Cucumbers
Texas harvests about 1,800 acres of cucumbers valued at more than $9 million. The state’s biggest supply is picked in the Rio Grande Valley. Harvest of fresh, crisp cucumbers moves into Central, East and North Texas in May and continues there until fall. Texas cucumber production supplies both fresh market slicer cucumbers and pickling cucumbers for brining. |
Selection: Purchase firm, well-shaped cucumbers with dark green skins uniform in color. Soft, yellow or light green cucumbers are signs of a vegetable past its prime.
Storage: Cucumbers will keep unwashed in a plastic bag or container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Keep a cut cucumber flat side down on an opaque plate in the refrigerator.
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| Nutrition: One-third of a medium-sized cucumber contains only 15 calories, is fat free, sodium-free and a source of vitamin C and folacin.
General Produce Safety Guidelines:
- All fresh produce that is peeled or cut should be refrigerated within two hours. Leftover cut produce should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
- Hands should be washed with hot soapy water before and after handling fresh produce.
- Wash all fruits and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating. Do not use soap or detergents. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush. Cut away bruised or damaged areas before eating.
- Wash surfaces often. Cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops should be washed with hot soapy water and sanitized after coming in contact with fresh produce. Always use clean cutting boards and utensils when handling fresh produce.
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Availability
| Both fresh and pickling cucumbers are available April through December. |
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