How to store dried mushrooms

Many housewives prefer to store dried mushrooms for future use. Compared with marinating and freezing, drying allows the product to save not only taste and aroma, but also all the useful substances and trace elements. The process of preserving mushrooms in dried form is quite simple, if you follow simple rules.

Pay attention! It is better to give preference to podberezoviki, butter mushrooms, whites, aspen mushrooms and other representatives of the tubular. These mushrooms are great for drying. In the process of dehydration most laminae acquire a bitter aftertaste, but this does not mean that now you have to give up your favorite chanterelles, mushrooms and honeycomb. The problem is solved by a long soaking.

The preparatory stage
First, the mushrooms need to be sorted. Only well-dried specimens that break easily, but do not crumble, should be selected. Soft and wet mushrooms should be thrown away. They can get moldy, attract flies and, as a consequence, spoil the rest of the stock. The overly brittle ones should also be separated, but not thrown away. Dried mushrooms can be ground or grinded, mixed with spices and spices. The resulting spice used as an additive to the hot dishes to add flavor, kept in tightly closed jars of dark glass.

Hang mushrooms on a string in the kitchen is possible only for beauty. For a really good storage you need a specially prepared container.

What to store dried mushrooms in:

1. Plastic or glass containers, tightly closed with a lid. Periodically, they will need to open for airing, so that the contents "breathed".
2. Canvas bags, paper bags, boxes made of wood and cardboard. This is a cheap and convenient option, but not completely safe. Because of the small airtightness inside the boxes, bugs can get in, and the fabric is often attacked by moths. Chanterelles, chanterelles and red capercaillies easily lose their aroma, so this container is not suitable for them.
3. Vacuum containers. With this option, you don't have to worry about the reliability of the container, pests, and mustiness. The only minus, perhaps, is the high price.

Storing dried produce in a private home

After sorting, preparing containers and, of course, high-quality drying of mushrooms, you can begin to choose a place to store supplies. In a country house, a dry, ventilated and cool room will be suitable. The cellar is not the best option, since because of the high humidity there is a high probability of mold and rotting of the crop. But an insulated, unheated attic is perfect. During the cold season it is easy to keep the temperature from 10 to 15 ° C, which is considered ideal for storing mushrooms. Slits and holes in the walls should be sealed to prevent temperature fluctuations and, consequently, condensation.

Do not forget that mushrooms, like a sponge, absorb odors, so you should store them separately from odorous products. The spongy structure contributes to increased hygroscopicity.

Storage on string

If there is no suitable place, you can store mushrooms on a string. But you can't keep them open! To protect against over drying, bugs, mold and dust, "beads" are wrapped in several layers of cloth. The cloth should be soaked in salt solution beforehand.

Because of its low reliability, the method is not suitable for long-term storage, so the "garlands" should be consumed first. However, such a variation is convenient in its own way: supplies are always at hand, and their condition can be monitored at least every day.

Cardboard boxes, wooden boxes

If you have a rich harvest, you have to look for more ambitious ways of storage. Boxes and boxes are additionally lined with sheets of paper, filled with drying paper, covered with another portion of paper sheets, and only then tightly closed. The containers are sent to the same prepared loft or to a dry, ventilated storeroom. Do not allow variations in temperature and humidity - large stocks require more control. Periodically (once a month) you need to "visit" the mushrooms, check them for pests, sort them out. Specimens affected by condensation soften and become slightly moist, so it is not difficult to identify them.

Keeping treasures of the forest in the apartment

Residents of cities in the summer love to go to the woods for mushrooms. But in urban conditions, it is very problematic to store the harvest because of the lack of free space and the lack of suitable climatic conditions. But what if the trip was very successful and you want to keep a tasty and fragrant product for future use?

The solution is often a pantry - a dark, dry ventilated room that many apartments have. If there is no ventilation window, you will need to ventilate the room periodically. In the pantry you can place boxes made of cardboard and wood, mushroom "garlands" strung on twine, containers with blanks. Do not forget that the "weather" in the apartment is still not the most suitable for storing dried and responsibly check the stock at least a couple of times a month.

Pantry, unfortunately, not every city apartment is equipped with it. But this is not a reason to get upset and give up the idea of storing dried mushrooms. It remains to contrive and use what is there - it can be a mezzanine, the top shelf of cabinets.

Of course, you can also use different kinds of packaging:

• Vacuum bags and containers;
• Glass jars, tightly closed with lids;
• paper and cloth bags;
• Plastic and ceramic containers.

Jars also keep bugs from reaping their contents, but oxygen is left inside, which promises other problems.

However, there is a tip for removing the oxygen! Pour some alcohol into a metal lid, light it, and seal the container immediately. The reaction burns out the oxygen and creates the necessary vacuum! As a result, no unnecessary moisture, rotting, or conditions for mold colonies. Mushrooms harvested this way will keep in a cool, dry place for several years. Make sure there really is no oxygen left in the jar! If the sealing turned out to be of poor quality, after a while eating the contents of the jar can be life-threatening or threaten serious poisoning.

Be sure to sterilize and dry jars and lids before using them.

Bags made of any material are inferior to the above described containers in airtightness. But they are environmentally friendly, won't take up much space in the apartment, and allow the contents to "breathe. Before use, the cloth bags should be boiled in a strong salt solution, dried well, and ironed properly. Beetles will never get into a bag with hot peppers in it.

As mentioned above - vacuum bags and containers are ideal for the purpose. They are non-toxic and made specifically for food. The design allows for the removal of oxygen, preventing rotting and the development of mold. And the airtightness prevents unwanted "guests" from penetrating the delicious preparations. However, for a really long time the contents can be preserved only in the containers, the air from which is pumped out. Each time you take out a portion of dried mushrooms, you will need to pump the air out again. A significant disadvantage is also the high cost of the container.

Is it possible to store dried mushrooms in the refrigerator

Yes, probably. Insects won't venture into such a cool place. But the high humidity in the cold room limits the choice of containers to just a vacuum.

Another option is the freezer. This method is reliable, but not really practical, since it takes up quite a lot of space. You can fill mushrooms in bags, stacking them in layers to save space. Plastic containers are also suitable, not necessarily vacuum-packed.

Note! Repeated freezing is harmful for any products, including dried mushrooms. So it's better to put them in the freezer in small portions, so you can take the bag out and cook them at one time.

How long can you store dried forest products

This figure varies with the choice of place and containers for storage. But, as a rule, the minimum period of storage and use of dried mushrooms is considered 12 months, and the maximum - 3 years. In bags, it is recommended to store the harvest for no more than a year and a half.

Variety of mushrooms also affects the duration of storage. For example, porcini mushrooms, even after three years continue to enjoy their rich flavor and incredible taste. But the podberezoviki and aspen mushrooms after just 12 months become tasteless.

In stores, packages with dried mushrooms are usually marked with a time limit of 12 to 18 months. Most mushroom pickers try not to take the risk and renew their stocks every year. If you're still sorry to throw away the delicious contents of the jars and bags, then once every 1.5 years, be sure to check it for mold, rot and pests.

Tip! Lovers of hoarding crops often face a problem: the inability to determine when it was made procurement. So as not to create such problems and not to be lost in doubt, it is recommended to stick a sticker with information about the date.

A little about how to cook dried mushrooms

Before cooking the raw material is well washed, then soaked for a long time or overnight in cool water. The liquid from some mushrooms does not need to be drained, it is well suited for soups and sauces. Water from the chanterelles and chanterelle mushrooms noticeably bitter and not suitable for further use. If you soak the mushrooms in salted milk, they will taste as fresh as possible. In addition, the milk will make their taste much richer.

When the fruits are swollen, you can cut them into pieces and proceed to cooking. Boiled dried becomes softer and tastier. White mushrooms are cooked for quite a long time - from 90 to 120 minutes, the other representatives are usually enough for an hour. To check the readiness, you need to chew a piece, it should not be "rubbery".

The number of variations of culinary masterpieces with dried mushrooms is limited only by the imagination of the cook. Almost all representatives are ideal for soups (except Podberezoviki and Podosinoviki), second courses, cakes and other baked goods. Mushroom dishes do not require an abundance of spices, it is enough to use bay, ground pepper, garlic.

Preserving mushrooms in dried form is a simple option to keep a piece of summer for a long time. Dried mushrooms are several times better than fresh ones in terms of nutrients and useful substances, give the opportunity to try new recipes and make your family and friends happy with them. Simple rules, techniques and little tricks will help even the novice mushroom grower cope with the task of storage.

Photo of dried mushrooms