How to freeze mushrooms for the winter

Summer is the time for harvesting, preserving and making jam. Nature gives us a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and mushrooms, which can not only feast on, but also stock up on the winter. Modern refrigerators and freezers are able to keep the product almost intact. Freezing is one of the safest, most beneficial and effective ways to store fruits and vegetables. And even after low temperatures, the products lose their crispness and original appearance, but their vitamins are preserved almost completely. Today you will learn how to freeze champignons for the winter, how to do it properly, while preserving the taste and benefits of the product.

The benefits of champignons

Mushrooms, along with potatoes, meat and pasta, are the main dish on the Russian table. Mushrooms boil, fry, pickle and make all kinds of pies and casseroles out of them. In a successful mushroom year, you can collect up to one hundred kilograms of this useful product, and this is practically free. You will only have to spend money on a trip to places remote from motorways and cities.After all, as you know, mushrooms absorb toxins, and collecting them along busy trails is highly undesirable.

Champignons have a high nutritional value and low calorie. Regular consumption of champignons normalizes metabolic processes. These mushrooms are eaten with pleasure by people watching their weight. Mushrooms effectively reduce blood cholesterol. In such mushrooms there are a lot of easily digestible protein, which serves as the basis for the growth of muscles, teeth and bones. By the way, there is more protein in champignons than in eggs and even meat.

A large amount of potassium in champignons has a positive effect on the work of the heart and blood vessels. The fungus has a great effect on the nervous system - it soothes, relieves from depression and obsessive thoughts. Champignons contain the same amount of phosphorus and calcium as in fish. This fungus is saturated with folic acid, which is very low in other plant and animal products. Dried champignons serve as an excellent antioxidant in case of food poisoning. Mushrooms also affect mental ability, activate memory. You need to eat mushrooms at least once a week.But in order to feast on this product all year round, it must be properly frozen.

How to freeze champignons

Mushrooms for freezing is best to collect yourself. In this case, you will be confident in the origin of the product. As noted, it is better to pick mushrooms for frost in ecologically clean areas, away from roads, factories and cities. Mushrooms should be frozen as soon as possible after harvest - a fresh product is stored longer.

1. To begin with, the mushrooms are washed in warm water so that the legs and caps are slightly steamed out. In this form, they will be easier to clean.
2. After washing, put the mushrooms on a paper or cloth towel to get rid of excess liquid. This is very important - mushrooms with excess moisture will not be stored for a long time, and after defrosting they will be dark and spoiled. To dry the mushrooms should be at least 20 minutes.
3. When the mushrooms dry out a little, they should be cleaned. Scrape all dark spots off the mushroom cap. It is better to separate the leg from the cap. First, clean the mushrooms so much more convenient. Secondly, having separated a leg, you can not worry that the mushroom will break.And thirdly, mushrooms in a crushed form is much easier and faster to thaw. Be sure to cut the lower part of the stem that is in contact with the ground.
4. Cut the mushrooms into cubes or slices of the size you need. Focus on the fact that after defrosting you will no longer be able to chop the mushrooms, it is better to immediately cut them into such sizes that are suitable for the preparation of a particular dish.
5. Mushrooms can be frozen in plastic containers or plastic bags. Dip the mushrooms in the bag, if possible, remove excess air and tightly tie the neck so that the mushrooms do not absorb foreign odors. Freeze mushrooms in batches to defrost the amount of food needed for one dish. Do not freeze mushrooms entirely - repeated freezing will deprive them of taste, benefit and smell. If you freeze mushrooms in plastic, rinse and dry the container thoroughly.
6. There is one very subtle nuance when defrosting mushrooms. Most products are recommended to first defrost in the refrigerator and only then add to the dishes in order to preserve the good. Mushrooms, on the other hand, should not be thawed, otherwise they can become black.Just take a bag of mushrooms and add them to the soup, to the pan or to the oven.
7. Champignons can be frozen not only fresh, but also fried and boiled. Boiling mushrooms is not difficult - add peeled mushrooms in boiling water and cook 10 minutes after boiling. Then the mushrooms need to be cut (if necessary), wait until they cool down and freeze. Mushrooms are fried the same way as other mushrooms - with the addition of oil and until the liquid is completely evaporated. Freezing in boiled and fried form gives a clear advantage - after defrosting champignon does not need additional heat treatment - you can simply warm it up and eat it.
8. Frozen mushrooms can be stored for about six months.

In addition to freezing, mushrooms can be salted, pickled or dried. However, remember that only freezing will allow you to retain all the vitamins and beneficial properties of this protein product.

Having in your freezer several pacts with frozen champignons, you can not be afraid of sudden guests or quick dinners. Ready-made mushrooms can be added to the broth, mixed with potatoes or baked with cheese. As a result, you get a quick, delicious and rich dish for the whole family.Prepare sledge in the summer, do not hammer to do preparations from tasty and useful champignons!

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