Super large cucumbers are often hard to transform into
crispy pickle spears and are often quite seedy, but still have much potential!
- Don’t let cucumbers get too large or they will taste bitter.
- At peak harvesting time, you should be picking cucumbers every couple of days. They’ll grow quickly!
- Harvest regular slicing cucumbers when they about 6 to 8 inches long (slicing varieties).
- Harvest dills at 4 to 6 inches long and pickles at 2 inches long for pickles.
- The large burpless cucumbers can be up to 10 inches long and some types are even larger.
- Cucumbers are best picked before their seeds become hard and are eaten when immature. Do not let them get yellow. A cucumber is of highest quality when it is uniformly green, firm, and crisp.
- Any cucumbers left on the vine too long will also get-tough skins and lower plant productivity.
Here is an easy Sweet Pickle Relish
SweetPickle Relish
Ingredients:
·
3 pounds Pickling Cucumbers or 4 pounds of Large Cucumbers
·
1 Large Sweet Onion
·
¼ cup Pickling or Kosher Salt
·
3 cups White Vinegar
·
¾ cup Sugar
·
4 cloves Garlic Minced
·
2 teaspoons Dill Seed
·
2 teaspoons Mustard Seed
·
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
·
½ teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions:
1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Discard the seeds.
2. Finely dice the cucumber and onion.
3. Place diced cucumbers and onions in a non-reactive pot
and add the salt. Stir and let sit for 2 hours.
and add the salt. Stir and let sit for 2 hours.
4. Drain cucumber and onion mixture in a strainer until all the liquid is removed. You may have to press the mixture against the strainer to remove hidden moisture.
5. In a medium pot add vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill, celery, and mustard seed, and turmeric. Bring to a boil.
6. Add cucumber and onion mixture and return to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Cool and store in refrigerator for up to a month or process in water bath for 10 minutes.