Keep your cucmbers fresh before pickling.
Closely related to melons and squash, the cucumber is a popular summertime crop, either to grow in the home garden or to use as fresh produce. Cucumbers are a popular addition to salads; however, the most popular preparation of cucumbers involve making them into pickles. Pickles, if properly prepared and canned, can last all year round. If you buy a large store of cucumbers to make pickles, you need to keep the cucumbers fresh until you begin the canning process.
Instructions
1. Harvest 6-inch cucumbers from your garden in the morning, before the afternoon sun has had a chance to raise the cucumber's internal temperature.
2. Choose cucumbers from the market that have smooth green skin without any soft spots or bruising.
3. Lightly spray the cucumbers with water to help them retain water.
4. Place the cucumbers in perforated plastic bags. Do not over pack the bags. Make sure the cucumbers have some room.
5. Place the bags of cucumbers in your refrigerator. They should be kept cool, but not colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Adjust your refrigerator's settings as necessary.
6. Store the cucumbers for no longer than 3 to 5 days to ensure maximum freshness.
Tags: cucumbers from, your refrigerator