Having collected a rich harvest of mushrooms in the fall, you need to properly prepare it for storage throughout the year. The period depends on the quality of the raw materials and compliance with certain rules, and allows you to include aromatic mushrooms in your diet all year round. But in order for the product to remain edible, it is necessary to properly prepare the raw material for drying and subsequently provide optimal conditions for its storage.
How to store and how long to store dried mushrooms at home, what containers are best to use for this - you will learn from today's article.
How to store dried mushrooms at home
Dried mushrooms are a product that does not spoil for a long time, but this condition is only relevant if storage is carried out correctly.
To prevent the product from spoiling, it is advisable to protect it from moisture or any foreign odors that are easily absorbed into dry pulp. The best container is considered to be an ordinary glass jar with a nylon lid: in it all specimens remain dry, do not absorb unpleasant kitchen odors and do not grow moldy.
Regardless of which container you choose, you need to properly prepare the raw materials for drying and storing in jars.
The video shows how to quickly dry it at home.
Preparation
If you do the drying yourself, use an electric dryer, an oven, or simply hang them on strings in the attic (Figure 1).
A more important role is played by the preparation of ready-made raw materials.:
- Carefully inspect the thick parts of the legs and caps: they should be completely dry. Increased humidity in fabrics may cause rotting in the future, and the product will have to be thrown away;
- Severely overdried specimens are also not suitable: they crumble easily in a jar, so it is better to immediately grind them into powder;
- Mushroom powder can be mixed with dill, bay leaf and any other seasonings, and then added to prepared dishes.
Figure 1. Methods for drying crops.
Fleshy varieties are best suited for drying: white, boletus and boletus, while lamellar varieties have a pronounced bitter taste after drying.
Rules
To ensure a long shelf life, certain rules must be followed.
So, the following conditions must be provided for the product (Figure 2):
- The place should be dry and with good ventilation: pantry, top shelf of a kitchen cabinet, attic;
- The neck of the jar is covered with a cloth so that enough air gets inside and the raw materials are protected from insects;
- You can store them directly on different strings on which they were dried;
- To keep in the refrigerator, the product is placed in an airtight container or vacuum bag.
Figure 2. Correct placement of dried products
By following these rules, you can protect products from high humidity and foreign odors, and the finished raw materials will retain their taste and aroma for a long time.
Adviсe
There is one practical tip that will tell you how to save at home. It is especially relevant for harvest years, when there is so much product that you want to stock it for future use.
Note: Dried harvest can be stored in rolled up jars, strictly following the technology that will be described below.
To seal into jars, the crop must first be dried. While the pulp is still warm, they are laid out in sterilized liter jars. For sealing, a regular tin lid is used. A little alcohol is dripped onto its inside, set on fire and immediately rolled up. In this case, the savings period at home can reach three years.
Methods
Saving methods are very diverse, so every housewife can easily choose the right one for herself. Not only glass jars are suitable for this purpose, but also any ceramic containers, containers with a vacuum lid, paper bags, cardboard boxes and fabric bags.
How long can dried mushrooms be stored?
Shelf life depends on the quality of the raw materials and correct preparation. The most common question is how long can dried mushrooms be stored at home? Ideally 3 years. Only often the product becomes moldy faster, dries out and crumbles, and the aroma changes. Even prolonged soaking does not return the desired taste. The reason is non-compliance with the conditions, incorrect packaging.
The gifts of the forest, dried independently, are stored for no more than one and a half years. Chanterelles, boletus, boletus, and porcini mushrooms are used. It is allowed to harvest champignons and oyster mushrooms. It's just impractical. They are available fresh all year round.
Collection, preparation and drying of mushrooms
Freezer
If there is no suitable dry place in the apartment, we recommend using a freezer. The main point is that the dried semi-finished product should only be stored there from start to finish. You can no longer take it out into a warm room. When thawing, condensation will appear; dried mushrooms should be soaked and used immediately. Otherwise they will immediately become moldy. It cannot be put back into the freezer. For this reason, we recommend proper cleaning.
Freezing instructions:
- Divide into serving portions.
- Place in tight bags, squeeze out excess air, tie.
- Place in the freezer. Shelf life at a stable temperature is 15 degrees for up to two years.
Freezing is the only way to preserve poorly dried mushrooms that accidentally get wet.
In the attic
Mushrooms are often dried in the attic. Dried fruits, churchkhela, and dried viburnum are also left there. The location is not the best - the temperature and humidity fluctuate. This promotes mold growth. Food moths often appear.
But the attic is ideal for storing dried apples and mushrooms in the fall, when it often rains outside and there is no suitable place at home. An alternative is a refrigerator.
In bundles
The old way. Bunches of dried mushrooms look impressive. But this is not the most practical option. Such content is possible immediately after harvesting. Next, we recommend using closed containers. Otherwise, over time, the aroma is lost, foreign odors and tastes appear.
Pros of storing in bundles:
- easy to hang in the right place;
- spectacular look;
- can be dried and stored on one line;
- no additional container required.
Minuses:
- mushrooms become damp;
- lose aroma;
- dry out.
In glass jars
Dried mushrooms are stored in ordinary glass jars for a maximum period. The advantage is that water, excessive dryness, and food moths are not a problem. The contents do not absorb foreign odors and are stored for 1.5 years, sometimes more. It is advisable to use dark glass containers. Or wrap it with adhesive tape, black film, and put it in a case. The container is first sterilized.
Storing dried mushrooms in a jar
The disadvantage is that it needs to be checked and opened periodically. We recommend choosing a container by size. It is important to apply dried mushrooms as tightly as possible and minimize the amount of air. Or specially pump out oxygen, use vacuum caps. Then ventilation is not required.
You can remove as much air as possible from the jar with alcohol. It is poured onto the lid, set on fire, and the container is immediately closed.
Storage in linen bags
Mushrooms can only be stored in linen bags for up to a year. The advantage of such packaging is ventilation. No ventilation required. But there are other nuances. You need to find a dry place. Often the kitchen is too damp.
What will suit:
- cupboard with cereals;
- mezzanine;
- pantry.
The product is stored exclusively in bags made of thick cotton fabric. Synthetic, fleecy, elastic fabrics are not suitable.
Shelf life
Many housewives are interested in how long dried products can be stored. Opinions differ on this issue. The minimum period is 12 months, but if the raw materials were prepared and stored correctly, they will remain edible for several years.
Note: From a technological point of view, the product retains its original taste, aroma and appearance for no more than 18 months, so if you prepare this product annually, be sure to put the date on the container.
It also happens that a jar of dried products suddenly appears at home. Before consuming their food, be sure to check whether the product has spoiled. It should have a characteristic odor without foreign impurities, and there should be no moth larvae, beetles or worms in the jar.
Preparation for storage
In order for wild mushrooms to retain their quality and be suitable all winter, attention is paid to the correctness of their preparation first of all. When they are not completely dried inside, such a workpiece can rot or be damaged by mold. You also need to choose the right raw materials for the preparation. Not every species is good when dried. The best mushrooms to dry for the winter are:
- boletus;
- White mushroom;
- boletus;
- Champignon;
- boletus;
- chanterelles;
- honey mushrooms
Attention! After drying, the product loses a lot of weight and size, so choosing a place for storage is not difficult. But, it does not affect the substances contained, so their concentration remains the same, this is also true for harmful compounds. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat dishes with dried mushrooms more than 2 times a week and include such food in the diet of children under 7 years of age.
Storage in glass jars
Most often, dried pulp is stored in glass jars (Figure 4). To do this, it is better to use matte or shaded containers rather than transparent ones. You also need to provide a tight lid for the jar, especially if the product will be stored in the refrigerator, where there is a consistently high level of humidity. But it is worth considering that an airtight lid is only suitable for well-dried specimens. If they are slightly damp, mold may appear in a jar with a tight lid.
Figure 4. Saving products in a bank
Before adding mushrooms, you need to thoroughly rinse and dry the jars. Dryness is a must, as even a small amount of liquid can spoil the product.
Preparatory stages
Before storing dried mushrooms, they should be carefully prepared. To do this, you need to check them for drying quality. Specimens that are not completely dry, slightly damp and those with soft fibers are not suitable for long-term storage. Over time, a putrefactive process may begin in them, mold may appear, or midges may appear.
Excessively overdried mushrooms, which crumble easily, are also not an ideal option for storage. It is better to grind them, adding salt and seasonings. Pour the resulting mixture into glass or ceramic containers. The result is a flavorful additive for soups and main courses.
IMPORTANT. There is no need to wash, peel, or ventilate dried mushrooms. It is enough to sort them.
The next stage is preparing the container. The following can be used as a container for storing forest gifts for the winter:
- Paper bags, cardboard boxes. This is a budget, compact and convenient option that provides access to oxygen. However, it has a significant drawback - over time, small insects can appear there.
- Cotton bags with drawstrings. With this storage method, the mushrooms will be able to “breathe,” but there is also a high probability of pests appearing. To avoid this, the bags can be soaked in a salty solution and dried. The resulting salt crystals will prevent insects from getting inside and protect the workpiece from damage.
- Glass jars with lids protect against moths, but at the same time block the flow of oxygen. It is better to choose a container made of dark glass to reduce exposure to sunlight. Screw-on or nylon lids are suitable. With this method, it is necessary to open the containers at least 2 times a month and leave them for some time to ventilate.
- Ceramic containers with clips, designed for bulk products. Ideally protects against foreign odors and small bugs, but only if the mushrooms in it are really dry.
- Vacuum containers are the best option, despite their high cost.
Next, you need to decide on the storage location for the workpiece. Mushrooms are very susceptible to foreign odors and moisture, so the next stage should be approached with special responsibility. The place should be dry, providing good air circulation, with a temperature of no more than +15 degrees. This could be the top shelf of a closet, closet or attic. It is also important to avoid sudden changes in temperature and proximity to aromatic components.
ADVICE. Store mushrooms away from onions, garlic, spices, and dried herbs.
Freezer storage
To place it in the freezer or refrigerator, you need to choose the right container. Any sealed containers are suitable for this purpose: containers or vacuum bags (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Preparation in the freezer
Products can only be stored on shelves with a stable temperature. In addition, it is better to immediately package the product into portions, since when opening a container or bag, moisture may get inside, which will spoil the remaining raw materials.
It is important that the shelf life in the freezer is no more than a year, unlike glass jars, in which the product can remain edible for up to three years.
Attic storage
If you are thread drying, you can store the finished product in the same way, especially since a dry attic with good ventilation is excellent for this purpose.
To prevent the product from drying out, after drying, roll the thread and wrap it in a cloth. After this, you can safely hang them in the attic or closet. The shelf life in this form is quite long, and depends on the level of humidity and the presence of pests. If the harvest is still damp, dry it again in the oven.
Features and rules for storing dried mushrooms are shown in the video.
What mushrooms are best dried?
Not all varieties are suitable for drying. The best option is considered to be tubular mushrooms - such as boletus, boletus, boletus, boletus, and moss mushrooms. They have a long shelf life and excellent taste.
Plate varieties are also suitable for drying, but may be slightly bitter. Preliminary soaking for a long time will help to avoid this. This category includes honey mushrooms, chanterelles, champignons, and oyster mushrooms. But still, to fully reveal the taste, it is better to pickle or preserve these varieties.
IMPORTANT. Mushrooms that produce bitter milky juice, for example, milk mushrooms, trumpet mushrooms, and russula, are absolutely unsuitable for drying.
