A vining cucumber variety, Cucumber Straight Eight is an All-America Selections Winner! A slicer cucumber, these perfectly straight cucumbers have a sweet, mild flesh. The excellent flavor makes this a superb choice for salads or for dipping. If picked small, the Straight Eight Cucumbers are good for pickling, too.
How many cucumbers Do you need to can pickles?
Calculating yield. To make it simple, you need 1 pound of cucumbers for every pint or 2 pounds for every quart. So an average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts or an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
Can you pickle full size cucumbers?
Whole cucumbers will start to taste pickled in a week or two, while spears and slices might be ready to eat in just a few days.
What are straight eight cucumbers used for?
The heirloom cucumber, chosen as an All-America Selection (AAS) in 1935, remains a favorite with home gardeners because of its reliable production. Growers rate the taste highly, and the Straight Eight is a dual purpose cucumber, good for either eating fresh or pickling.
Is Straight Eight a good cucumber?
Named for its perfectly straight, 8-inch long fruit, this slicing cucumber has long been prized for its high quality, flavor, and even, deep green color. Well adapted throughout the US. Vigorous, productive vines that benefit from trellising.
Do I have to soak cucumbers before pickling?
You may remember Grandma soaking cucumbers in lime or alum before pickling. This is no longer recommended and, indeed, it isn’t necessary if you use freshly picked cucumbers, follow an up-to-date tested recipe, and heat process pickles for the correct length of time.
Should I cut cucumbers before pickling?
Trim away the blossom or stem end of the cucumber, which contains enzymes that can lead to limp pickles. Leave the cucumbers whole, cut them into spears, or slice them into coins, as desired.
Can I just put cucumbers in pickle juice?
Cucumbers in Pickle Juice – This recipe hack couldn’t be easier and it’s a great way to use up leftover pickle juice too. You prepare fresh cucumbers, and just drop them into the pickle juice, cover, and allow to marinate, and then enjoy!
What can I do with too many large cucumbers?
What To Do With Overgrown Cucumbers – 15 Delicious Ideas
- Make cucumber juice.
- Make cucumber salad.
- Make cucumber salsa.
- Make cucumber-infused water.
- Add them to a smoothie.
- Make a cucumber relish.
- Make cucumber soup.
- Pickle them!
How do you preserve large cucumbers?
The best way to store fresh cucumbers is to wash and thoroughly dry them. Then, wrap each cucumber in aluminum foil to stop moisture accumulation and keep them in an open, plastic bag. Store cucumbers in the middle of the fridge rather than the bottom because it tends to be colder at the bottom.
Why are my straight eight cucumbers bitter?
The actual cause of bitterness in cucumbers and other gourds, like zucchini, is due to a compound known as cucurbitacin. This compound is always present in cucumbers, but the levels change based on the growing process of the vegetables. The higher the level of cucurbitacin, the more bitter the cucumber.
What are the best cucumbers for pickling?
“I like to use medium-to-small-sized Kirby cukes,” says Brad. The Kirby variety has a thicker skin that can stand up to the pickling liquid, and remains crunchy, with a good snap, long after it’s been preserved. “You wanna find cucumbers that aren’t too big or too small,” says Brad.
Are Straight 8 cucumbers bitter?
The plant has excellent disease resistance. Sweet and burpless, not bitter at all. The vines are very vigorous vines with excellent yields are highly disease resistant.
How do you know when a straight eight cucumber is ready to pick?
Harvest: Cucumbers should be producing ready-to-harvest fruit around three months after sowing. If your cucumbers start yellowing, pick immediately, since this is a sign of overripeness. Harvest when they are about 8″ long, showing a healthy lush green color, and are firm to the touch.
What kind of cucumber is straight 8?
Straight Eight Cucumbers are very dependable at producing prolific crops. These cucumbers are smooth, straight, deep green, 15-20 cm (6-8″) long and 5-6 cm (2½”) wide with rounded blunt ends. Early, vigorous and prolific, it tolerates mosaic virus well. It is a superb variety that has stood the test of time.
How much space do Straight Eight cucumbers need?
Seed Spacing: Sow Heirloom Straight Eight Cucumber seeds 2′ feet apart in rows. Plant cucumber seeds only after all danger of frost is past and the ground is warm. They need lots of sunshine and water.
How long will cucumbers in vinegar last?
You can store these vinegar marinated cucumbers in your fridge in a jar or air-tight container for up to 3 days. Any longer than that and the cucumbers will lose their “crisp-ness” and become limp.
Do you rinse salt off cucumbers before pickling?
When I’m ready to pickle, I drain the sliced cukes and rinse them well to remove excess salt. The reason to follow a recipe is that the right balance of vinegar, sugar and salt have been worked out for you, so you know the brine (the pickling liquid) will achieve the right level of acidity and flavor.
Why do you put cucumbers on ice before pickling?
Firming agents: If good quality ingredients are used in pickling and up-to-date methods are followed, firming agents are not needed for crisp pickles. Soaking cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling is a safer method for making crisp pickles. Firming agents do not work with quick-process pickles.
Do you leave skin on cucumbers When making pickles?
1. Trim and discard the blossom end of the cucumbers, then peel the cucumbers and cut them into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. In a nonreactive bowl, toss them with the salt, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 or up to 24 hours (I like them after 12).
How do you keep cucumbers crisp when pickling?
Soak Cucumbers In Ice Water Beforehand
If you’re not canning your cucumbers immediately, leave them in an ice bath or in your refrigerator overnight to maintain firmness. Doing this before you start canning them will give you the crunchiest pickles you’ve ever had!