Cucumbers are a refreshing way to add a little crunch to your sandwiches or salads in summer, but they are often thrown away as most people do not know how to store them properly. It is obvious that most salads need to be stored in the fridge, but cucumbers are actually very sensitive to cold temperatures and will likely spoil quickly.
When cucumbers are left in temperatures below 10C, they can get chilling injuries. This is when the vegetable begins to break down and become bruised, shrivelled, and even slimy. However, Marzia, a cook and founder of Little Spice Jar, has shared an easy way to keep cucumbers safe: All you need is a metal spoon.
Marzia said, “Add [cucumbers] to a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Add a metal spoon to the same container. Snap the lid on the container and place it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.”
It might sound bizarre, but a metal spoon helps keep the temperature around cucumbers stable, allowing them to stay fresher for much longer.
All you need to do is place the cucumbers in a container with a metal spoon. It also helps to add a paper towel to the container to soak up any excess moisture.
Then, place the container on the top or middle shelf of your fridge. This tends to be the warmest part of the fridge and will be the ideal temperature to stop cucumbers from spoiling.
Try to avoid placing cucumbers at the back of a fridge or near the freezer vent, as it will be far too cold and will cause them to develop chilling injuries.
Also, keep cucumbers stored away from tomatoes, as they release ethylene gas, which causes them to spoil quickly.
Ethylene gas is an invisible and odourless gas that helps fruit ripen and develop its flavour. When too much builds up in a small environment, it causes other produce nearby to decay.
If you take two minutes to store cucumbers correctly, they should stay perfectly fresh and crunchy for up to two weeks longer than they normally would.