How to Preserve Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a very valuable food in every kitchen, as they offer endless possibilities when it comes to using them. However, mushrooms are quite delicate and they require special care to preserve them from spoiling. Therefore, if you want to keep mushrooms in top condition for long periods of time, you'll need to use a food preservation technique like dehydration, freezing, fermenting or vacuum packaging.
In this oneHOWTO article we'll explain in detail how to preserve mushrooms without losing their properties or taste.
How to preserve mushrooms: fresh
After collecting mushrooms or buying them in a shop, we can keep them fresh in the fridge for a few days. You should place them with their lamellas down, without washing them, in a container which can be made of cardboard and covered with a damp cloth. In this way they'll keep perfectly for a few days but should be cooked quickly or preserved with some other method.
How to preserve mushrooms: dehydrated
Another of the most common methods for preserving mushrooms is by dehydration, i.e. dried mushrooms. To do this, the first thing you should do is to carefully clean the mushrooms, preferably without water and then you can choose between the different methods for removing water and preventing them from spoiling:
- Dehydrating mushrooms in the air: either on a rack or by hanging them on a line, as if you were hanging clothes. You should place them in a place that's hot or has good air flow but without much humidity.
- Drying mushrooms in direct sunlight: the problem with this option are insects, bad weather, etc. Also, if you live in a humid place, it is recommended that you do not leave them outside overnight.
- Using an oven to dry mushrooms: at a low temperature and with a lot of patience, as this process requires hours. Electric ovens are preferred and use a fan if you have one.
How to preserve mushrooms: frozen
A good alternative to preserve mushrooms in perfect condition is by freezing them. After cleaning them and preferably cutting them you should blanch them in boiling water, although it is worth noting that they can also be frozen raw. Then drain and dry them with a cloth before putting them in bags or containers to be frozen. You can preserve mushrooms in the freezer for about six months.
Preserving mushrooms: in their juice
This technique involves preserving mushrooms naturally in their own juice, packaged in vacuum jars. First of all, you should sterilize the jars or bottles that you will to keep the mushrooms in good condition.
Then, wash the mushrooms, chop them, blanch them and do not throw away the resulting water. Put the mushrooms in the jar with their cooking juices, filling it up to the maximum, and put the lid on firmly.
To seal the glass jars, you should boil them in a pot that is large enough so the water covers all the containers. Here you can learn more about how to seal glass jars to preserve food.
How to preserve mushrooms: in oil, vinegar or salt
As an alternative to the previous one to preserve mushrooms, you can also soak them in:
- Oil: after blanching the previously washed mushrooms, you should put them in a jar without their cooking juices, adding a little salt and finally finishing it off with olive oil. You should do so with large fleshy mushrooms. You can also put in some aromatic herbs to give them a little more flavor.
- Vinegar: in this case, you should add vinegar directly to the water you're going to use to blanch the mushrooms with a little salt. The resulting liquid is what you will use to fill the jar with mushrooms.
- Salt: if you want to preserve mushrooms in salt, after blanching them you should put them in a jar without any juice and start adding alternating layers of salt and mushrooms, ending with a final one of salt. Before preparing them, you need to wash them well.
Here you can learn more about how to make a fermentation jar.
This is how to preserve mushrooms. Do you suspect your mushrooms are spoiled? Take a look at our article on how to tell if mushrooms are still good to eat.
This is how to preserve mushrooms. Do you suspect your mushrooms are spoiled? Take a look at our article on how to tell if mushrooms are still good to eat.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Preserve Mushrooms, we recommend you visit our Food & drink category.