How to store fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator, freezer, in the basement + reviews

It is believed that this vegetable begins to lose its beneficial properties after three days, after separation from the mother bush. However, there are several proven ways that gardeners and modern housewives help maintain the nutritional value of a favorite product for a longer time. Some methods allow you to keep the last cucumber harvest before Catholic Christmas, keeping the vegetables fresh and crispy for a whole month.

Cucumbers cannot be stored in the same container with ripe fruits. The latter tend to distribute ethylene - a gas that stimulates the overripening of fruits. And therefore, such a neighborhood can lead to yellowing of zelents.

How to prepare cucumbers for storage

When cucumbers are bought for the purpose of their further storage, it is better not to take specimens that are too large and slightly wilted. Also, vegetables should be free of damaged areas and brown spots.

At home, cucumbers are sorted out and those that are not too hard are set aside for consumption first.

For long-term storage, medium-sized hard fruits are selected. Small cucumbers should not be taken away, they will not lie for a long time.

When the crop is harvested on its site, the cucumbers should be laid out to dry in a ventilated place. It is undesirable to keep them in the sun for a long time, as they will lose their elasticity. After drying, the fruits are lightly wiped with a dry cloth to clean the ground from them.

These vegetables cannot be kept wet. This will lead to rotting and mold growth on them.

Quite often, sellers resort to a method when previously picked fruits are soaked in a bath for several hours to give them freshness. Be careful in the market, if cucumbers have clear signs that they have been in the water, you should not take such fruits.

Selection of fruits for long-term storage

The duration of the vegetables in the refrigerator depends on which variety is chosen. In this case, the external and internal characteristics of the fetus are important.

Which varieties should you choose?

Based on the experience of gardeners, it is possible to determine varieties that are great for long-term maintenance at home:

Nezhinsky;
Kustovoy;
Parade;
Competitor;
Unbearable 40;
Kharkov;
Sadko.

Also, any varieties of gherkins are suitable for long-term storage.

Other characteristics

When choosing vegetables, you should pay attention to their external characteristics:

The cucumber should have a firm skin with no visible damage.
The color is dark green, and the rind is covered with many sharp, pimples.
It is worth paying attention to the color of the bumps - they should be dark, not white.
The pulp should be firm and the seeds small.
The presence of the stalk protects the vegetable from rapid moisture loss.
It is better to give preference to medium-sized cucumbers, within 10-13 centimeters.

Attention!

Large fruits with large and overripe seeds are completely unsuitable.

For keeping in the refrigerator, you need to choose fresh, only cucumbers plucked from the garden. If the fruits have already lain for several days at home and not in the refrigerator, they become unusable. Vegetables must be clean and free from moisture on the surface.To do this, they are cleaned with a dry napkin, without washing, so as not to damage the protective film, which prevents putrefactive processes and allows you to retain moisture longer.

The shelf life also depends on the growing method. Greenhouse vegetables will not last long. It is best to take those that are grown outdoors.

How to keep store-bought cucumbers fresh

When buying cucumbers in the store, remember that the manufacturer packs vegetables in special bags, which are then filled with carbon dioxide. This method helps to preserve the fruits for a long time. They are placed on a refrigerator shelf without opening the package. After the tightness is broken, the fruits will remain fresh for only 2 - 3 days. Therefore, if you bought vegetables in a vacuum package, you should open them only immediately before use.

If you buy a cucumber in the summer, then it is best to do it in the market from small farmers. Usually, farmers who have no more than 3-4 boxes of this product on sale pick vegetables in the morning and take them to the market. Therefore, in this case, you will receive a fresh vegetable that will be stored for as long as possible.

Influence of temperature on keeping quality

The air temperature in the room or chamber in which cucumbers are stored is a fundamental factor affecting the duration of storage. The table will be your quick guide to temperature conditions.

Table - Shelf life of cucumbers at different temperatures

Temperature range, ° C	Maximum duration, days
15	5
8	8
4	30
-18	270

The zelentsov variety also affects the maturation time. Salad varieties, for example, are absolutely not intended for storage for a long time due to the minimum density of the skin. However, there are varietal cucumbers that, if certain rules are followed, do not spoil for a very long time. These include "Kustovye", "Kharkovskie", "Nezhinskie", as well as "Competitor", "Sadko" and "Parade".

Now you know almost everything about how to store fresh cucumbers at home. And even if one day you happen to spend time in the wilderness without any communications, you can save your harvest using the oldest of the methods described. There is only one thing left to learn: only those greens that were collected yesterday evening or this morning are suitable for lying. And if, when buying vegetables from the market, you are not sure of the seller's words regarding the harvest date, do not risk it. It is better to eat the purchased cucumbers fresh, and prepare others for the winter - from your own garden.

Video on the topic Storing cucumbers after picking

How to store cucumbers in the refrigerator

Vegetables should be sent for storage as soon as possible, immediately after they have been harvested or purchased. The freshness time of these vegetables can be increased if each individual cucumber is wrapped in a napkin, and then packaged in several pieces in bags. You should not tie the bags, you need to have air access to the fruits. With this storage, vegetables retain their elasticity and taste for 10 to 12 days.

Freezing

Along with other vegetables, cucumbers can also be frozen, this is considered the most effective way of harvesting.

In this form, the fruits will have the taste, aroma and useful composition of a fresh vegetable.... Only, unfortunately, they will not crunch, but frozen cucumbers are simply irreplaceable in winter salads and in okroshka.

Freezing is made from whole, not spoiled fruits. We wash them thoroughly and cut off the butts. If the cucumbers are bitter, then soak them for several hours in cold water. Then we cut it as it is planned to add to the finished dish:

We lay out the chopped cucumbers in one layer on a plate or serving, place in the freezer for 1 hour. To prevent vegetables from losing moisture, cover them with cling film.

After the specified time, we take out the cucumbers, pack them in special bags in small portions, seal them tightly and return them to storage in the freezer. Cucumbers in this form are stored for a long time and will calmly last until the New Year and longer.

To get the most out of frozen food, you must defrost it properly. To do this, it is better to transfer a portion of the cucumbers to the refrigerator compartment for 3 hours. After the specified time has elapsed, put the cucumbers on the kitchen table.

In the bank

You can keep the cucumbers fresh in the jar without pickling or preserving them.

To do this, rinse vegetables with boiling water and dry well or wipe thoroughly with a cloth.
Chopped horseradish is placed in a clean glass jar, and only then cucumbers are placed in it.
Then the fruits laid in jars are placed in a dark cool place, having previously tightly closed with lids.

Cucumbers can be stored in this form for 2 months.

The most unusual storage methods

There are ways people have kept vegetables fresh before refrigerators came to their homes. Now they seem unusual, but cucumbers are stored in this way from a month to six months.

In the pond

The fruits are placed in a bag with small cells and a load suspended from below, and the bag is lowered into a reservoir that does not freeze in winter.

In sand

You will need pottery and well washed and dried sand. First, put a layer of sand, then vegetables, then sand again, and so on to the top of the container. The dishes are closed, put into the cellar. The vegetables will be stored even longer if the container is buried in the ground.

In the well

If you have your own well on the site, a bucket of cucumbers covered with natural fabric is immersed in water by 1-2 cm.

In cabbage

For cultivation and longer storage, cucumbers are planted between cabbage rows. The lash with the ovary appearing on it is placed between the cabbage leaves. Thus, the cucumbers grow inside the cabbage, and then they are stored in it in a cool place.

How cucumbers should not be stored

You cannot save the crop if the fruits are packed in plastic bags and sealed. Without constant air circulation, the fruits will quickly disappear.

Also, they are not stored next to products that have a strong odor. Cucumbers absorb all the aromas well. Also, they should not be kept next to ripe fruits that can release ethylene. The effect of this substance on vegetables and fruits triggers the process of accelerated ripening. Cucumbers also succumb to the influence of ethylene, but since they are not able to ripen when they are already harvested from the garden, they begin to deteriorate very quickly.

General storage waist

Storage method	Shelf life
In a refrigerator	up to 12 days
In the basement in a drawer	8-10 days
Fresh in the jar	up to 2 months
In the freezer	freezing is not recommended

Non-standard storage methods

Fruits can be stored using non-standard methods that are not known to everyone. But they also effectively preserve the freshness and flavor of the cucumber.

In sand

Thanks to the sand, you can save more crops without using the refrigerator. The fruits are placed in a container and gradually covered with clean sand so that there is a layer of sand between them without gaps. The container with sand is placed in a cold place, for example, in a basement.

The shelf life in this way can be up to several months.

In cabbage

A cucumber can be preserved longer by wrapping it in a cabbage leaf while still in the garden. Thus, plants are planted next to early cabbage varieties. At the moment when the small fruit has formed, it should be placed between the leaves of the cabbage, placing it next to the stem.

When the cucumbers have grown to the desired size, the cabbage is cut off and placed in the basement.In this case, the cabbage becomes a container for storing the vegetable. This method will keep the fruit fresh for several months. It is best to wrap the cabbage in paper so that it has a longer shelf life.

With vinegar

For this method, you will need a container with an enamel coating. A 2-3 mm layer of table vinegar is poured onto the bottom. A slotted pallet is placed on top, on which several layers of cucumbers are placed. In this case, the fruits should not come into contact with vinegar. The container is closed with a tight lid. This method will extend the freshness of the fruit for up to a month.

In an earthen pot

The harvest is well stored in a clay container. A thin layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of the container, and then a layer of cucumbers is laid out and sand is poured on top again. This pot can be stored both in the refrigerator and in the basement.

In a barrel

A wooden barrel is an excellent storage for vegetables. The wood from which it is made must be dense (it is better to take oak). The fruits are tightly packed into the barrel and sealed hermetically. After that, such a container is lowered to the bottom of the river and firmly fixed in order to protect it from the current.

Advice!

If you choose the right barrel made of wood that is not prone to rotting, cucumbers remain fresh for several months.

Storage at room temperature

At room temperature, the freshness of the fruit is much shorter, on average 3 days. It is best to store them in a cardboard container at a temperature not higher than +15 ℃ and an air humidity of at least 90%. At a temperature of +10 ℃, cucumbers are stored from a week to 10 days.

Storage tips

If the crop is planned to be kept at room temperature, it will need to be processed or eaten within three days.
The smaller the size of the cucumber, the faster it will fade and shrivel. For example, gherkins are not suitable for long-term storage, and therefore they are most often canned.
Hard fruits will last much longer than those that have already begun to wilt.
Do-it-yourself fruits have a longer shelf life than those bought at the supermarket.
If the cucumbers have already been cut, they should be eaten first. They are weathered very quickly and their rind begins to wrinkle.
When the wilting processes have already begun, you can try to hold the fruits in cold water for a while. This method can help restore the dense texture of the cucumbers by absorbing moisture. These fruits can be stored in water only in the manner described above.

General recommendations and useful tips

Cucumbers are 95% water, which evaporates even at low temperatures, so the main condition is to delay the evaporation of liquid from vegetables. The fruits should be firm and not have voids inside. A household vacuum sealer will keep food fresh longer, vacuum packaging prevents oxidative processes in food.

How to properly store cucumbers in any way:

Cucumbers are very sensitive to changes in humidity, if it is greatly increased or, conversely, decreases greatly, this will immediately affect the safety of the fruit.
Sudden changes in temperature are also undesirable when storing this vegetable. If cucumbers are stored in a too dry place, they will very quickly lose their taste and begin to fade, and if they are humid and warm conditions, they will begin to rot in a short time. For this reason, almost all vegetables sold through the distribution network are treated with various compounds, for example, wax.
It is not recommended to wash cucumbers before storing them - homemade fruits from the garden have a certain protection, it is for this reason that you do not need to immediately remove them and shorten the shelf life. It is best to wash them directly before using them, pickling them, or making a cucumber salad.
And in order for the cucumbers to be preserved as long as possible, they must be placed as far as possible from the fruit shelf. Especially this rule must be observed in relation to bananas and pears with apples - the ripe fruits of these fruits have the ability to produce ethylene, which contributes to their early ripening and it will not be possible to preserve cucumbers for a long time.

The third way: creating special conditions with vinegar

The fact is that this table solution in a closed environment is able to preserve vegetables for a rather long period. To do this, you need to perform a number of actions:

1. Peel the cucumbers, dry them. You don't need to trim at the ends.

2. Pour 1 cap of vinegar into an enamel pot.

3. Place a wire rack or cheesecloth on top, but so that it does not touch the solution in any way.

4. Place the cucumbers on top.

5. Cover tightly to keep air out.

You can save cucumbers in this way for 2-3 months, provided that they are in a cool place.

Vinegar

Using ordinary table vinegar, you can create sterile conditions for long-term storage of fresh cucumbers. We select suitable fruits without rot and spoilage (the ends do not need to be cut off), we wipe each vegetable thoroughly with a kitchen towel.

Pour 1 lid from a bottle of table vinegar into an enameled container with a lid, and set a grate on top so that its contents do not come into contact with vinegar.

Put the cucumbers on top of the wire rack and close the lid tightly to prevent oxygen access. In a cool place, such cucumbers will be stored for 2-3 months.

Method two: protein to help

How to keep cucumbers fresh longer with eggs? The fact is that protein will allow vegetables to "breathe" and at the same time will not allow air to pass through, which has such a detrimental effect on their appearance.

1. Collect whole pretty cucumbers. It is desirable that even a tail remain on them. You don't need to trim anything anywhere. Wash them under cold water and pat each unit dry with a paper towel.

2. Separate the white from the yolk. Coat each cucumber with a transparent mucus-like paste.

3. Hang each individual vegetable (you can in a row) in a cool dry place.

The shelf life with this method is about 2 months.

Fourth way: vegetables in the cellar

If you have your own underground, then this is the best way to store food. Since the temperature in the basement does not drop below freezing, the vegetables are thus not frozen. This means that they retain all their useful properties. But there is a secret of how to withstand our crispy green delicacy as long as possible, right up to spring. How to keep plucked cucumbers in the cellar and how to do it correctly - read below.

The usefulness of fruits

The difficulty of long-term storage is due to the constituents they contain, which are beneficial:

magnesium, to stabilize the functions of the heart, blood vessels and the prevention of heart attacks - myocardium;
potassium, which helps to remove toxins and toxins;
vitamin groups B and C, which are responsible for the immune system;
carotenoids, considered powerful antioxidants, etc.

And the fact that cucumbers are with 95% water balance, which is ideal, and at the same time complicates the task of their storage.

Protein shell

This method was also used by our ancestors. Its essence lies in the fact that a dense airtight film forms on the surface of vegetables, which prevents the vegetable from spoiling.

For harvesting, we select even healthy fruits with a small tail. Carefully wash and dry the cucumbers.Next, we take fresh chicken protein, shake it a little and cover the cucumbers with a brush.

The protein shell should not have any gaps and must dry completely before storing..

We put the cucumbers in a convenient container, shifting the vegetables together with wax paper. You can store the workpiece for 60 days in a cool room.