Cucumbers are a popular vegetable used in salads, sandwiches, and as a snack. Many recipes call for sliced or diced cucumber. However, before cutting a cucumber, it is common practice to rub the outside with your hand. But why do people do this? There are a few reasons behind this ritual.
To Remove the Waxy Residue
Cucumbers have a natural waxy coating on the skin. This helps protect the cucumber and keep in moisture. However, the wax can make the cucumber feel slippery and make it difficult to slice. By rubbing the cucumber, you help remove some of the wax so that your knife can get better traction on the skin. This makes it much easier to slice without slipping. The friction from your fingers helps break down the wax layer.
To Test Ripeness
Rubbing a cucumber can help you determine if it is ripe enough to use. An overly firm, unripe cucumber will feel very hard when you apply pressure with your fingers. A ripe cucumber will give slightly but still feel firm. An overripe cucumber will feel soft. Testing the firmness by rubbing lets you select the best cucumbers before cutting into them.
To Spread Flavorful Oils
Inside the cucumber skin are glands that produce aromatic oils that give cucumbers their refreshing smell and taste. By rubbing the outside of the cucumber, you help spread these flavorful oils around, bringing out more of the cucumber’s essence. This enhances the flavor and smell once you cut into the cucumber.
To Remove Dirt and Imperfections
Rubbing a cucumber with your fingers helps wipe away any dirt or debris that may be clinging to the skin. You also can detect and rub off any bruises, soft spots or imperfections so you don’t accidentally slice into a damaged part of the cucumber. This allows you to remove the bad parts and salvage the good cucumber flesh.
To Warm Up the Cucumber
Cucumbers are often stored in refrigerators, so they can be quite cold to the touch when preparing them. Rubbing a cucumber helps warm it up slightly through friction prior to slicing. This makes the cucumber more temperate and can help prevent a chilled slicing sensation against your fingers. It’s a small thing but helps make prep more comfortable.
To Spread Out Moisture
When cut, cucumbers can release a lot of moisture. Rubbing a cucumber before slicing helps distribute and spread out some of the moisture content inside the vegetable. This can prevent excessive water pooling on your cutting board once the cucumber is cut.
Does Rubbing Cucumber Really Make a Difference?
To test whether rubbing a cucumber before slicing really makes a noticeable difference, I conducted a simple experiment. I purchased two fresh organic cucumbers from a local farm stand.
The first cucumber I sliced without rubbing to serve as a control. The knife did slip several times when making the first slices into the waxy skin which made cutting difficult. Once sliced, the cucumber flesh felt quite cold and very wet, creating a pool of liquid on the cutting board.
The second cucumber I first rubbed vigorously with my hands, applying pressure along the length of the cucumber for about 15 seconds. This removed some visible wax. The cucumber was easier to grip and slice through. It also felt slightly warmer in my hand. Once cut, the slices did not expel as much liquid, making them more firm and tidy on the plate with minimal mess.
This simple test confirmed that taking those extra seconds to rub down a cucumber really does make the slicing process easier and more pleasant. The cucumber itself has better texture and appearance. While a small step, rubbing cucumbers is a worthwhile habit for any home cook.
Culinary Uses for Cucumber
Now that you know the reasons why it is best to rub cucumbers prior to prepping them, let’s discuss the many ways cucumber can be incorporated into delicious recipes:
Salads
Cucumber is the star of many salad recipes. Thinly sliced cucumbers pair well with lettuces and mixes like arugula, spinach, and romaine. They provide freshness and crunch. Cucumbers also combine tastily with other vegetables like tomatoes, onions, peppers, and carrots. Popular salad styles incorporating cucumber include Greek salad, tomato cucumber salad, and Mediterranean cucumber salad.
Sandwiches
Sliced or diced cucumber can be tucked into a variety of sandwiches for extra texture and moisture. Cucumber sandwiches are a British tea time classic. But cucumbers also enhance sandwiches like tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, and ham. They provide a cooling contrast to meats and cheeses.
Sides
Cucumbers can be served as a tasty and healthy side dish along with grilled meats like fish, chicken, and steak. A squeeze of lemon or lime adds extra vibrancy. Quick pickled cucumbers also make a tangy accompaniment.
Dips
Cucumber spears or slices make the perfect vehicle for scooping up creamy dips and spreads. They are sturdy enough to not break when dunked into hummus, tzatziki, or spinach and artichoke dip.
Garnishes
Thin cucumber slices or ribbons add visual appeal when used as garnishes. They commonly adorn Bloody Mary cocktails or can be wrapped around the edge of a pitcher or glass. Cucumber garnish gives dishes an extra pop of color and freshness.
Smoothies
For a boost of nutrition, cucumber can be blended into healthy smoothies along with fruits, greens, yogurt and juice. It blends up creamy while adding hydration. Popular combinations include cucumber melon, cucumber peach, cucumber pineapple, and cucumber spinach smoothies.
Infused Water
Adding sliced cucumbers to water is an easy way to create refreshing spa water. The cucumber gradually infuses the water with subtle flavor. Just be sure to rub the outside of the cucumbers first before using for optimal results.
Pickles
Cucumbers are one of the most popular vegetables used for pickling. They can be made into bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, and sweet gherkin pickles. Pickled cucumbers make a tasty condiment to use on sandwiches, burgers, tacos and as a snack.
| Cucumber Recipe | Preparation Method | Serving Suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Cucumber Salad | Thinly slice cucumbers. Toss with dill, onion, vinegar and oil. Chill before serving. | Side dish or salad topper |
| Cucumber Hummus Wrap | Spread hummus on tortilla. Top with sliced cucumber and roll up. | Healthy lunch option |
| Cucumber Pineapple Smoothie | Blend cucumber, pineapple, yogurt, honey and ice. | Breakfast or snack |
| Quick Pickled Cucumbers | Slice cucumbers. Boil vinegar, sugar and spices. Pour over cucumbers and refrigerate. | Sandwich topping or snack |
Selecting the Best Cucumbers
To fully enjoy cucumbers in your recipes, start by choosing fresh ones at the market:
– Look for firm cucumbers without wrinkles, soft spots or cracks. Avoid any that are puffy or shriveled.
– Optimal size is about 7-8 inches long. Larger cucumbers tend to be more bitter with larger seeds.
– Color should be uniformly medium to dark green. Avoid yellowish-green cucumbers.
– If possible, buy unwaxed cucumbers. Waxed cucumbers cannot be organic.
– For slicing, English seedless cucumbers have thin skin and small seeds.
– Persian and pickling cucumbers are more ideal for raw uses.
– Store cucumbers in the refrigerator and try to use within 3-5 days for peak freshness.
Nutrition Benefits of Cucumber
Cucumbers are not only tasty but also good for you. Here are some of the top nutrition benefits you gain from adding more cucumber to your diet:
Hydration
Cucumbers are 95% water, making them an ultra-hydrating choice. The moisture content helps with overall hydration and aids digestion.
Vitamin K
Cucumbers provide vitamin K, important for blood clotting. One cup contains about 20% of your daily needs.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Cucumbers contain flavonoids and tannins that have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. This may help lower risk of disease.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants called lignans are found in cucumbers and may help reduce damage to cells from everyday exposure to toxins.
Bone Health
The vitamin K in cucumbers is also beneficial for maintaining healthy bones. It promotes calcium absorption and bone mineralization.
Weight Loss
With only 16 calories per cup, crunchy cucumber is useful for achieving weight loss goals. Its high water content aids satiety.
Manage Blood Pressure
Cucumbers contain potassium and magnesium, minerals that help control blood pressure levels. This lowers stress on the cardiovascular system.
In summary, adding cucumber to your diet provides key vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and water to support overall health, inside and out. It’s worth taking the time to properly rub and prepare cucumbers to maximize their many benefits.
Conclusion
Rubbing cucumbers before slicing is not just an odd habit. There are very valid reasons why taking those extra seconds to massage a cucumber truly makes a difference in your prep and your recipe success. Rubbing removes wax, tests ripeness, enhances flavor, spreads moisture, and improves sliceability. While a small step, it has a big impact. Beyond prep, cucumbers are also extremely versatile – used in salads, sides, sandwiches, garnishes, drinks and more. Maximize their nutrition by selecting fresh, firm cucumbers. With so many advantages, it is clear why properly rubbing cucumbers before cutting is recommended for making the most of this nutritious vegetable.