Cukes are a refreshing, nutritious and low-cal summer treat, but I've never eaten too many of them. They can go in salads and yes, believe me, I have definitely made my share of every kind of spiced and sweet pickle and relish there is to make, but how many pickles do you really eat in a year? The process is time and energy-consuming, and there are still so many leftover cukes in the fridge when I'm done.
I tried out these cuke chips on a whim, and have been very happy with the results. After cleaning and slicing up my cucumbers (I found thicker is usually better--they take a bit longer to dry but result in a nice-sized chip you don't have to scrape off the tray), I covered them in my chosen array of seasonings and laid them out in single layers on dehydrator trays. Then I allowed them to dehydrate for about 12 hours (the temperature matters little), until they were crispy all the way through. The pickling cukes that were left too long on the vine and are too large for good pickles were actually perfect for this project, and a good way to utilize those fruits that would otherwise be given to the pigs.
The result is a crispy chip with few calories and a satisfying crunch. After my first batch (honey, cinammon and nutmeg were generously added to each cucumber slice before dehydration) we tried out a few other recipes. Bryan was jonesing for some Cool Ranch Dorito chips, so we tried out a recipe to mimic those. Really, any variety of spices, or just plain salt, can be added to these chips-- since cukes are mostly water, they will absorb a lot of flavor. Today I dipped some salty cuke chips in our homemade salsa, and it was fantastic.
I have made a ton of these over the summer and will be sure to do so again next year. When they are crisp, I just store them in the pantry in a closed baggie. It is a great and easy way to use up some extra cucumbers and snack with few calories. I wish you luck on all your cuke-drying endeavors!
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