt– 100 g per jar. Everything is flooded cold water.

The jar is rolled up with a metal lid and left for at least 3 months.

Cucumbers according to this recipe are firm, crispy and aromatic. And the preparation itself takes very little time, which is why this recipe is called “lazy”.

Interesting! These cucumbers can be used as an independent snack or for cooking. various dishes, such as rassolnik, vinaigrette salads, Olivier salad and others.

Let's sum it up

Keep cucumbers fresh for for a long time not too difficult - fortunately, a lot of different methods have now been invented, from which you can definitely choose “your own”. But if possible, it is better, of course, to immediately use the cucumbers in some way - pickle them, pickle them, or simply eat them.

Video - How to preserve cucumbers

The average shelf life of fresh cucumbers is about a week in the refrigerator. After this, the moisture from them begins to evaporate more actively, the skin wrinkles, and the core becomes soft and tasteless. In addition, in such vegetables the chemical composition, the nutritional value will decrease and the appearance will deteriorate. However, there are several interesting ways, how to keep cucumbers fresh and crispy, just like from the garden, until the New Year!

How to choose cucumbers for long-term storage

In order to store cucumbers almost all winter without losing vitamins and taste, it is important to choose the right variety of these vegetables. Thus, salad varieties spoil very quickly even in ideal storage conditions. That is why it is worth taking pickling types of cucumbers, which are fresh are stored longer. The following varieties and hybrids are ideal for this:

Muromsky;
Nezhinsky;
Vyaznikovsky;
Debut;
Pickling;
Parisian gherkin;
Green Wave;
Competitor;
Goosebumps.

Externally, these cucumbers look attractive because they are small in size (up to 8 cm in length), smooth surface and even in color. Even without reliably knowing the variety of cucumbers, you can determine that they are pickled. As a rule, such vegetables have following signs:

dense pulp with small seed chambers;
the skin is shiny, covered with numerous large tubercles;
The spines on pickled cucumbers are always black or dark, but not white.

A significant advantage of pickling cucumbers is their resistance to damage. Even in the refrigerator, they retain their elasticity and taste longer than universal or salad ones.

How to keep cucumbers fresh until spring: the best ways

You can extend the shelf life of fresh cucumbers until mid-winter or even spring even at home, without using special products. Some methods were known back in Rus', and some were invented by our contemporaries. In any case, each of them has the right to life and is popular with housewives.

Fresh cucumbers before winter: recipe (video)

Method number 1: in banks

Despite the apparent complexity, doing this at home is quite simple.

The first and most important condition is to choose strong small cucumbers without the slightest sign of damage.
The fruits are thoroughly washed in cool water. It is important not to keep them in it for too long!
It is not recommended to wipe cucumbers: this can damage their skin.
The fruits are laid out on a well-absorbent cloth and left for about an hour.
Next, the cucumbers are placed in large jars. It is necessary to leave free space in the container by about a quarter of its height. There is no need to pack the fruits tightly so as not to cause damage.
Insert a short paraffin candle into the middle of the container between the cucumbers (you can use small decorative candles in a metal base without scent!) and light it for 8-10 minutes. At this time, prepare a sterile metal cover for capping, which must be dry.
After the specified time, the oxygen in the jar will burn out. At this time, you need to carefully roll up the lid so as not to extinguish the candle. Continuing to burn, the candle will consume all the oxygen in the container with cucumbers, after which it will go out.

This method allows you to store cucumbers fresh until spring in room conditions. It is only important to prevent light from entering the jars with fruits.

Method number 2: in a barrel (original old recipe)

This method allows you to prepare fresh cucumbers fresh without adding spices and brines. It was practiced by our ancestors, and is sometimes still found in villages. To keep cucumbers fresh using this method, you will need a previously scalded and dried wooden tub. Horseradish leaves are placed at the bottom (they interfere with fermentation processes).

Cucumbers are placed vertically in a barrel, tails down. The fruits must be packed very tightly so that there are no gaps between them. When the barrel is full, cover the top of the cucumbers with another layer of horseradish leaves. Then the barrel is sealed with a wooden circle-lid and placed in a reservoir, at the bottom of which there are cold springs.

The nutritional value Such cucumbers, however, as well as their taste, last until the New Year. Even in spring they remain crispy, juicy and aromatic. And all thanks to the fact that at the bottom of reservoirs the temperature is constantly around +4-6 degrees, and there is a complete absence of light and air access.

Method number 3: in the ice cellar

This method resembles the previous one in the technique of keeping cucumbers fresh. The only difference is that the barrel filled with fruits is filled to the brim with spring water (not tap water!). After this, the tightly closed container is placed in a cellar in which a glacier is equipped.

Method number 4: in a head of cabbage

To preserve cucumbers for a long time using this method, you need to start preparing at the beginning of summer. To do this, several cabbage bushes are planted next to the cucumber bed. At the moment when the heads of cabbage begin to wrap, a cucumber is stolen into their center without disconnecting it from the vine. The essence of this method is that the cabbage leaves will tightly envelop the still growing cucumber fruit, blocking access to air and light. After the onset of cold weather, the head of cabbage is carefully dug up along with a lump of earth and placed in the basement with the roots facing up.

The advantage of this method is the complete absence of time spent on preparing dishes and processing vegetables. The disadvantage is the likelihood of rotting of the head of cabbage and the cucumber in it, as well as a small amount of fruits kept fresh.

Method number 5: in a protein shell

The essence of this method is to create an airtight film on the surface of the cucumber from egg whites, due to which it does not lose its qualities a little longer than without such treatment.

Selected cucumbers must be absolutely healthy, fresh and smooth, with the “tail” preserved. They are thoroughly cleaned of contaminants, dried and coated with protein. chicken egg. The shell must completely cover the fruit and dry completely before storing.

It is better to keep such cucumbers in a cool and dark place, transferring the greens with wax paper. The maximum shelf life is about 60 days.

How long to store cucumbers in the refrigerator

When trying to store cucumbers in the refrigerator, many housewives make the mistake of placing them on a shelf with too much low temperatures, which accelerates their deterioration. To avoid this, it is better to put the greens in the warmest section, where the temperature ranges from +4 to +6 degrees. In such conditions they can remain fresh for about 3 weeks.

To reduce the risk of spoilage of cucumbers, you need to place them in jars or clay pots, and also remove other vegetables and fruits that can emit methane (apples, bananas, pears). They are the ones who most often cause damage to their neighbors on the shelf. Garlic will help protect greens from spoilage. You can put several of its cloves in one container with cucumbers.

Freezing: another option to keep cucumbers fresh

Thick and not very dense ones are suitable for freezing. juicy cucumbers. Before freezing, they must be thoroughly wiped and cut into cubes, strips or mugs. They are placed on baking sheets or plates in one layer and sent to freezer for a couple of hours. After freezing, the cucumbers can be poured into a tight plastic bag and immediately put back in the freezer.

These cucumbers can be stored for a very long time if defrosted in between.

How to freeze cucumbers for the winter (video)

Despite their tenderness and pronounced seasonality, you can keep cucumbers fresh until the New Year. To do this, you should carefully study the recipes proposed above and strictly follow them.

Reviews and comments

(14 ratings, average: 3,61 out of 5)

Annushka 03/21/2016

In glass jars - the most wonderful way, I always do this. It’s very interesting in cabbage, but cabbage also needs to be stored. But I didn’t like frozen cucumbers at all. After defrosting, they become like a rag.

Alexander 12/26/2016

Show me at least one cucumber that grew and was stored in cabbage!!! Show me at least one cabbage whose leaves first grow and then curl up. As far as I know, the head of cabbage grows from the inside. Compare the ripening times of cabbage (winter, of course) and cucumbers! A cucumber takes 2 days to grow, cabbage takes 2 months. Etc.
This idea can only be printed on April 1st. By the way, I read it for the first time about 30 years ago.
Frozen cucumber can be rubbed into okroshka for flavor. And when it melts, it’s disgusting to take it in your hands, not just in your mouth.

Have you ever dreamed of preserving fresh cucumbers longer, until winter? No, I'm not talking about those beautiful "overseas" ones who all year round lie on the counters, gleaming with lacquered sides. This is not the same, not “real”, with rough skin and almost tasteless flesh. I'm talking about small pimply and even slightly twisted cucumbers with a light whitish coating on a bright green skin. Just imagine how it will smell like freshness, summer and sun when you cut this miracle in winter. But how to preserve cucumbers for so long? I offer you several available ways. Perhaps the vegetables will not survive until the coldest weather, but will remain crisp and elastic for a long time.

Which cucumbers are best for long-term storage?

Fresh, homemade cucumbers just picked from the garden are best stored. When preparing them, be sure to remove the yellow inflorescences. The process of rotting most often begins with them. Cucumbers with damaged skin, wilted or rotten ones should definitely be eaten first or thrown away. You won't be able to keep them for long.

We store fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator (for the winter and not only)

Fresh cucumbers are perfectly stored in any modern refrigerator in the compartment for vegetables and fruits. Wrap unwashed, pimply vegetables in paper towels to retain moisture and absorb excess. Place in plastic bags; no need to tie the neck. There are also special packages with holes that allow vegetables to “breathe.” Place in a special compartment in the refrigerator. You cannot save fresh cucumbers from the garden in this way for the winter. But they will remain crispy and tasty for two to four weeks. Periodically inspect and discard spoiled fruits so that putrefactive bacteria do not spread to whole ones. Optimal temperature for storage - from 0 to +4 degrees. The higher the temperature, the less chance you have of enjoying homemade cucumbers in late autumn.

You can also store fresh cucumbers for the winter in the freezer. Cut them into circles. Then place in plastic freezer bags in a single row. And place it in the compartment quick freezing. Once defrosted, they will no longer be hard and crispy. But a salad or okroshka with very tasty summer-smelling cucumbers turns out to be incomparable.

Vinegar against rotting

Pour regular table vinegar to a height of 1-1.5 cm. Place a grill (for example, from a multicooker) on the bottom so that it does not touch the liquid. Place the cucumbers on the grill in a single layer. As vinegar evaporates, it forms a shell that will prevent the proliferation of harmful microorganisms.

Cold water will help preserve fresh cucumbers longer.

Very simple and effective method. You will need large-volume dishes, for example, a 10-liter saucepan. Place it immediately in a cold, dark room so that you don’t have to carry a heavy, filled container later. Place the cucumbers “standing” with the sharp tips down. Fill one quarter of the entire volume with cold water. Change the liquid every day to keep the cucumbers cool.

How a paraffin candle can help

Wipe small fresh cucumbers dry. Take 3 liters glass jars. Sterilize them in any way convenient for you. Place the vegetables in a glass container, filling it 3/4 full. Then carefully place a paraffin candle on top of the cucumbers. Light it and let it burn for 10 minutes. These simple manipulations will burn out oxygen, which is a favorable environment for the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria. Next, cover the jars with cucumbers with tight lids. The candle will burn for a maximum of half a minute and go out. Cucumbers prepared for long-term storage, put it in the refrigerator or cellar. So vegetables can be stored for 3-4 months, that is, until winter.

Long-term storage method for fresh cucumbers using egg whites

To preserve cucumbers in this way, you will need fresh chicken eggs. It would seem, what connection could there be? Very simple. Wash and dry fresh cucumbers. Brush vegetables on all sides chicken protein. Wait some time for it to dry. And place the cucumbers in prepared dry wooden or plastic boxes. When the protein on cucumbers dries, a protective film forms that prevents air from penetrating. It turns out that the vegetables will be absolutely sterile and will remain fresh for a long time. You can keep cucumbers fresh in this way for 1-2 months (depending on the variety). Vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating.

How fresh cucumbers were stored in Russian villages

Enough unusual method For modern man, but very effective. If you have a summer house with a pond, I recommend giving it a try. Place the cucumber harvest in barrels. Cover the top with a cloth, carefully securing it. Instead of barrels, you can use nets, bags or any other containers that allow water to pass through. Transport or move the cucumbers to a pond. Attach a weight to them so that they do not float to the surface. Lower it to the bottom. Also secure the barrels on the shore so that they do not get carried away by the current. In the flow cold water Cucumbers will stay fresh for a long time, until mid-winter.

Despite the availability of many more gourmet vegetables, cucumbers are grown en masse in garden beds, and they are in demand in stores all year round.

They are loved for their simple but pleasant taste, for the ease with which they are processed in the stomach, and for their scanty calorie content. Cucumbers contain more than 90% water, so they cannot be preserved for long. But there are still ways to prolong the freshness of vegetables.

How to store fresh cucumbers

Like most vegetables, fully ripe cucumbers will last longer in a cool place such as the refrigerator or basement.

Filling the refrigerator with cucumbers

For Not large quantity fruits can always be found in the refrigerator. When there are a lot of them, and there is nowhere else to place them, it is better to process the cucumbers over the course of a week - pickle them or marinate them. Otherwise, a significant amount of the product will have to be thrown away.

As easy as pie:

Place unwashed cucumbers in a bag with holes for ventilation.
Place vegetables in the part of the refrigerator that is intended for them.

In such conditions, cucumbers can remain fully usable for up to a week.

During the same time, vegetables will be preserved well if:

Place the cucumbers in a glass container.
Cover with a polyethylene lid.
Place on the middle shelf of the refrigerator.

You can store cucumbers in paper:

Wrap each fruit in a paper towel or napkin.
Place cucumbers in plastic bag.
Place the packaging away from the freezer.

Vegetables will lie, preserving their useful qualities and freshness, up to two weeks.

Fruits should be inspected periodically to watch for rot. If any cucumber has become too soft, turned yellow, or has mucus on it, it must be removed from the package immediately.

We use the basement

The basement is a very suitable place to place a large number of cucumbers. But provided that it is dry and cool.

Cucumbers will keep in the basement for at least a month. You need to do this:

Place the fruits in a ceramic or enamel container.
Sprinkle the cucumbers with dry sand.

You can wrap each cucumber in a napkin. This way the vegetables will not only be preserved, but will also remain clean.

Other storage methods

In addition to standard methods for preserving cucumbers, you can use less popular ones.

In water

Fill a bowl or other container with cold water.
Place the cucumbers, tails down, until they are covered by a couple of centimeters of liquid.
Place the container in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment.

If you change the water daily, cucumbers will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. Being partially in water, they compensate for the loss of moisture and do not dry out.

In this way, cucumbers that have a dense, lumpy, dark green skin are better preserved.

In egg white

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly.
Dry so that nothing remains of moisture.
Whisk the egg white and lightly beat.
Cover the skin of each cucumber with it.
Leave until completely hardened.
Place the cucumbers in a bag with holes and place in the refrigerator.

The protein film that wraps the cucumbers prevents moisture evaporation and allows air to pass through. Therefore, vegetables are perfectly preserved for up to 3 weeks.

In vinegar

Pour a centimeter layer of vinegar onto the bottom of an enamel saucepan.
Place a grill inside. It should be as close to the vinegar as possible, but not touching it.
Place cucumbers on top of the grill.
Cover the saucepan with a lid.
Place the container in the refrigerator or basement.

The vinegar will gradually evaporate, enveloping the vegetables in an invisible coating. It will significantly slow down the rotting of cucumbers, and the vegetables will remain in good condition for up to two weeks.

In the well

The method is suitable for those who still have wells filled with clean water:

Place the cucumbers in a clean and dry bucket.
Cover with a towel or piece of chintz.
Lower the bucket into the well closer to the water. Its bottom should barely touch the cool liquid.

Features of storing fresh cucumbers

To preserve fresh cucumbers, it is important to observe:

Temperatures. When it is between 5-15 degrees Celsius, vegetables can last from 4 days to a month.
Air humidity. For cucumbers, it is best if it is 90–95%.

The fruits do not tolerate high humidity and dryness. Temperature changes are a factor that significantly reduces their shelf life. Therefore, it should not be allowed to oscillate in one direction or another by more than 3–5 degrees.

If you keep cucumbers in a warm and humid room, they will rot quickly. If the air is dry, vegetables lose water, become wrinkled on the outside, and tasteless on the inside.

Sellers know about these characteristics of cucumbers and other fruits, so they cover them with wax.

Fruits from our own garden also have external natural protection. It is advisable to wash them only immediately before cooking.

Cucumbers should be stored away from ripe fruit. Pears, apples, and bananas emit ethylene, a substance under the influence of which the fruits ripen faster.

Which cucumbers don't keep for long?

Not all cucumbers are suitable for storage. There are varieties that are wiser to eat right away. Poorly preserved fruits:

Greenhouse varieties that ripen faster than others. They can last in normal condition for no more than 4 days.
Watery, with thin skin.
Overgrown. Cucumbers must be removed from the garden on time. To miss the moment and pick fruits that are overripe means to get a product that has few useful qualities left.

Storing cucumbers for the winter

It's nice to make salads from fresh cucumbers. But you can preserve them in salted and pickled form for much longer. There are dozens of ways to preserve cucumbers. Vegetable products pickled in jars or pickled in barrels are just as tasty as fresh ones.

The fruits can be frozen - cut into rings or cubes, put into bags and put in the freezer. How exactly to chop cucumbers depends on what dishes they are intended for. For okroshka and vinaigrette, the fruits need to be cut into cubes, for salads and sandwiches - into thin rings.

Thawed cucumbers will not be crispy like those just picked from the garden; they will darken slightly, but they will remain tasty and aromatic.

The summer vegetable cucumber is a welcome guest on the table. By making small preparations during the season, you can enjoy light and pleasant taste product at least every day.

The usual way for everyone to store cucumbers for the winter is pickling and pickling. However, it is possible to keep cucumbers almost until the New Year not salted, but fresh and tasty. Several recipes from experienced housewives will allow you to enjoy the crunch of green fruits and vitamins even on winter days. So, let's think about how to properly store fresh cucumbers.

Small cucumbers up to 8 cm long are best suited for storage.

One of the main roles in storing cucumbers is played by the choice of variety. It is worth knowing that salad varieties are absolutely not suitable for long-term storage, as they lose their appearance and useful material within a few days even in the refrigerator. Perfect option– pickling varieties, among which are Muromsky, Vyaznikovsky and the Murashka variety. However, if cucumbers for storage were purchased by hand, and the variety remains unknown, you can simply focus on the appearance of the fruit.

Cucumbers for storage should:

be small in size (up to about 8 cm);
have shiny skin with an even color and without blemishes;
have fleshy pulp with small seeds.

It is also worth paying attention to the thorns - they should be dark in color. Cucumbers with these parameters are very resistant to external damage and retain their properties longer. unique taste and elasticity.

How to store fresh cucumbers at home

First of all, it’s worth talking about how to preserve fresh cucumbers under certain external conditions.

Vegetables are sensitive to temperature changes, dry air, or, conversely, high humidity. Due to the influence of these factors, the fruits lose their elasticity, become lethargic or begin to rot.

Therefore, you need to decide in advance on a suitable storage room.

Where to store fresh cucumbers

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “storage” is a cellar, basement or refrigerator, that is, places where the temperature is quite low. However, the question of where to store cucumbers still remains open, because cool air is not enough for long-term storage of vegetables - there are certain rules that must be followed.

Shelf life of fresh cucumbers

A paper napkin will slow down the evaporation of moisture from the cucumber

Fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator, stored without additional measures, lose their freshness almost before our eyes. Literally a week later, instead of a crunchy, elastic vegetable, you can find a soft and flabby cucumber, unsuitable for food. Therefore, if you do not know how to store cucumbers in the refrigerator, you should purchase vegetables that are only enough for daily use.

Packed in a special way cucumbers can remain fresh in the refrigerator or cellar for two weeks to a month, respectively. In the first case, each fruit must be wrapped in a paper napkin, and then the cucumbers must be placed in a plastic bag with ventilation holes. Garlic and a piece of horseradish will also help protect cucumbers from spoilage. Green vegetables should be stored separately from other foods.

You can keep the cucumbers fresh longer in the basement. To do this, you will need enamel or ceramic dishes and regular clean sand. Stacked on the bottom cling film, on top there are cucumbers sprinkled with sand. Additionally, the fruits can be wrapped in a paper napkin - this will slow down the loss of moisture.

Cucumber storage temperature

Cucumbers can be kept at temperatures from +15°C and below - it all depends on the expected shelf life. In some cases, fresh cucumbers are even frozen, and subsequently they are kept at sub-zero temperatures. In any case, you should first study all storage methods in order to choose the most optimal option for yourself in the future.

How to keep cucumbers fresh

There are several technologies that help keep cucumbers fresh for several months. Simple and effective, they will not take much time, but will give you the opportunity to get such useful vitamins during the winter months.

Cucumbers can stay fresh in a jar for up to 4 months

Store cucumbers in water

This method does not require too much long term storage For this you need whole cucumbers with intact stems. Place the vegetables in a container with their tails facing down and add a little water so that the liquid covers part of the fruit. The dishes with cucumbers should be placed in the refrigerator and the water should be replaced with fresh water daily.

Store cucumbers in a jar

One of the non-standard ways to preserve fresh cucumbers for the winter is in a regular jar. In this case, no solution is poured into the container, and the vegetables are not subjected to heat treatment. The period during which cucumbers will remain fresh is up to 4 months. For this method you will need:

3 liter jar;
paraffin candle;
enough vegetables.

The process itself is simple. First of all, the container must be thoroughly washed and sterilized, after which clean and dry cucumbers are placed in the jar. Make sure there is some space left in the jar. A paraffin candle is placed on the vegetables and should be set on fire. Burning time is about a quarter of an hour. With the candle still burning, the jar is closed with a tight lid. Once the oxygen in the container runs out, the candle will go out on its own. Keep this unusual workpiece needed in the refrigerator or cellar.

Using egg white

A similar technology is used by industrial companies to preserve the freshness of “store-bought” cucumbers. Unlike her folk recipe completely natural.

Whole, undamaged cucumbers must be thoroughly washed and dried. After this, they need to be immersed in a container with egg white and hang by the tails to dry. After the protein hardens, a dense film forms on the surface of the skin, preventing moisture loss. Processed vegetables can be placed in any container and placed in a cool, dry place.

Storing cucumbers with vinegar

Regular vinegar can also become an indispensable assistant in such a difficult task as keeping cucumbers fresh. This method works thanks to the special environment in the container where the vegetables are stored. You need to pour vinegar into any container intended for storage and place a wire rack on top. It is important that the liquid does not reach the bottom edge of the grate. After this, just carefully lay out the vegetables and tightly close the dish with a lid. In a cool, dry place, cucumbers will stay fresh for several months.

Freezing

Before freezing, cucumbers must be cut into thin slices.

Many people neglect this method, believing that after defrosting, cucumbers become lethargic and tasteless. However, this is not at all true - frozen vegetables are quite suitable for cooking various salads and other dishes where the juicy cucumber taste will come in handy.

Before freezing, the fruits must be cut into small circles and placed individually on a board. The board with cucumbers should be placed in the freezer for a short time. After the circles are “set” by frost, they must be placed in storage bags and put away for the winter. This approach helps to avoid the cucumber pieces freezing into one sloppy lump - frozen slices in the bag will never stick together.

A prerequisite is that defrosting vegetables must take place in cold water.

Otherwise, there is a risk of getting delicious pieces cucumbers, but indistinct porridge.

How to preserve fresh cucumbers longer in salt

For this method it is advisable to use small containers, for example, liter jars- to open form The cucumbers were eaten quickly and cleanly. Cucumbers sprinkled with salt are laid out in layers in a sterilized dry jar. The first layer, of course, should be table salt.
There is no need to worry that the cucumbers will turn out salty - soaking them in filtered water for half an hour will completely remove the unnecessary taste.

We use a head of cabbage

Some zealous owners use cucumbers for future storage original way growing. Vegetable seeds for the summer are planted in close proximity to white cabbage seedlings. The small fruits that appear during the growth process are placed directly into the leaves. As a result, the adult fetus ends up in a so-called “cocoon” from the head of cabbage. They are stored just like that - in cabbage heads. It is better to choose a dark and cool storage place. This long and labor-intensive method is not so suitable for answering the question “how to quickly and easily keep cucumbers tasty and fresh for the winter,” but it can be very effective.

Ancient storage methods

Our ancestors also thought about how to preserve delicious cucumbers for a long time, for example, for the winter. When such a luxury as a refrigerator did not yet exist, people used an original method - it may still be relevant today. The freshly harvested crop was simply placed in wooden tub or keg and cover tightly with a lid. The container with cucumbers had to be placed in a place in the nearest body of water where the water does not freeze even in severe frosts.

Another one ancient technology keeping cucumbers fresh - in earthenware. Vegetables placed in a pot with dry sand were simply buried in the ground.

Whatever method is chosen, it is worth it to surprise your household and guests with the taste of fresh homemade cucumbers in the middle of a snowy winter.