Bitter Cucumbers
I was watching a cooking show and the chef made the comment that if you use a large basic cucumber (not hot house, persian, kirbys, english, etc.) before you peel it, cut off about half an inch of the ends and rub them on the opposite sides, then throw the cut off ends away and peel as usual. I normally buy persian, hot house, english or other types but I purchased some of these larger cucumbers. I did what the chef said and they were great. I did this a few times, and I take my time picking out long, slender, firm, green fresh cucumbers. I started buying these when I thought the price was right but then I thought taste them first to see if they were good to start off with. They were. I pickled about 4 gallons of persian cucumbers last week and tasted the ones I thought might be bad, they were and tried the trick. Did not work. All cucumbers were USA products and grown in California. My friend brought me some big cucumbers last night and we tried the trick. Well, she eats anything but it did not work. Has anyone heard of this trick or knows why it works sometimes? Maybe the age, the girth of the cucumber, not straight or even in size, any ideas?
Best Answer
I think you are supposed to do it until white milky stuff comes out, but I never had a bitter cucumber, and I have even grown them too big and old and yellowing before picking, like the size of a big fat baseball bat. I just peel and scoop the seeds out of the cucumber just like it was any other melon and the flesh tastes just fine.
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Quick Answer about "Bitter Cucumbers"
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.How to Prevent \u0026 Treat Bitter Cucumbers 🥒 Growing Tips \u0026 Grandma's Cucumber Salad
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