Cucumbers are sneaky. They seem to come out of nowhere, one minute they're cheerful yellow flowers, then little green nubs that morph overnight into stripey-bumpy clubs the next. They can lurk beneath the leaves and hide quietly even though you swear you looked in every shady nook.
Sneaky cucumbers The Garden Buzz
Miss a few days and you've got a bumper crop. After this viral thing that laid me low for weeks I went cucumber seeking and sure enough I had a boatload of the burpy vegetables. Mid-picking, the hot, hot humidity caught me off guard and the world swirled around. I staggered inside and gathered my wits with a glass of ice water.
Not many grow in plain sight like this!
Heading off heatstroke, I decided it was a good day for making pickles in the AC. Pickling is undergoing something of a renaissance lately. Why just this summer so far I've eaten pickled ginger, pickled shrimp, pickled onions, pickled peaches and I wasn't even trying. If you've got time, it's a process to be enjoyed with days until a finished product.
If you're short on time and long on cucumbers I'll suggest this quick pickle recipe from the University of Illinois Extension my father-in-law discovered in The Pantagraph several years ago. I used to make refrigerator pickles but this has been my go-to pickle recipe ever since. Sure that's a lot of sugar and they are kind of sweet but the onion tones it down. I like them for a cold snack or in tuna and ham salads for a kick. They are a great garnish for barbecue and other pork dishes too.
Tip: I put them up in small containers (1/2 cuppish) so I only have to thaw out a few at a time.
I grew 'Marketmore' cucumbers this season. Very nice and straight for pickles.
Nontraditional Sweet Freezer Pickles
This is not your typical pickle recipe. No special equipment or ingredients are needed. This recipe produces a crisp, sweet pickle that goes well in salads, on sandwiches or as a side. The secret to the crisp texture is the sugar, so do not reduce the sugar in the recipe. This recipe works well with slicing, pickling, seedless or hothouse cucumbers.
- 2 quarts cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (use any variety of cucumber)
- 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon salt (table salt, canning salt or kosher salt can be used)
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
I like to use my crinkle-cutter for cute, crisp pickles, this one I found at a kitchen store in Appalachicola, Florida!
Mix cucumbers, onions and salt in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set the bowl on the counter for 2 hours.
Of course everything tastes better from my mother's old yellow pyrex mixing bowl.
Pour into a colander and drain water from cucumber mixture. Combine sugar and vinegar. Stir well and pour over cucumbers. Pack into freezer containers or zip-closure bags. Freeze immediately. Pickles are ready to eat in 3 or 4 days. They will keep in the freezer for up to one year.
Voila! Pickles in less than 3 hours. Wait 3-4 days though to eat.
