If you find yourself staring at a pile of oversized cucumbers from your garden, you might be wondering exactly what to do with big cucumbers. Large cucumbers present a wonderful opportunity for creative recipes beyond the typical salad.
These giants are often more seedy and can have a slightly tougher skin, but they are packed with flavor and potential. With a few simple techniques, you can turn them into delicious meals, refreshing drinks, and even homemade skincare products.
This guide will walk you through all the best options, from preparation tips to preserving methods.
What To Do With Big Cucumbers
The first step is to assess your cucumber. Very large specimens often have developed seeds that can be bitter and a skin that might be waxier or tougher. Don’t let this discourage you. A little prep work makes them perfectly usable.
Start by washing the cucumber thoroughly. You have a choice: peel it completely, peel it in stripes leaving some skin for color and nutrients, or leave the peel on if it’s not too bitter. Cutting it lengthwise allows you to scoop out the seed core with a spoon easily.
Once the seeds are removed, the remaining flesh is your blank canvas. Here are the primary categories of solutions for your bounty.
Transforming Large Cucumbers Into Tasty Dishes
Big cucumbers are excellent for cooked dishes where their texture holds up well. The key is to remove excess water to prevent sogginess.
Heartier Salads and Slaws
Forget delicate slices. Big cucumbers are perfect for chunky salads. After seeding, cut them into substantial cubes or thick half-moons.
Toss them with:
- Chickpeas, feta cheese, red onion, and a lemon-oregano vinaigrette.
- Chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, and a tangy yogurt dressing for a Greek-inspired salad.
- Shredded cabbage, carrots, and a creamy coleslaw dressing for a crunchy slaw.
Salting the cubes first and letting them drain in a colander for 20 minutes removes extra moisture, ensuring your salad stays crisp.
Cooked Vegetable Preparations
Cucumbers can be cooked! This is a fantastic way to use a large volume. Think of them like zucchini.
- Sautéed or Stir-Fried: Cube or slice the seeded cucumber. Sauté in oil with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce for a quick side dish. Add them to a vegetable stir-fry in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Grilled: Cut seeded halves into long, thick strips. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 2-3 minutes per side until you get nice char marks. They become smoky and tender.
- Cucumber Soup (Hot): Sauté onions and garlic, add cubed cucumbers and vegetable broth, simmer until soft, then puree. Finish with dill and a dollop of sour cream for a refreshing warm soup.
Preserving Your Harvest For Later Use
Preservation is the answer when you have more cucumbers than you can use fresh. These methods capture their flavor for months.
Classic Refrigerator Pickles
This is the fastest preservation method. You don’t need canning equipment. Big cucumbers make great pickle spears or chunks.
- Slice cucumbers into spears or chunks and pack them into clean jars.
- Bring a brine of equal parts water and vinegar, salt, sugar, and your favorite spices (dill, garlic, mustard seed, peppercorns) to a boil.
- Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, seal the jar, and let it cool.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating. They keep for several weeks.
Fermented Pickles and Relish
Fermentation creates probiotics and a deep, tangy flavor. Large cucumbers are ideal for a crock of fermented dill pickles.
You’ll need a fermentation weight and jar. The basic process involves submerging cucumbers in a saltwater brine with spices. They ferment at room temperature for 1-4 weeks before being moved to cold storage. You can also grate large cucumbers to make a fermented cucumber relish, similar to a chutney.
Freezing For Future Cooking
You can freeze cucumbers, but know that they will lose their crisp texture upon thawing, making them best for cooked dishes later.
- Seed and cube or grate the cucumber.
- Blanch the pieces in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then plunge into ice water.
- Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
- Spread on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then transfer to freezer bags. Use within 8-10 months for soups, stews, or smoothies.
Refreshing Drinks And Cold Soups
The high water content of big cucumbers makes them perfect for hydrating beverages and chilled soups.
Cucumber Infused Water and Coolers
Add flavor to your water without calories. Thinly slice or cube seeded cucumber and add it to a pitcher of water. For more flavor, add mint leaves, lemon slices, or a few basil leaves. Let it infuse in the refrigerator for a few hours. You can also blend cucumber with water, a little lime juice, and a touch of sweetener for a quick cucumber agua fresca.
Chilled Cucumber Soup (Gazpacho Style)
This no-cook soup is a summer lifesaver. Blend seeded and chopped cucumber with yogurt or buttermilk, garlic, fresh herbs (dill, chives, or parsley), and a splash of vinegar until smooth. Chill for at least two hours. Serve it with a drizzle of olive oil and some extra chopped herbs on top. It’s light, cooling, and uses up a lot of cucumber at once.
Creative Uses Beyond The Kitchen
Cucumbers have soothing and hydrating properties that can be used for homemade beauty and household products.
Soothing Skin Care Treatments
Cooling cucumber slices for the eyes are a classic for a reason. Puree seeded cucumber and strain the juice. This juice can be used as a facial toner, mixed with aloe vera gel for a soothing after-sun lotion, or frozen into ice cubes to rub on your skin. You can also make a simple face mask by mixing grated cucumber with a little plain yogurt and honey.
Garden and Compost Boosters
If you simply cannot use them all, don’t let them go to waste. Chop up large cucumbers and add them directly to your compost pile; they are a great source of moisture and nitrogen. You can also bury chunks directly in your garden beds away from plant stems; as they decompose, they will add nutrients and moisture to the soil.
Baking And Sweet Preparations
This might sound surprising, but cucumbers can work in baked goods, adding moisture much like zucchini does.
Cucumber Bread and Muffins
Grate seeded cucumber and squeeze out the excess liquid in a clean towel. Use this grated cucumber in place of zucchini in your favorite zucchini bread or muffin recipe. The flavor is very mild and slightly sweet, and it keeps the baked goods incredibly moist. Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg complement it well.
Cucumber Sorbet or Granita
For a uniquely refreshing dessert, try a cucumber sorbet. Blend seeded cucumber with simple syrup, a bit of lime or lemon juice, and a handful of mint. Churn in an ice cream maker or freeze in a shallow pan, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes to create a flaky granita. It’s a clean, palate-cleansing finish to a meal.
Feeding Cucumbers To Animals
Many farm animals and pets enjoy cucumbers as a healthy treat. Always check for your specific animal first.
- Chickens: They love pecking at cucumber slices or chunks. It helps keep them hydrated.
- Rabbits and Guinea Pigs: Small amounts of seeded cucumber are a good treat.
- Worms (in a worm bin): Chopped cucumber is excellent food for composting worms.
Remember to introduce any new food slowly and in moderation, and avoid feeding pickled or seasoned cucumbers to animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are oversized cucumbers still good to eat?
Yes, they are perfectly safe to eat. The primary differences are that the seeds are larger and harder, and the skin may be tougher and more bitter. Simply scoop out the seed core and consider peeling or scrubbing the skin well.
How do you remove bitterness from a big cucumber?
Bitterness usually concentrates in the stem end and just under the skin. Cut off the stem end (about an inch) and rub the cut pieces together; a white foam may appear, which is said to carry the bitter compounds. Rinse it off. Peeling the cucumber can also remove much of the bitterness.
Can you use large cucumbers for pickling?
You can, but they are best for pickle chunks, spears, or relish rather than whole pickles. Their size and mature seeds mean they won’t have the same crisp texture as pickling cucumbers, but the flavor will still be great, especially in refrigerator or fermented pickles.
What is the best way to store giant cucumbers?
If you’re not using them immediately, store whole, unwashed cucumbers in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. They can last for about a week. Once cut, wrap the unused portion tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days.
Do big cucumbers have nutritional value?
Absolutely. They are still low in calories and a good source of hydration, vitamin K, and potassium. The skin, if you can eat it, contains fiber and additional nutrients. Removing the seeds mainly affects texture, not the core nutritional value of the flesh.