Bitter Cucumbers Can it be Remedied - Ask Extension
My cucumbers had good nutrients and controlled watering but are bitter: I know why but I would like to know if there is a safe way to remove the bitte...
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Bitter Cucumbers Can it be Remedied #805819
Asked August 11, 2022, 3:26 PM EDT
My cucumbers had good nutrients and controlled watering but are bitter: I know why but I would like to know if there is a safe way to remove the bitterness?
Columbia County Oregon
Expert Response
Libbie: Bitterness is usually concentrated under the skin and at the stem end. It isn't consistent from cucumber to cucumber from the same vine and isn't consistent throughout the flesh. So peeling the skin and the bitter stem end section should help. Some varieties, especially the pickling types, are much more prone to bitterness.
I have been told that bitterness disappears in the pickling process and my experience tends to verify that. Some people will soak pealed cucumber slices (from clearly bitter cucumbers before peeling) for fresh eating in cold salted water for ~40 minutes and then drain them. That is said to work but I haven't tried it.
If you have any questions about how to prevent bitterness, give me a call. Chip Bubl OSU Extension/Columbia County <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> cell
I have been told that bitterness disappears in the pickling process and my experience tends to verify that. Some people will soak pealed cucumber slices (from clearly bitter cucumbers before peeling) for fresh eating in cold salted water for ~40 minutes and then drain them. That is said to work but I haven't tried it.
If you have any questions about how to prevent bitterness, give me a call. Chip Bubl OSU Extension/Columbia County <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> cell
Greetings Chip
Thank you very much for your prompt and detailed reply: yes, I am soaking them in a salt brine… nibbling a bit every half hour: the pulp part is settling down but the seed portion is still bitter.
I will try coring next time before marinading in the brine.
Again, thank you.
Libbie
On Aug 11, 2022, at 2:53 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Morning
A follow up: I soaked for 12 hours now: de-cored…still bitter.
Thank you again for your info.
Off to eat other vegetables!
Cheers
Libbie
On Aug 11, 2022, at 2:53 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Don't give up on cucumbers! Bitterness is a stress response to temperature (too low or too high), moisture stress, insect attack, fungal attack, etc. It has helped the cucumber survive before humans started growing them for thousands if not millions of years.
Pickling cucumbers tend to have the greatest potential for bitterness since the end product after pickling won't be bitter. The salad types have had, in varying degrees, the bitter genes somewhat tamped down by careful plant breeding over the last 75 years. So variety choice for fresh cucumbers is really important. Heirloom types are often more bitter than modern varieties, partially because cucumbers weren't eaten fresh much until very recently (100 or so years) and most cucumbers were harvested for pickling. Good luck next year. Chip
Pickling cucumbers tend to have the greatest potential for bitterness since the end product after pickling won't be bitter. The salad types have had, in varying degrees, the bitter genes somewhat tamped down by careful plant breeding over the last 75 years. So variety choice for fresh cucumbers is really important. Heirloom types are often more bitter than modern varieties, partially because cucumbers weren't eaten fresh much until very recently (100 or so years) and most cucumbers were harvested for pickling. Good luck next year. Chip
Great Information Chip
Will get off of my Heirloom bandwagon and take your advice: yes, gardeners always console themselves with “next year”.
Again, thanks for the support.
Cheers
Libbie
On Aug 12, 2022, at 8:02 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
