osewme

Our cucumbers are just starting to produce but I can tell that eventually I will have too many to deal with. Too bad they can't be frozen & used for later. I think they would turn mushy & loose their "crunch". Any ideas as to how to use them up before they go bad on me?

SueZQ from MN

I am not a canner, so for me, it's refrigerator pickles.I slice them paper thin and store them in a big covered plastic container (9x12x6") in the refrigerator in a pickling brine of vinegar, sugar, water, thin-sliced onion, spices, and sometimes a little green pepper and they last for months.

Onebyone

I was taught to always cut a cucumber in half first then slice or cut the two ends. It will stop the bitter taste. Anyone do it that way?

We eat cucumbers almost every day. I slice them and sprinkle generously with Ranch powder. I leave them on the counter for snacking. The grands like them too.

GingerK

I also make refrigerator pickles but mine are sweet. For one quart--thinly slice enough cucumber to almost fill the quart jar (in winter, this would be a large english cucumber) and one onion. Put in bowl and sprinkle with pickling salt (regular will do in a pinch) Leave for a couple of hours and then rinse very well.

Mix 3/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup cider vinegar (use all white if you have no cider), 2/3 cup white sugar, a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. Bring to a boil and let simmer a few minutes. Pour over vegetables, clean jar rim, tightly screw on lid and put in the fridge. Lasts for months and I can eat them like candy!

Tartan

Pickles or relish come to mind for lots of cucumbers. There are several cucumber salad recipes but you can only eat salad so many times without getting sick of it.

bearisgray

I have made bread and butter pickles that can be frozen. They are(were) awesome!

My Mom had made some and I used them ten (or more) years after she froze them - and they were still good. (I can see and hear the groans out there - )

osewme

Thanks to all! I've made pickles before but am not into that anymore. The relish sounds like it might work if I can find an easy recipe that does not require having to "can" in a pressure cooker. Frozen pickles sound interesting but I don't have enough freezer space. I'll probably be giving a lot away to neighbors!

sewingpup

We never used a pressure cooker to can our pickles. We did use a hot water bath for some. I remember packing the quart jars with cucumbers, adding some canning salt, garlic, dill, pouring a hot brine over it, putting the tops on then processing in a hot water bath. Mom did not trust presser cookers to not explode in the old days.

Onebyone

I like to slice a few and put in pitcher of water. It is very refreshing after being outside in the heat.

aashley333

Muddle some cucumber slices into lemonade!