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    The Purposeful Pantry » Dehydrating

    Author: Darcy Baldwin • Published: Jun 21, 2020 · Modified: Jul 19, 2022

    Dehydrate English Cucumbers + Cucumber Powder

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Who thought that dehydrating cucumber could elevate it into a snack, a food storage staple, and a powder for creating culinary delights? Learn how to dehydrate English cucumbers for snacking, seasoning, and food preservation!

    English cucumber sliced, a jar of cucumber powder, and dehydrated cucumbers on a wooden serving tray

    Raise your hand if you've never done anything more with cucumbers than slice them to put on a salad or to dip in ranch dressing! Or, perhaps you've used cucumber slices to help alleviate those under-eye bags from too little sleep.

    Perhaps you've branched out and created awesome refrigerator pickles, or even canned your own to stock your pantry?

    Well, it's time to expand your horizons with what a cucumber can accomplish! Ready to start?

    But wait, why would you dehydrate English Cucumbers? Aren't they too fancy for that?

    What's the Difference Between a Regular Cucumber and an English Cucumber?

    An English Cucumber versus a regular cucumber,

    • Has thinner skin (thus you'll almost always find it wrapped in plastic instead of waxed to protect it from knicks and cuts)
    • Has smaller, fewer seeds (thus is less bitter)
    • Is longer and thinner with ridges instead of bumps
    • Has a sweeter flavor
    • Do not need to be peeled
    • Tends to be more expensive
    • Its perfect for making cucumber chips!
    Difference between regular and English cucumbers for dehydrating

    Otherwise, they are the same - and you can dehydrate English cucumbers just like you dehydrate cucumbers.

    Is a Cucumber a Fruit or Vegetable

    I'm not sure this is on a controversial scale of the Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable, however, the cucumber falls under the same heading.

    Botanically, cucumbers are a fruit, but we eat them as if they were a vegetable.

    And as far as dehydrating goes, we treat them accordingly.

    ► TIP: These instructions can be used for all varieties of cucumbers. You might want to test if you like them peeled or not.

    How to Dehydrate Cucumbers

    While the instructions here are for English cucumbers (regular cucumbers, too), this method works on dehydrating zucchini as well!

    Step 1: Wash cucumbers in warm water.

    english cucumbers on cutting board ready to be sliced

    If you have a vegetable brush, you can use it to gently clean the skin. You can peel if you'd like.

    Step 2: Cut into even slices

    If you have awesome knife skills, using a knife is just fine. But you can see by these examples, that the thickness can vary, even when you're trying to be careful in cutting.

    Example of the correct size to cut cucumbers for dehydrating - ¼"
    Using a cutting glove with slicing cucumbers on an OXO mandoline

    Instead, I prefer to use a mandoline (but be sure to use the cutting glove!!! The one that is pictured failed, so I found a better glove that is more protective!). I can dial up and down to the thickness that I want with is OXO Mandoline.

    Cucumber slices in different thicknesses

    As a final product, I do prefer the ¼" cucumber slice best. The ⅛" can taste a bit like paper for some folks.

    At this point, you can use any variety of seasoning options you'd like. There are ideas further down the post.

    Step 3: Dehydrate at 125°F/52°C

    You can place the slices fairly close together as these will shrink quickly

    Dry between 6-10 hours, depending on the thickness of your slices (thinner slices require less time)

    Fresh cucumber vs dehydrated on Excalibur dehydrator tray

    Step 4: Test Dehydrated Cucumbers

    1. Remove a piece from 2 or 3 places in your dehydrator.
    2. Allow pieces to cool.
    3. Check for crispness. There should be no bend, and you should be able to easily break pieces.

    Step 5: Condition Cucumbers

    Conditioning is the act of dehydrating something, allowing it to cool, storing it in a jar, and allowing the humidity level to 'level' out per se.

    1. Put your dehydrated product in a glass jar with a lid and some extra space.
    2. Shake it every day for a week.
    3. If you see any condensation, you’ll need to put it back into your dehydrator to dry more or store it in your fridge.

    Your goal is about 20% for fruits, and 10% for veg. You can use a humidity strip to test that before you start, but with conditioning, it allows all fruit or veg in the jar to come to the same humidity level in the group as a whole.

    If you are simply doing snack cucumbers with seasonings that will not be stored, the conditioning step is not necessary as you will be eating them within a few days.

    If you plan on storing your slices, even seasoned, don't skip this step.

    How to Store Dehydrated Cucumbers

    1. Store in a mason jar and use a vacuum sealer with the canning jar attachment to seal the jar.
    2. Vacuum seal into vacuum sealing bags or mylar bags
    3. Store in a mason jar with an O2 absorber inside to help vacuum seal the jar from within.

    This is how to store dried cucumber using a vacuum sealer and canning jar attachment. This happens to be part of my rosemary storage, but it works with cucumbers the same way. Need more recommendations for long-term storage?

    How to Make Flavored Cucumber Chips

    Samples of dehydrated, seasoned cucumber chips on wooden board

    Flavored cucumber chips are awesome for lunchtime snacks, or to help the "salty-crunchy" cravings we get at night. We can indulge without the added saturated bad fats, overloaded carbs, and weird ingredients.

    I find that cucumber that has been sliced between ¼" to ½" for a great mouthfeel and crunch. The thinner slices work as well, but we're looking for that satisfying crunch along with the flavor.

    Lay your cucumber slices on the tray, then sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice, then dehydrate at 125F for 6-12 hours. Depending on the thickness of your seasoning, or the thickness of your slice, the times will vary. Use the timeline as a guide, and check on them often after six hours.
    Here are some cucumber chip flavoring ideas you can use.

    • Salt
    • Pepper - a favorite of my guys
    • Ranch dressing (See the recipe below for a DIY version)
    • Barbecue powder
    • Cajun seasonings
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • BBQ seasoning
    • Paprika
    • Balsamic vinegar powder -- use sparingly! This can be an overwhelming flavor!
    • Cucumber salad -- This reminds me of the fresh cucumber salads my grandmother used to make when I was growing up.  - soak your cucumbers in a little vinegar& water solution (I'm not a fan of the straight vinegar) for five minutes, then sprinkle with a little sugar and a little onion powder. This is a sweet and sour treat.
    • Salt & vinegar - mix in a 1:1 vinegar and water solution (you can omit the water if you like it super vinegary), and sprinkle with a little finely ground salt. Not much, because it goes a long way!

    GET EVEN MORE IDEAS: Best Seasoning Ideas for Veggie Chips

    How to Make Cucumber Powder

    Place cucumber chips into a blender or a coffee grinder and pulse until smooth. You could even use the seasoned cucumber chips you've already made!

    Cuisinart coffee grinder and Ninja blender making cucumber powder from dehydrated cucumbers

    How to Store Cucumber Powder

    Be sure to keep this powder in an airtight container not much larger than the amount of cucumber powder you have.

    If you have a vacuum sealer, you can use any of the storage methods listed, above, for dehydrated cucumber.

    If you would like to ensure that moisture isn't an issue in your jar, you can place a desiccant packet into your jar, as well

    Dehydrating Basics ebook on a tablet with a cup of coffee on a wooden background

    How to Use Cucumber Powder

    Cucumber powder is very easy to make, but the bigger issue is how would you ever use it?

    For some, the texture of cucumber may be an issue. It's watery and can water down a sauce easily. Thankfully, cucumber powder can replace grated cucumbers for flavor, without adding extra water or texture issues.

    Fresh cucumber in measuring cup, dried cucumber, and cucumber powder with a fresh cucumber.

    Use cucumber powder to add flavor to your favorite salad ranch-style dressing, or create a DIY version from scratch.

    ►Creamy English Cucumber Ranch Dressing Mix

    You can multiply this mixture to make more for your pantry. Store in an airtight container.

    • ½ cup  Buttermilk Powder
    • 1.5 Tablespoons Cucumber Powder
    • 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
    • 1 Tablespoon Dried Dill Weed
    • 1 Tablespoon Green Onion Powder (You can use regular onion powder for this)
    • 1 TB Dried Chives - roughly powdered
    • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher or Real Sea Salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

    (to use this as a seasoning on your cucumbers, omit the buttermilk powder)

    To use mix wet:
    Mix equal part of the mix with water to create a creamy cucumber ranch dressing for dipping veggies or topping your salads
     
    To use mix dry:
    Use dry to add a ranch dressing flavor to your favorite chicken or pork chop dredges, to popcorn, to oven-baked fries, to dehydrated vegetable chips, etc.

     

    And to add a twist - how about omitting the salt and adding ½ half tsp. pickle powder instead!?

    Or, to kick up the spice flavor a little, add 1 teaspoon of chili powder or jalepeno powder.

    TIP: If you find that you just don't use cucumber powder as much as you thought, you can easily add it to your ongoing jar of vegetable powder.

    English cucumber sliced, a jar of cucumber powder, and dehydrated cucumbers on a wooden serving tray

    Dehydrate Cucumbers and Make Cucumber Powder

    Learn to dehydrate cucumbers for snacks and for powder, plus get a great recipe for a shelf-stable DIY ranch dressing mix.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print PIN THIS! Rate
    Course: Preserved Food
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Drying Time: 10 hours
    Total Time: 10 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 9kcal
    Author: Darcy Baldwin

    Equipment

    • Dehydrator
    • Knife

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cucumber

    Instructions

    How to Dehydrate Cucumbers

    • Wash cucumbers - you can soak them in a vinegar/water solution to help remove wax
    • Slice into ¼" coins - they will shrink a lot
    • Add favorite seasoning if making cucumber chips
    • Dry at 125F / 52C for approximately 6-10+ hrs
    • Allow samples to cool - should snap/crush easily when dry
    • Condition if putting up for storage
    • Store in airtight containers

    To Powder Cucumber

    • Place cucumber slices into your grinder of choice
    • Process into a fine powder
    • Dry powder in a warmed (but off) oven for 15-20 min
    • Store in an airtight container with desiccant if preferred
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Darcy's Tips

    CREAMY ENGLISH CUCUMBER RANCH DRESSING MIX

    • ½ cup  Buttermilk Powder
    • 1.5 Tablespoons Cucumber Powder
    • 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
    • 1 Tablespoon Dried Dill Weed
    • 1 Tablespoon Green Onion Powder (You can use regular onion powder for this)
    • 1 TB Dried Chives - roughly powdered
    • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher or Real Sea Salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
    To use mix wet:
    Mix equal part of the mix with water to create a creamy cucumber ranch dressing for dipping veggies or topping your salads
     
    To use mix dry:
    Use dry to add a ranch dressing flavor to your favorite chicken or pork chop dredges, to popcorn, to oven-baked fries, to dehydrated vegetable chips, etc.
     
    And to add a twist - how about omitting the salt and adding ½ half tsp. pickle powder instead!?
    Or, to kick up the spice flavor a little, add 1 teaspoon of chili powder or jalapeno powder.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only. Nutrient information for dehydrated foods is based on fresh. Use ¼ of the servicing size for the same nutrient information. Thus 1 Cup of fresh fruit has the same sugars as ¼ dried.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @thepurposefulpantry or tag #thepurposefulpantry!

    ©ThePurposefulPantry. Photographs and content are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe's link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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    Deydrate Cucumbers - fresh cucumber. cucumber powder and cucumber chips on wooden surface

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christine says

      December 07, 2022 at 9:59 am

      Cucumber powder would male a great tzaziki sauce for gyros!

      Reply
    2. Cindy Green says

      August 17, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      For the 1:1 vinegar water how do you use it? Spray it on the chips? Soak them in it?

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        August 17, 2022 at 7:16 pm

        It's in the water you wash them in, not onto the cucumber chips

        Reply
    3. Kari says

      July 30, 2022 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      What do you mean by "condition" when you say "condition if putting up for storage?" Thanks!

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        July 31, 2022 at 10:30 am

        https://www.thepurposefulpantry.com/do-you-need-to-condition-dehydrated-food/

        Reply
    4. Mary Gatto says

      July 07, 2021 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you going to try these recipes.

      Reply
    5. Patricia says

      October 16, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      Have you ever rehydrated them for a salad. Someone told me they had and were good what.

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        October 18, 2020 at 8:49 pm

        I did not enjoy them that way - they were flimsy and not crisp. They are better as snacks and powder to me

        Reply
    6. Karen says

      August 11, 2019 at 4:30 pm

      Going to try cucumbers today. I( have no clue as to what variety they are as they are volunteers from another time. Think I will do plain chips so I can decide later if I want to make them into powder.

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        August 11, 2019 at 8:32 pm

        A good way to do it, but season a couple so that you can have a fun snack along with it, too 😉

        Reply
    7. geni says

      June 25, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      Your creativity is so inspiring to expand my deep panty and recipes. My nutrition is improved in the process. thanks.

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        June 25, 2019 at 4:31 pm

        Glad to hear it!!

        Reply

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    Darcy Baldwin of The Purposeful Pantry.

    Howdy! I'm Darcy! I've spent twenty years learning how to stretch our budget and stock our family's pantry by dehydrating food. You can do it, too!

    Learn how I can help you →

    You can get my new book, Dehydrating Basics & Journal to help you get started on your dehydrating journey!

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