How to store dried mushrooms at home

The ripening and gathering of the mushroom crop falls in the fall, it is during this period that amateurs gather by company and go for gifts. A distinctive feature of fresh mushrooms is their short-term storage. As a result, people are forced to resort to various tricks that help preserve the taste and aroma of the product for many months. One of the methods of "conservation" is drying, contributing to the preservation of nutrients and protein.

Efficient storage of dry mushrooms

Experienced mushroom hunters in one voice say that drying does not adversely affect the useful characteristics of the product.

Glass Jars
For this method of storage, it is necessary to choose containers of dark, not clear glass. Mushrooms must be protected from intense light and must also be placed in a hermetically sealed container.Since the product is hygroscopic in its characteristics, make sure that there is no excessive moisture in the room and capacity. Under these conditions, the mushrooms will quickly disappear.

Before you put the gifts in the jar, prepare the container. Carefully wash and boil it, do not neglect the sterilization process. After heat treatment, banks must be dried to such an extent that there is no hint of possible moisture in them.

After the preparatory stage, we can safely assume that your tanks are ready. However, as in any other case, there are some peculiarities. Mushrooms will retain the pristine flavor and taste only if the banks form a vacuum. Another option reduces the storage time by 1.5 times.

Important!
If you do not have the opportunity to roll the mushrooms in a vacuum jar, use the same methods. Before screwing the container, pour a small amount of vodka or medical alcohol under the cap. After that, set it on fire and immediately turn it on, the burning should not end. Alcohol in the burning state neutralizes oxygen, creating a vacuum effect.

The method is considered the most reliable and is very popular. Due to the lack of oxygen, the percentage of mold in the banks is reduced to zero. For this reason, you can ignore the rules for installing cans in a dry room, even a cellar or basement will do.

If the mushrooms will lie so long that they begin to crumble, make a seasoning out of them. Place the product in a blender or coffee grinder, chop into flour and pour into a resealable dark bag. Salt, pepper, add to sauces, first and second courses.

Bags
For proper storage of mushrooms in a similar way, find a place in which air will circulate without drops. Such a move will not allow mold to form, since moisture is completely absent. When you keep mushrooms in bags, make sure that there are no foreign smells in the room, otherwise the product will switch to them. The ideal option for placement in the apartment / house will serve as a dry balcony or pantry.

If you don’t have a balcony, but a loggia, you shouldn’t put the product in there, as the storage place itself requires sudden temperature changes.Ignoring this advice, condensate will begin to accumulate in bags of mushrooms, as a result of which mold will appear. To sew the bags, take the gauze fabric and fold it into 4-5 layers. Then sew the edges, place the mushrooms and tie a free area with a string.

Freezer
There are often cases where, for certain reasons, housewives prefer to store mushrooms in the freezer or in the refrigerator compartment. This method is welcome because it is fast enough to implement. In this case, mushrooms can lie in the chamber for about a year, sometimes longer. The main condition for storage is vacuum packaging, which does not pass moisture. You must also make sure that the mushrooms are properly dried. Even a random drop can grow into a full-fledged mold.

Attic
The method is considered the most risky, but this does not mean that it can not be used. When storing mushrooms in the attic, you must constantly monitor the level of humidity, you can not put mushrooms, if the room temperature often jumps. You should also pay attention to possible pests that are able to penetrate into the package with the product and postpone the larvae.

If you put the mushrooms in the attic, you will have to constantly open the package and check the composition for the presence of moths, beetles and other insects. The only option in which this does not have to do - canned mushrooms in jars, and then carried to the attic. Shelf life is limited to 2 years, but in the case of using bags, mushrooms can become unusable more quickly.

Ropes
The next storage option is mushrooms strung on a rope. If you dried them with the use of twine, do not remove the product after the procedure, leave it in storage in this form.

The main feature of the technology is considered to be the so-called "precise drying". In the final version, the mushrooms should be of such a structure that they calmly hold on to the ropes, do not crumble and crawl. To achieve this, it is enough not to overdry the product.

Before hanging the mushrooms for long-term storage, wrap the rope with cotton cloth. Such a move will prevent slipping. Choose a place in which there are no extraneous smells, dampness, insects. When you decide to take a few mushrooms to eat, do not remove the rope from the holder.Break off the right amount, so it will be much more convenient.

Practical recommendations

1. The optimum temperature for the storage of mushrooms in the room is considered to be a mark between 11 and 15 degrees. In this case, the relative humidity of the air should be no higher than 40%.
2. If, for some reason, the mushrooms became wet, but mold did not attack them, dry the product. Put the baking sheet with parchment paper, evenly distribute the mushrooms on its surface and put in the oven for 5 minutes at a temperature of about 140-150 degrees.
3. When you choose mushrooms for long-term storage, exclude all suspicious. You can put products in a jar / pouch only in a properly dried state.
4. Before you start the meal, pour filtered water or skimmed milk into the container, and then soak in the mushrooms. Such a move will contribute to the disclosure of taste and aroma.
5. Liquid remaining from soaking mushrooms can be used as a base for soup, stewing vegetables, meat, fish.
6. Before drying the mushrooms, rinse them, remove the remnants of grass and foreign bodies.The correct procedure involves the complete absence on the surface of the product of dirt, dust and sand.

If you chose an unsafe way of storage (attic, ropes, bag), look for mushrooms for the presence of unusable pieces. Take out products damaged by bugs or mold. Feel the mushrooms, their structure should not change during storage. Dried foods will be hard, spoiled by mold - soft and moist.

Video: how to soak dry mushrooms for mushroom soup