Things You'll Need
Pickling cucumbers
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Pickling and canning cucumbers is a tasty and economical way to preserve them for later consumption. It is important to select cucumbers that are no more than 2 inches in diameter and specifically labeled as pickling cucumbers. If you are canning pickles, you may want to cut them before processing them. Although it is possible to can whole pickles, canning slices or spears produces pickles that are excellent for sandwiches, relish trays or just savoring straight from the jar.
Slices
Step 1
Rinse the pickling cucumbers thoroughly in water.
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Step 2
Cut off 1 inch from the top and bottom of the cucumber. Discard the ends.
Step 3
Set a cucumber on a cutting board.
Step 4
Cut the cucumber into round slices that are ¼ -inch thick.
Step 5
Toss slices into the brine and process according to your pickling recipe.
Spears
Step 1
Rinse pickling cucumbers thoroughly in water.
Step 2
Cut 1 inch off from the each end of the cucumber. Discard ends.
Step 3
Lay the cucumber down on the cutting board.
Step 4
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise.
Step 5
Turn the cucumber halves onto their cut sides.
Step 6
Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise again.
Step 7
Toss spears into the brine and process according to your pickling recipe.
Tip
For pickling and canning, select pickling cucumbers that are firm, with no soft parts or insect damage.
For pickles that will be used as salad garnishes, cut them into chunkier slices and then cut them into half-circles.
The blossom end contains microbes that lead to softening. Because of this, the ends should be removed from the pickles.