Mushroom picking is a favorite pastime of many people. If you’re lucky, you can collect a lot of them. And then the question arises of processing of mushrooms and how to clean and store mushrooms so that the product remains useful, tasty, and safe for a long time.
We will reveal to you all the tricks of working with mushrooms.
Table of Contents
Processing: Basic rules of Cleaning and Storing Mushrooms
First of all, the mushrooms need to be sorted out, cleaned of debris, sand, earth. Then they are sorted, the defective copies are thrown away. The damaged parts are cut out with a knife.
The peel, if it separates well, must be removed. The mushrooms are washed. After they are thrown back to dry.
How to process forest mushrooms?
First, processing takes place in the forest, you can clean off the dirt while in it. Then the mushrooms should be peeled. In russula and butter, the covering film is removed.
Boletus, boletus are cleaned of needles, leaves, branches. The hats are cut. The mushrooms are examined for worminess. If there are holes, the copies are thrown away.
Then the mushrooms are washed. This should be done in cool water. Milk mushrooms and waves are soaked before cooking.
Cleaning and processing of porcini mushrooms
Clean the boletus immediately after collection. Better to do it outside. Processing includes cleaning of dirt and leaves.
You can store the crop for no more than 4 hours. You can keep it in a cellar or refrigerator for a couple of days. Otherwise, the mushrooms will lose their aroma.
Cleaning porcini mushrooms for drying
If you dry the product, you cannot wet it. It is recommended to clean it with a brush. Then you should wipe it with a towel.
It is better to cut thick boletus legs into circles. Their thickness should be 3 cm. Thin legs are cut lengthwise.
Proper Cleaning of Mushrooms after harvesting
After harvesting, mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms, should be processed immediately. If this is not possible, you can wait a couple of hours. Proper preparation includes adherence to a number of rules.
Sorting
Regardless of the type of preparation chosen, the mushrooms should be sorted (noble or not, edible / conditionally edible). For procurement, you will need to take medium-sized ones. Some mushrooms can be fried right away, others require boiling (goby, kid, etc.).
Cleaning
Get rid of insects, debris. For this, a cloth is used. You can also handle fruit bodies with a knife. However, this is not a prerequisite.
Washing
Processing is carried out in cold water. Then you need to wait for the moisture to drain. If the surface of the mushroom is uneven, it takes a long time to rinse.
Sand usually sticks to the heads of the stitches. It needs to be washed. If you intend to fry mushrooms, you do not need to rinse them.
Soaking
Mushrooms, which are conditionally edible (milk mushrooms, whites, etc.), are first soaked. This removes the bitter juice. The water should be changed a couple of times a day.
Slicing
There are slicing in different ways. The most popular options are:
- Plastic;
- Straw;
- Lobules;
- Cubes.
Cutting a mushroom with plastic, for example, a flywheel, put it with the cap facing up. Cutting is carried out with 1-2 mm plates. To cut a product into strips, it is first cut with plastic, and then along.
To obtain slices, the mushroom is cut in half lengthwise. After half, cut into slices. When cutting into cubes, their dimensions are usually 5×5 mm.
Heat treatment
The production process of the product is carried out in order to eliminate the toxicity and bitterness of some types of mushrooms. Processing rules require their mandatory execution. Failure to observe them can lead to the fact that the product loses its taste and becomes hazardous to health.
Boiling
Boil mushrooms for up to half an hour. There should be enough water. It is better not to boil the fruit bodies so that they do not lose nutrients.
Without the use of heat treatment, you can eat such types as:
- Russula;
- White mushrooms;
- Honey mushrooms;
- Chanterelles;
- Champignon;
- Waves;
- Boletus boletus.
Many mushrooms become sticky after cooking. In some of them, this feature is manifested in the legs. In honey agarics, these parts should be cut off.
Boiling
There are a number of steps to be taken to complete the heat treatment:
- The product is poured with water to hide it;
- Boil and immediately turn off the fire;
- The mushrooms are left in the broth until they cool.
Important! You cannot squeeze them out. They will lose nutrients.
Steaming
Steaming makes it possible to preserve the value of the copies. The method can be used for butter mushrooms, saffron milk caps, and large russula. The essence of the action is as follows:
- Mushrooms need to be washed, put in a colander;
- They are poured over with boiling water, dipped in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
Mushroom Storing Methods: Drying, Pickling,
The product deteriorates quickly. That is why it is not stored in its raw form. It is best to process the mushrooms on the same day they were harvested.
Drying of porcini mushrooms
Drying is an excellent preparation method. The dried product retains excellent taste. In the process of drying and drying, about 90% of the mass dries out, but the mushrooms become more aromatic.
Drying rules are as follows:
- The best quality specimens should be chosen.
- Mushrooms cannot be washed, they are cleaned with a cloth.
- Large specimens are cut into several pieces.
- The lower part is cut off at the leg.
Drying mushrooms
If the product is soft, you need to dry it like this: the mushrooms are put in glass jars along with garlic and pepper. Top them with olive oil.
The lids of the cans must be tightly closed. Banks need to be sent for pasteurization. They are placed in a saucepan with a towel previously placed on its bottom.
Pour water into the pot 3⁄4. Then they put it on a slow fire. After bringing to a boil, the jars are pasteurized for 25 minutes.
Hot cans should be placed on a wooden tray. It is worth waiting for them to cool down. Store dried mushrooms in the pantry.
Drying in the oven
To begin with, it is worth dividing the mushrooms by type and size (champignons, boletus, etc.). Then you need to prepare a baking sheet. It is sprinkled with oil a little.
Cover the baking sheet with baking paper. Mushrooms are laid out. Their caps should be directed upwards, 1 mm should remain between copies.
Drying in the sun
Small mushrooms can also be dried in the sun. This applies to russula, honey agarics, morels, chanterelles, etc. If mushrooms have dense pulp, for example, tinder fungus and chanterelles, they can be dried whole. It is best to do this on wooden stands, sieves, nets or grates.
The product should be surrounded by mobile air as much as possible. The air temperature must be constant. Then wet fumes will be eliminated quickly.
Drying in the microwave
Place the sliced and peeled product on a wire rack or plate. The power is set at 140 watts. Dry for 20 minutes, and then open the microwave door for 7 minutes.
Drying in an electric dryer
Modern equipment for processing mushrooms makes it possible to dry food completely. You won’t have to cut anything in this case. But if the mushroom is tubular and thick-fleshed (mushroom, white, boletus, etc.), you can grind it.
It is recommended to cut in half and stitches. Otherwise, the insects that are inside them will not disappear. And there are affected mushrooms, naturally, tasteless and unpleasant.
Drying on a string
Such an activity will be not only useful but also exciting. If you have no desire to preserve, you can use drying. The mushrooms dried on a string, if desired, can be returned to their almost previous shape. To do this, they should be soaked in warm water.
Mushrooms must not be washed before drying on a string. Otherwise, their taste will not change for the better. It will be enough to wipe the product with a napkin.
Drying mushrooms on a string will be within a week. To speed up the process, you can pre-dry them in an electric dryer or in the oven. If you intend to operate in an apartment, you have to choose a dry place. But it is better to carry out drying outside.
Pickling mushrooms
This method is universal. It is suitable for all types of products. Salting technologies are similar to each other.
If the mushrooms are edible, you can salt them without prior preparation. Seasoning is also optional. Conditionally edible mushrooms are soaked first.
Dry salting method
Mushrooms need to be cleaned of soil with a cloth. The hats are detached at once.
Spread the mushrooms in layers, sprinkle with salt. There is no need to add spices. A circle of wood and a load are placed on the last layer. The dishes with mushrooms are moved to a cool place. The readiness of the product is determined by the level of juice (it should hide the top layer a few hours after pickling).
If you salt the mushrooms, they may acquire a different color dirty green. But their taste will remain amazing.
The dry method is used for salting also valui, milk mushrooms, volushkas. After salting, the value can be consumed after 55 days, and the voludes after 40.
Cold salting method
This method can be used to prepare any mushrooms. Season the finished snack with vegetable oil. 5 kg. mushrooms will need 220 g of rock salt. The cooking technology stands out as follows:
- The mushrooms are peeled.
- Then they are washed.
- Clean copies are sorted.
- After they are cut.
- Volnushki, milk mushrooms, russula, honey mushrooms are soaked for about 2 days.
- Pour a handful of salt into the container.
- Mushrooms are laid out in layers, sprinkled with salt.
- Each layer requires about 50 g of salt, for mushrooms – 40 g.
- In addition to salt, chopped onions can be added between the layers.
- A plate with a load is placed in a container on the last layer of the product.
- When the mushrooms have settled, new ones can be added until the container is full.
- The filled container is sent to a cool place. The state of the workpiece must be checked after 5 days.
- If there is a lot of brine, it should be poured. The container is sent to the refrigerator.
- If there is little brine, you can strengthen the load.
In order for the mushrooms to completely reach, they are kept in brine for about 1.2 months.
Hot pickling method
Many housewives use the hot method. First, the mushrooms are soaked. For 3 liters of volume, you will need to prepare:
- 5 kg. mushrooms (for example, pigs);
- salt – 10 tbsp. l .;
- 25 g dill;
- 5 pieces. laurel leaf;
- currant leaves – 10 pcs.;
- peppercorns – 15 pcs.
Cooking is done like this:
- Mushrooms are cleaned and sorted.
- Washed in water.
- Water is poured into a saucepan, salt is added. Prepare the brine.
- The pan is put on fire. Mushrooms are added to the brine, the foam is removed. Seasonings and pepper are added to the container.
Readiness is determined by the clarity of the brine. After processing, the finished product, for example, a goat, is thrown into a colander, then it is laid out in banks.
Mushroom preservation
The process is carried out with the addition of a small amount of vinegar. It keeps the mushrooms fresh for a long time.
| The product’s name | How much is required |
| mushrooms | How much will go to the bank |
| salt | 40 g |
| water | 1 l. |
| Marinade vinegar (5%) | 3 tsp |
| hot water | 100 g |
For cooking, add 100 g of hot water and 3 tsp in a half-liter jar. vinegar (5%). Mushrooms are boiled in salted water (40 g of salt is taken for 1 liter of water). After they are transferred to jars, closed with lids, placed in a hot water tank and sterilized for 20 minutes. All that remains is to roll up the cans and cool them.
Pickled porcini mushrooms in jars
For cooking you should:
- Wash, chop the mushrooms.
- Boil water, put the product in it.
- Prepare brine – 170 g of salt per 1 liter. water.
- Put bay leaf, salt, sugar, cardamom, pepper, mustard in the marinade.
- Pour in vinegar a couple of minutes before the end of cooking.
- Leave the mushrooms in the marinade for 10 hours.
- Close cans, wrap in something warm.
Storing Mushrooms with Freezing Method
The product is cleaned of dirt, the legs are scraped with a knife. Then it is washed in salted water. After the mushrooms are dried and cut. It remains to distribute them into packages, release air from the container.
Freeze boiled porcini mushrooms
First, the product must be boiled. The process will take 15 minutes, we must remove the foam. The finished product is dried. Then it needs to be laid out in containers and sent to the freezer.
Freezing raw mushrooms
Fruiting bodies are sent to the freezer and raw. They must be fresh, cut them into cubes. Arrange them on a tray. The mushrooms will freeze in 2 hours.
What temperature for freezing mushroom for long time?
They remain edible for up to 4 months. The mode in the freezer should be approximately -3 degrees. If there is a need for longer storage, up to six months, the temperature should be -16 degrees.
How to peel porcini mushrooms before freezing?
The mushrooms must be peeled before freezing. Then the cut located on the leg is updated, and the skin should also be removed from it. If the specimens are large, they are cut.
Preparation
You do not need to wash the porcini mushrooms. Cut them into small cubes. Then they can be boiled or fried for 12 minutes.
How to clean a porcini mushroom cap
A dry hat is easy to clean. Wet mushrooms have to be wiped with a cloth. You can also use an old toothbrush.
Do I need to peel the leg of porcini mushrooms?
This should be done without fail. You need to remove moss, foliage, needles. If you can see worms, this part of the leg will have to be cut out.
Potential problems and solutions
Even experienced mushroom pickers can confuse good specimens with poisonous ones. Boletus and gall mushroom are especially often confused. The latter differs in cut.
Boletus does not change its color even after pickling and boiling.
Another problem is rotten adult mushrooms. If you find one, it’s best to throw it away right away. Old mushrooms are not only unhealthy but also tasteless.
Cooking time for popular Mushrooms types
As a preliminary preparation, mushrooms are boiled as follows:
- White and Polish mushrooms – 3 minutes;
- Butterlets – 5 minutes;
- Honey mushrooms – 7 minutes;
- Chanterelles – 9 minutes;
- Aspen mushrooms – 5 minutes;
- Flywheels – 5 minutes.
To quickly reduce the volume, it is better not to boil the mushrooms, but to scald them.
How to fry mushrooms properly?
Frying is carried out in odorless sunflower oil. The fire should be small. If the juice is released during frying, you can simply drain it. Salt is added to an almost finished dish. Fry until tender, 15-20 minutes (depending on the type).
