Preserving Cucumbers

In the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing all the different way to preserve natures bounty.  I’m still in the middle of preserving chaos, but I wanted to start as my pictures are mounting up on my desktop! Preserving vegetables and fruits does take time and energy, however, it’s an effort that you will truly appreciate in the middle of the winter. Now is the time to stock up on produce at your local farmers market or offer to unload a neighbor’s fruit tree 🙂

Below are recipes on how to preserve cucumbers.

A little bit of history from the Worlds Healthiest Foods

Cucumbers were thought to originate over 10,000 years ago in southern Asia. Early explorers and travelers introduced this vegetable to India and other parts of Asia. It was very popular in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome, whose people used it not only as a food but also for its beneficial skin healing properties. Greenhouse cultivation of cucumbers was originally invented during the time of Louis XIV, who greatly appreciated this delightful vegetable. The early colonists introduced cucumbers to the United States.

While it is unknown when the pickling process was developed, researchers speculate that the gherkin variety of cucumber was developed from a plant native to Africa. During ancient times, Spain was one of the countries that was pickling cucumbers since Roman emperors were said to have imported them from this Mediterranean country.

Crosscut Pickle Slices Sweetened with Honey

I found this recipe on Nourishing Days.  These are my favorite pickles that I have canned so far!  I enjoyed them so much that I ordered the book from which it came from, Stocking Up, The Classic Preserving Guide.  I ordered the newest addition which although still has great natural recipes, I really wish I would have ordered the original, Stocking Up, How to Preserve the Foods you Grow, Naturally which was printed in 1973.  That’s okay.  I’ll be reviewing this book in a later post 🙂

• 4 quarts cucumbers, medium-size, sliced (about 6 pounds)
• 1 1/2 cups onions, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup salt
• 2 quarts ice cubes or chips
• 2 cups honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 3 cups raw apple cider vinegar

1. Wash cucumbers thoroughly and scrub with a vegetable brush. Drain on rack. Slice unpeeled cucumbers into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices; discard ends. Add onions and garlic.
2. Add salt and mix thoroughly, cover with crushed ice or ice cubes and let stand three hours. Drain thoroughly and remove garlic.
3. Combine honey, spices (in a spice bag), and vinegar. Heat just until boiling. Add drained cucumber and onion slices and simmer for 5 minutes. DO NOT BOIL.
4. Pack hot pickles loosely in clean, hot pint jars, leaving a half-inch head space. Seal. Process in boiling-water bath for 5 minutes, starting to count processing time as soon as the water in the canner returns to boiling. Remove jars and complete seals. Set jars upright on wire rack a few inches apart to cool.

Traditional Pickled Cucumbers (Brine Curing or Lacto-Fermentation)
-from Nourishing Traditions

 By covering such foods with a brine and keeping them in a moderately warm room, you can create ideal conditions for the lactic acid forming bacteria existing on the food surface to feed upon the sugar naturally present in the food.  The lactic acid will continue to grow (or ferment) until enough has formed to kill any bacteria present that would otherwise cause the food to spoil.  Lactic acid, which aids in digestion and helps to kill harmful bacteria in the digestive tract, gives the brine food a slightly acid, tangy flavor.

• 4-5 pickling cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey
• 1 cup filtered water

1. Wash cucumbers well and place in a quart-sized jar, wide-mouth mason jar.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.
3. Cover tightly and keep at  room temperature for about 3 days to a week before transferring to cold storage.