Every mushroom picking lover has his or her favorite ways to preserve these aromatic forest gifts. One of them isdrying the mushroomsMushrooms can be dried in the oven, on a thread, in the sun or in the microwave. Learn how to prepare mushrooms for drying andhow to properly dry mushroomsusing home methods. We also advisehow to store dried mushroomsto keep their flavor and aroma for a long time.
Drying mushrooms
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Homemade ways to dry mushroomsthere are at least a few.Of course, it would be best to dry them naturally, in the sun, keeping the maximum flavor and aroma, but not everyone has this option. Avid mushroom pickers, who bring full baskets of harvest from the forest every few days, often invest in professional equipment, i.e. a mushroom dryer. However, for drying, we can also use devices that everyone has at home, e.g. an oven or a microwave.
How to prepare mushrooms for drying
You can dry all edible mushroomsas long as they are firm and he althy. Overripe, soft and wormy ones cannot be dried.Mushrooms should be cleaned with a soft brush, scraped with a knife and wiped with a dry cloth before drying. Then, cut them into smaller pieces or into slices 0.5-1 cm thick. Dry the smaller mushrooms completely. Remember not to crush the mushrooms after you have prepared them for drying.
Cleaning and peeling mushrooms
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Washing mushrooms before drying
When it comes to washing mushrooms before drying, opinions differ. It is commonly believed thatmushrooms to be dried should not be washedas they will soak up water, which will hinder the drying process and may make the mushrooms rot. Therefore, it is best to clean the mushrooms with a soft brush, a brush and a knife, as described above.However, if you have doubts whether these mushrooms are really clean, you can just as well rinse them under running water. Then dry them gently with a cotton cloth and spread them out in the sun to dry them even more. Then proceed as with dry-cleaned mushrooms.
Drying mushrooms in the sun
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Drying mushrooms in the sun
Drying mushrooms in the air requires warm and sunny weather, and the entire process takes about 7 days.The easiest way is to string slices or whole mushrooms on a string so that they do not touch each other.We hang the strings of mushrooms in the sunWe can also arrange them on drying racks, wooden trays or even thick paper and expose them to the sun. Cover the mushrooms with gauze to protect them from dirt or insects.
Drying mushrooms in the sun
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Drying mushrooms in the oven
The oven is great for drying mushroomsSpread the mushrooms in a thin layer on a special mesh or rack, which can be easily purchased in household stores. You can also use a grill rack or baking tray lined with baking paper to prevent the mushrooms from falling off and sticking. Remember to keep at least small distances between the mushrooms to ensure proper air circulation.
Drying mushrooms in the oven
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WholeThe process of drying the mushrooms in the oven takes about 7-12 hoursWe start with a temperature of 40-50 ° C with hot air or 60 ° C without this function. After 2-3 hours, the mushrooms lose most of their moisture. If they are still very wet, we can raise the temperature to 70 ° C for several minutes, and then return to the basic temperature. Every now and thenchange the mushrooms so that they dry evenlyIt is necessary to open the oven door to ensure that the moisture is drained away.
Microwave drying of mushrooms
Mushrooms dried in the sun or in an oven are more aromatic than those dried in a microwave oven. However, if you need to dry a small amount of mushrooms very quickly, you can use this device as well. Put mushrooms ready for drying, cut into 0.5 cm slicesmushrooms on a thin plate, put in the microwaveand set the power to 100 W for 20 minutes.Then we open the door and let the air cool for 5-10 minutes, then repeat the activity 4-5 times. This method is inefficient and time-consuming, as we often have to ventilate the microwave oven and turn it on again.
Drying mushrooms in a mushroom dryer
In such a device, drying mushrooms is simple and quick. It takes about 6 hours. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into slices 0.5-1 cm thick or leave them whole. We put them on trays arranged in tiers and turn on the fan. From time to time we postpone them so that they dry evenly.
Drying mushrooms on thread
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Drying mushrooms on thread
If we do not have any of the above-mentioned devices, we can always thread thicker slices of mushrooms on the string so that they do not touch each other, and then hang them over the stove or radiator. Properly dried mushrooms should bend but not break, be resilient, firm, but not moist.When well dried, they have a uniform, light color, with no burnt or soggy pieces.
Dried mushrooms should retain their aroma
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How to store dried mushrooms?
Mushrooms easily absorb odors, moisture and mold very quickly.Dried mushrooms should be kept in a dry place, protected from light.Many people immediately put the dried mushrooms in a glass container and seal it tightly. If you smear the edges of the jar with spirit, light it and close the lid immediately, a vacuum will be created in the jar to help keep the mushrooms from getting wet. Both the lid and the rim of the jar must be perfectly clean and undamaged.
Dried mushrooms in jars
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Dried mushrooms can also be storedin ceramic or glass containers using thick paper instead of the lid.In this way, we will ensure airflow and protect the mushrooms from molding.
Cotton bags can also be used to store dried mushroomsIn this case, the room where the mushrooms will be stored should have a good air circulation as mushrooms have a strong odor. On their own, they easily absorb moisture and odors from the environment.
Do not throw away dry, crumbling mushrooms - make them a powder. To do thisgrind the mushrooms in a coffee grinderor mash them in a mortar. The advantage of mushroom powder is that it is easy to store and use.Finally, to help you remember how to dry your mushrooms, we present a helpful infographic.
5 homemade ways to dry mushrooms
Fig. © Łukasz Krypel
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
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