Is there anything you can do to a cucumber to get rid of that awful bitterness? Pealing it doesn't do it!?

Question

I do not find cucumbers bitter typicallly but some I recently bought are hardly eatable they are so bitter - it's not that I find ALL cucumbers bitter. I couldn't afford the english ones this week so I bought the regular ones... guess that serves me right! : )

Answer 1

try removing the seeds, or sprinkle it with red wine vinegar.

Answer 2

run a fork on the skin it removes the oil that causes the bitterness... then either peel or slice... If you leave the peel it is a very attractive  in salads...

Answer 3

Don't eat them.  Perhaps they are not right.  Don't eat a bitter cucumber.  They are not supposed to be bitter and you are not supposed to eat food that doesn't taste right.

Answer 4

First off, I do not personally think cucumbers are bitter but you do and that is a problem for you. Actually peeling probably reduces he bitterness somewhat, but not enough. I usually put salt on mine after they are sliced. If that doesn't cut it (ha ha I made a pun, get it, cut it) then ,and I have never done this before but you could try a small, real small amount of sugar or sweetener like Equal. I do not know if that works

Answer 5

I usually cut the top and the bottom portion of the cucumber and rub for a while, wash,peel and then cut . Hope this helps.Thanks.

Answer 6

make a pickle

Answer 7

Don't buy the biggest cucumber you can find --- I've noticed that the smaller ones have a better taste than the large ones.  This is true of a lot of vegetables, by the way.

Answer 8

I've always just cut the end off of one end (not both) and rub the small piece quickly over the large piece for about a minute or two. It will foam. The more foam the more bitterness is taken out. An old wives tale says to not wipe the foam off until you are through. You know you're done when instead of it being kind of difficult to do it becomes slick. Another old wives tale says that you should only cut one end and not peel it because the rubbing draws the bitterness out one end, whereas cutting both ends "confuses" it and it either doesn't draw, or it goes to both ends and can't really get out because there's no friction so the whole thing doesn't work. I have Aunts who will rub a cucumber until it's done, then cut the other end and rub it a while "just to be sure". There usually isn't that much left at the other end. After rubbing the cucumbers you can peel them or leave the peel on.

Also, this technique doesn't work on "burpless" cucumbers.  

Answer 9

Try an English cucumber next time.  They are the ones in the market that are very long and wrapped in plastic.

Answer 10

Soak the cucumber in salted water.  Peel and then slice.  Sprinkle with salt and cover with water. When you want to eat them, just rinse and squeeze water out lightly.  The salt really draws out any bitterness.  I do this with a large bowlful before making cucumber salad all the time.

Answer 11

Cucumbers are not supposed to be bitter at all.  They are very mild in flavor.  Sounds like you have a bad one

Answer 12

siomething sour to balance plus it adds a fresh vibe to everything. maybe lemon