Have you just picked mushrooms, but you don’t know how to properly preserve them?
In this article, we will explain how to do it right, from A to Z! Let’s go!
The First Steps In Preserving Mushrooms
How To Preserve Mushroom In Fridge?
When you collect mushrooms in the forest, the ideal is to prepare them directly when you get home. In any case, do not store your fresh mushrooms for more than 3 days in the vegetable drawer before preparing them.
How To Clean Fresh Mushrooms Before Storing Them?
You can start removing the most damaged parts of the fungus. Then you can clean your mushrooms with a brush. Be careful, never put your mushrooms under water! You have to adapt your method to clean each type of mushroom! We have written a guide for you to understand in detail how to properly clean your mushrooms.
Why Should Mushrooms Be Cut Before Storage?
What could be worse than finding a jar of dried morels filled with mold?! Cutting your mushrooms into small pieces will allow you, for example, to have evenly distributed humidity during drying. This way, you will avoid having to throw away your harvest because of mold!
If you opt for freezing, having small pieces of mushrooms will help you, for example, to have a more homogeneous cooking!
In short ! Cutting your mushrooms will make your life easier.
The 4 Solutions For Preserving Wild Mushrooms
1. Cook Fresh Mushrooms
Advantages: fast and simple
Disadvantages: conservation is very limited in time and you have to rack your brains to find a recipe right away!
Materials: it’s up to you! A pan is a good start!
Shelf life: 2 days maximum.
Cooking your freshly picked mushrooms in advance is probably the easiest method. However, this mode of conservation is very limited in time and will allow you to keep your mushrooms for 2 more days, before being consumed.
2. Canning Mushrooms In A Jar
Advantages: canning allows you to maintain a good texture and a deep aroma. This method of preservation is particularly well suited if you want to make sauce.
Disadvantages: canning is not always easy to implement. In addition, you will have to use the entire jar when it is opened! It is therefore necessary to plan the right quantities!
Materials: pressure cooker, jars with hermetic seal…
Shelf life: 9 to 12 months.
Check out our detailed article, to find out how to can your mushrooms!
3. Dry Your Mushrooms
Advantages: drying is simple to implement and can be done in several ways. Having dried mushrooms allows you to take the right amount for each preparation. It is a very flexible mode of conservation!
Disadvantages: good drying requires the use of a dehydrator because it is not always easy to obtain uniform drying in the oven or in the open air.
Materials: ideally a dehydrator or an oven with a low temperature setting.
Shelf life: several years.
Do you want to dry your mushrooms? Check out our detailed article to find out how to dry your mushrooms!
4. Freeze Mushrooms
Advantages: freezing mushrooms is the easiest and fastest way to preserve mushrooms!
Disadvantages: freezing deteriorates the texture and the original taste of the mushroom. Frozen mushrooms are not always easy to take in the desired quantity to make a preparation!
Materials: a freezer and freezer bags, at a minimum.
Shelf life: 12 months.
Freezing mushrooms can be done from raw mushrooms or cooked mushrooms! We have written an article on how to properly freeze mushrooms.
Find Mushrooms With Our Maps!
Based on our experience and feedback from our users on our Facebook community. The best preservation method for fresh mushrooms is drying!
Want to know where the best mushroom spots are? Discover our Mushroom Maps!
Leave a Reply