Cucumbers are strange pieces food and there are some people who absolutely hate them and then there are others who really hate the taste of them. If you are one of those people who makes up their face or even gags at the sight of a cucumber, then this article is not for you.
There is always a debate when it comes to fruit and vegetable storage and some ways that people are positively sure is the right way to store certain foods, is actually pretty wrong.
So how do you store cucumbers you may ask? There are some who will swear that they need to go into the refrigerator and you know what, they are…wrong. It seems that putting cucumbers in the refrigerator in a hope to keep them fresh and have them last longer is not the smartest thing to do. The Postharvest Technology Center over at UC Davis wrote a comprehensive article outlining what the ideal temperatures are to keep cucumbers at and the fridge was not recommended at all. The article highlighted that cucumbers are really susceptible to cold injury and this increases after a couple of days of exposure. Once the cucumber was exposed to temperatures 50F and lower, you would see a variety of cold injuries from wateriness, rapid decay and pitting on the outside. This does not sound too appealing now does it?
So How to Keep Them Fresh?
Your best bet at keeping the cucumbers fresh is really to keep them on the kitchen counter until you are ready to use them. Having them at room temperature will have them lasting a bit longer than if you had them in the fridge. If you do end up cutting the cucumber and not using it all, then you can then store in the fridge, but remember you have to use them as soon as possible or they will slowly but surely turn into a slimy mush.
But I Really Want to Store Them in the Fridge
While it is recommended that you store the cucs at room temperature, you can still keep them in the fridge, but you definitely cannot keep them in the crisper. It is a good idea to have them on the top shelf of the fridge, as that is where the warmer air tends to be. This will slow down the chance of them becoming spoiled much quicker.
Another tip for the refrigerator is to wrap the cucumbers in paper towels and store them in a Ziploc bag with the air pressed out. This will keep the moisture away and they should be able to be kept for much longer.
