How to Store Sliced Cucumbers

Preparing Cucumber for Storage

Wash the cucumbers before storing them. Take the cucumbers out of the package, even if they are vacuum-sealed in plastic. Rinse them under cool, running water in your sink. Soap isn't necessary, although it will not harm the cucumber if you choose to use it.

Dry the cucumbers thoroughly. The cucumbers have to be dry before they can be stored. Wipe them off with a paper towel to remove most of the moisture. Afterwards, wrap them inside a clean paper towel or dishcloth. The material absorbs any remaining moisture until you are ready to slice the cucumbers. Any cucumbers that feel soft or have mold spots on them should be used immediately. Cut away the soft or moldy spots with a knife.

Peel the cucumber for easier storage. Strip down the cucumber using a vegetable peeler. Remove the dark green skin, leaving the light green flesh exposed. Preventing the skin from going soft is difficult. It is easier to remove it, unless you prefer not slicing your cucumbers.

Cut the cucumbers into small slices. Use a sharp knife to slice the cucumber into more manageable sections. Aim for slices ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) long. The slices don’t have to be exact, so there is no need to break out a ruler. Try to keep the slices as small and as even as possible to prevent them from collecting water. Cucumbers are best when used right away. If you aren’t planning on using a cucumber yet, refrain from slicing it. Instead, wrap it in a dry paper towel and place it inside a bag in the refrigerator.

Refrigerating Slices

Dampen a paper towel. No matter how you slice the cucumbers, keep the skinless parts covered with a paper towel. Moisten the towel lightly under cool, running water in your skin. Avoid soaking the towel, since extra moisture causes cucumbers to soften faster. Squeeze the excess water out of the towel. Cutting a cucumber into small slices is the easiest way to store it, but it isn’t the only way. You can store a partially-cut cucumber as long as you keep the flesh damp and the skin dry. For example, if you cut the cucumber in half, cover the exposed half with a damp paper towel. Cover the skin with a dry paper towel to prevent it from absorbing moisture.

Wrap the cucumber in the paper towel. Set the cucumber pieces in the middle of the paper towel. Fold the ends over to cover the slices completely. The small amount of moisture should keep the fruit fresh without turning it to mush. If you are worried about adding too much moisture, you can wrap the slices in a dry paper towel instead. Because moisture causes cucumbers to turn soft and moldy, store slices separately from uncut cucumbers.

Store the wrapped cucumbers in an open plastic bag. The produce bags available at many grocery stores serve as great storage containers. Resealable plastic bags are another option. Prevent the cucumbers from getting soggy by leaving the bag open. This allows moisture to escape.

Tuck the bag into the warmest part of the refrigerator. A vegetable drawer or crisper are ideal spots if you have them in your refrigerator. Other than that, position them at the front end of a middle shelf. Your cucumbers are better off away from cold air, which collects near the floor and freezer. Studies show that cucumbers don’t hold up well in the cold. Temperatures under 50 °F (10 °C) begin damaging them after 3 days. Control the temperature as best as you can and eat the slices as soon as possible.

Keep the slices away from ethylene-producing fruits. Cucumbers are sensitive to ethylene and degrade faster in it. Avoid storing these fruits with cucumbers if you can. If you do have them in the same refrigerator, move them to opposite sides or utilize bins to reduce ethylene exposure. This invisible gas is produced by fruits such as melons, bananas, apples, peaches, and pears. Tomatoes are another big reason why your cucumbers may turn to mush way too quickly.

Use the cucumbers within 2 days. Cucumbers don’t last long, especially after being sliced. Plan on using them within a few days. With proper storage and a little luck, they may last as long as a week. Since cucumbers tend to spoil so quickly, minimize the number of slices you store. Leave cucumbers whole until you need them.

Freezing Cucumber Slices

Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl. Lay the cucumber slices as flat as possible in a large mixing bowl. Spread them out in a single layer, if possible. The more you are able to spread out the slices, the easier they will be to salt. Also, choose a bowl that can resist cool temperatures.

Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers. The tablespoon (14.8 ml) of salt is meant for 7 cups of sliced cucumbers. Reduce the amount of salt when storing less than that. Using your fingers or a measuring spoon, distribute the salt evenly. You may also mix the slices by hand or with a spoon to coat them in salt. If you are ever unsure about how much salt to use, sprinkle a small amount on each slice. Use as much as you can pick up between 2 fingers. While you can freeze cucumbers directly without salt and other ingredients, they turn to mush because they have so much water. They are still good for adding flavor to drinks, soups, and smoothies, though.

Refrigerate the cucumbers overnight. Move the bowl into the refrigerator. You do not have to do anything now but wait and can leave the bowl alone for up to 24 hours. If you wish to make sure the cucumbers stay crisp, cover the bowl with a towel and put a handful of ice on top of it.

Drain the cucumbers. The next day, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and pour out the water. Press down on the cucumbers by hand or with a kitchen utensil to squeeze out excess water. Removing the water is essential to keeping the cucumbers crisp.

Mix the cucumbers in sugar and vinegar. Add the white sugar and distilled white vinegar to the bowl. Mix the ingredients, allowing the sugar to dissolve as the cucumbers soak for a few minutes. Adjusted the ratio according to your tastes. Many times, more sugar and less vinegar is used for sweeter cucumbers. Using more vinegar than sugar leads to sour pickles.

Store the cucumbers in freezer containers. Take out the bowl again and transfer the pickles to the resealable, frost-resistant containers. Include the sugar and vinegar liquid in the containers as well, leaving about ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) of empty space at the top. The cucumbers can last all year in the freezer.