22/01/2024
Of lucky mushrooms and mushrooms
Mushroom season has begun. True mushroom connoisseurs and those who dare venture out into the forest early in the morning, hunting for the delicacies of summer and autumn.
Those lucky enough to collect more mushrooms than they can eat in a short time can preserve their mushroom supplies for a longer period. But how? Fresh mushrooms with homemade bread dumplings, with game, or red cabbage – irresistible. Unfortunately, the mushroom season is short. To keep mushrooms on the menu longer, we preserve them. It's worth freezing, drying, or pickling mushrooms.
FREEZING: Chanterelles, button mushrooms, chestnut boletes, and porcini mushrooms can all be frozen. It's best to clean small mushrooms and freeze them whole. Larger mushrooms should be sliced, quartered, or halved. When freezing, let the air out of containers or plastic bags. A vacuum sealer is best for this. This will keep your food fresh longer, as oxygen, which can degrade the food through biological processes, can't reach it. Additionally, a vacuum sealer reduces the volume to a minimum, leaving more room in the freezer for even more delicious treats.
DRYING: Do not wash the mushrooms before drying. They absorb moisture like a sponge during washing. It's best to clean the mushrooms with a brush, cloth, and small knife. Then cut them into wafer-thin (three to five millimeters) slices. Traditionally, mushrooms are hung on a drying line. Or you can dry them in an oven at around 50 degrees Celsius. Professionals dry their mushroom stock with a dehydrator, which gently dries the mushrooms. In a dehydrator, the drying process takes between four and six hours (on heat setting 1). Tip: If the mushrooms break when bent, they are fully dried.
PICKLING: Mushrooms also taste delicious pickled or canned and keep well. There are many pickling recipes. The classic version with good white wine vinegar, mustard and peppercorns, bay leaves, and juniper berries is especially recommended for beginners. Use small preserving jars. This guarantees good flavor and makes it easier to measure the quantities you need later.
No matter which preservation method you choose, we wish you the best of luck! If you'd like to share your mushroom recipe with us or have a particularly good tip for preserving mushrooms, send us your recipe by email to [email protected]