Let's admit, cucumber is possibly one of the most underrated food ingredients in every kitchen pantry. It is available year-round and can be consumed in various ways including salad, chutney, raita among others. Yet, we hardly speak about its goodness. Right? Call it a fruit or vegetable, cucumber contains 96 percent water, meaning, it is perfect as an antidote to dehydration, inflammation and many other harmful toxins. Besides, cucumber is super delicious to boot! That yummy crunch on the cucumber in your salad or wrap is just irresistible and, when served cold, it is absolutely refreshing! No wonder you find people buying it in bulk and storing for whenever they need.
This brings us to the question, how to store cucumber and keep it fresh for long? After all, no one likes munching on a dry or spoiling cucumber! To help you with that, we listed some amazing hacks that you can follow to extend the shelf life of the cucumbers you bought recently. Let's take you through.
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Here Are 5 Smart Ways To Store And Keep Cucumber Fresh For Long:
1. Clean and dry properly:
As soon as you bring the cucumber home, rinse them well and dry them thoroughly. Cleaning cucumber washes away the bacteria stuck to the outer layer, which might further accelerate the rotting process. But be sure to wipe and air-dry properly after.
Clean and dry the cucumbers properly. Photo Credit: Pixabay
2. Keep away from moisture:
Moisture speeds up the process of decaying. Therefore, it is important to store cucumber in dry, ventilated part of the refrigerator.
3. Wrap in paper towel:
As mentioned earlier, moisture decays cucumber faster. Hence, it is suggested to store it in a paper towel to soak excess moisture that may accumulate over time.
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4. Wrap in plastic bag:
Don't have paper towel at home? Fret not, here's an alternative option to it. You can store cucumber in a perforated plastic bag that helps lock the moisture and prevent the fruit/vegetable from wilting.
You can easily use zip lock bag to store cucumbers.
5.Keep it away from other fruits and vegetables:
Fruits and vegetables like banana, tomato etc produce ethylene gas. It accelerates the ripening process, leaving a mushy spot on the cucumber.
How To Store Cut Cucumber:
Cucumbers are rich in vitamin K.
Always remember, it is easier to store a partially used cucumber than a completely chopped or sliced one. So always, cut only the portion you need from the whole cucumber. For the remaining part, cover the cut end with plastic wrap and store.
How Long Can You Store Cucumber And Keep It Fresh:
If stored properly, cucumber may stay fresh for up to two weeks. However, due the high water-content, it is always suggested to eat it faster to enjoy the perfect crunch and refreshing flavour. And make sure the temperature of the refrigerator is not below 50-degree while storing cucumber.
Now that you know all the tricks to keep cucumber fresh, follow them diligently and let us know which of the above tricks worked the best for you.
Meanwhile, here are some fun ways to include cucumber in your everyday diet. Click here to know more.