Forest mushrooms are delicious and useful product, which, unfortunately, can only be consumed in autumn, when these gifts of nature are ripe. It's not a secret for anyone that it is impossible for a long time. But in order to preserve the aroma and taste of the mushroom for many months, there are ways to prepare them. One of these methods of harvesting mushrooms for the winter is drying them. With this storage method, the mushroom retains a maximum nutrients and squirrel. Mushroom experts say that the taste and quality of dried mushrooms is no worse than that of fresh ones.

How to properly store dried mushrooms

But before you start storing dried mushrooms at home, they need to be properly dried and properly placed in storage. First of all, you need to understand whether the mushrooms are well dried, since an unfinished mushroom is subject to mold and is no longer suitable for food. But if the mushroom is too dry, has a hard crust, then it is also not suitable for storage. In order to determine the degree of drying, you need to try to break the mushroom. At the same time, the overdried mushroom crumbles.

A dry mushroom has at least two vulnerabilities - it is high hygroscopicity and the ability to absorb foreign odors.

It is best to store dried mushrooms in linen bags that can be tied tightly. The second storage method dried mushrooms is their stringing on ropes. In both cases, in order to properly store dried mushrooms, they need to be hung in a dry, well-ventilated place, away from strong odors and flavors.

In order to store dried mushrooms, you can use dark glass jars. Before laying the mushrooms, the jars must be well washed and sterilized, and then dried well in the oven. When the mushrooms are in the jar, pour a few drops of alcohol on the lid and close the jar. Thus, there will be no oxygen left in the jar and the mushrooms will be preserved for a long time, even if their moisture content is slightly higher than usual, since mold growth with this option is practically excluded.

A good way to properly store dried mushrooms is to process them into a powder. To do this, dry mushrooms are ground in a blender or coffee grinder. You can also grind spices at the same time - pepper, cumin, dry herbs, bay leaf, cloves and other spices, if desired. This mixture is best stored in glass containers with a sealed lid, as the mushroom powder instantly absorbs moisture. Convenience this method storage of dried mushroom is that soaking is not required during cooking. Just in almost ready meal mushroom powder is added and the dish gets unrepeatable aroma fresh mushroom.

Where to store dried mushrooms in the apartment

In order to store dried mushrooms at home, you need to choose a dry, well-ventilated place. This can be an attic, top shelf in a pantry, or a kitchen cabinet. For proper storage, it is imperative to cover dried mushrooms from flies, dust with a dense but breathable cloth. For normal storage, you can use a paper or linen bag. If there are a lot of dried mushrooms, then you can use wooden boxes, the bottom of which is lined with thick paper. Dried mushrooms are poured in several layers and covered with a thick cloth. You need to store boxes of dried mushrooms in a dry, well-ventilated warehouse, attic with low relative humidity.

How many years can dried mushrooms be stored

If the mushrooms are dried correctly, then under normal storage conditions in a dry, ventilated place, in the absence of pests, they can be stored for at least three years.

Drying mushrooms is the oldest method of processing and storage forest gifts... Its plus is that mushrooms retain their unique taste, aroma and useful material... This is better than canning or pickling the product. No preservatives are used for drying. But in order to for a long time enjoy unique taste gifts of nature, it is important to carefully prepare the product and know how to store dry mushrooms at home.

After harvesting, the mushrooms need to be sorted out. Old and spoiled ones are not suitable for this storage method. They are sorted by size to dry evenly.

Not all types of mushrooms can be dried. More suitable for this type of processing tubular mushroomsthan lamellar. The latter, with active loss of water, become bitter. For drying, it is better to choose the following mushrooms:

• White.
• Butterlets.
• Duboviks.
• Aspen mushrooms.
• Brown birch trees.

Among the lamellar species, there are still species suitable for drying. The bitterness acquired during dehydration gives them a piquancy:

• Chanterelles.
• Oyster mushrooms.
• Champignon.
• Honey mushrooms.

You can dry forest mushrooms in the oven, electric dryer or in the attic, strung on a string.

An important role is given to the preparation for storage of already finished product... It depends on how much dried mushrooms can be stored. If moisture remains in the dried gifts of the forest, most likely, such mushrooms will become moldy. Overdried ones will crumble into dust. But don't throw them away. Such mushrooms will make excellent seasoning for making soups or fried potatoes... To do this, grind the mushrooms in a coffee grinder and add your favorite herbs and spices. Such a spice is stored in sealed jars.

Suitable storage spaces

After painstaking selection and drying of useful forest gifts, you need to find right place for their storage. Usually such mushrooms are stored where it is cool and there is good ventilation.

Vacation home

If the mushrooms were dried naturally, in the form of a "garland" on a string, they can be hung in the attic. This method is very convenient in terms of controlling the dryness of the product. If the mushrooms do not fall off the rope, it means that they retain their condition. Very large crops are stored in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. To do this, each drying layer is overlapped with paper and closed as tightly as possible.

In order not to lose the harvest during storage, drying should be sorted out every 2-3 weeks. Unsuitable copies are thrown away. And if the crop still absorbed excess moisture, it must be dried again in the oven.

Apartment

Ideal storage space in the apartment mushroom dryers - dark, well-ventilated pantry... They can also be hung on a rope or stored in a drawer like in the attic of a house. But it should be borne in mind that the microclimate in the apartment is somewhat different from the climate in the house. And there is still less space than in a country estate. Therefore, there is an acute issue of compact placement of workpieces.

The most convenient option for storing dried mushrooms in an apartment was and remains a storage method in glass jar ... Dryers, packed in containers (preferably made of dark glass), are stored in kitchen cabinets. Drying jars fit very well on the shelves in the pantry. With this method, mushrooms do not absorb extraneous odors and some pests and insects cannot reach them. In order for the crop not to start to deteriorate inside the container, it must be properly prepared:

• The containers are dried and sterilized in advance.
• Mushrooms are sorted out and unsuitable specimens are removed.
• For sealing it is best to use vacuum lids, since the product is stored several times longer. To get the effect of a vacuum, you need to apply alcohol on the lid, set it on fire and close the container with a lid.

Drying is also stored in canvas bags... This option is inferior to glass containers in terms of tightness, but wins in terms of compactness. The bags must first be boiled in a strong saline solution, dried and ironed. This is necessary so that pests do not make their way into them.

Not all types of mushrooms can be stored in tissue bags. This type of storage is suitable for whites and polish mushrooms, champignons and oyster mushrooms. In turn, chanterelles or aspen mushrooms in a bag quickly lose original taste and flavor.

Drying can also be stored in paper bags. They are not inferior to glass containers. And so that insects do not penetrate there, hot peppers are put in a bag.

Fridge

Mushrooms are allowed to be stored in the freezer. It is better to choose bags with zip fasteners or airtight containers as containers. It is impossible to re-freeze the product, therefore it is necessary to pack the product into containers in portions.

How long are dried mushrooms stored

The shelf life of dried mushrooms directly depends on how the mushrooms are stored. Factors contributing to successful storage:

• Mushroom variety.
• Drying quality.
• The choice of packaging.
• Temperature and humidity of the future storage location.

Porcini mushrooms are stored for the longest time. With good humidity and temperature values, they can be stored for 2-3 years and will not lose their taste.... Boletus, chanterelles and mushrooms have the same characteristics. Factory-made mushrooms have a shelf life of about one and a half years. After this time, the product should be reviewed for suitability. If the mushrooms are not covered with mold, do not smell of mold and diaper rash and do not crumble, you can continue to eat them.

The most perishable are boletus and boletus. One year after drying, they should not be eaten, as they lose their nutritional properties.

To cook perfect dish from dried mushrooms, you need to follow several rules:

1. Before cooking, the mushrooms are washed.
2. For several hours, or better overnight, they are soaked in water or milk. Mushroom water is perfect as a broth for vegetable soup... Water from under chanterelles or honey agaric is not suitable because of the bitterness of mushrooms.
3. It is recommended to boil the processed drying. The taste of the mushrooms will be more pronounced. Porcini mushrooms are boiled for 1.5-2 hours, 50 minutes is enough for other types.
4. Boletus and brown boletus are not intended for first courses.
5. Seasonings for mushroom dryers need a little so as not to interrupt their taste. For drying, bay leaves, garlic and different types pepper.

Any dish prepared with dried mushrooms will not be left without words of praise. And few will refuse the offer to drink tea with a pie of dried mushrooms.

Attention, only TODAY!

Vendanny - Nov 12th, 2015

Storing dried mushrooms is a very serious business. If you do not adhere to the basic rules, then the mushrooms harvested for the winter will become unusable and will have to be thrown away.

Mushrooms dried in any way, in the sun, in an oven or in electric dryer, store in paper flour bags or linen or linen bags.

Keep the mushrooms in a dry, but ventilated place - this way they will not damp.

Also, make sure that there are no products with strong odors near the dried mushrooms that the mushrooms can absorb. This is especially true for mushroom powder - store it in jars with ground-in lids.

Place both mushrooms and powder in a dark place - they can darken from light.

Often, when not proper storage mushrooms lose their fragility. If you notice that the workpiece has become a little wet, then do so. First of all, sort out the mushrooms and discard any spoiled ones. Others, place in a slightly heated oven and dry. Prepare dry sterile jars and, while the mushrooms are still fragile, fill the container with them. Lubricate the sealing caps on the inside with alcohol and set it on fire. While the alcohol is burning, cover the jars and seal them. Burning alcohol will allow all the oxygen in the jars to burn out and the mushrooms, even if they are not completely dried, will not grow moldy in the future.

Before using, be sure to scrub dried mushrooms with a small brush to remove sand particles. Then fill them with water or milk (you can also mix them) and soak until they swell completely. You can use the water in which the mushrooms were soaked for broths. You cannot use only the liquid from under the dried morels, as they are considered conditionally edible mushrooms.

Mushrooms are very valuable and tasty product from high calorie content... But the mushroom season is short and in order to feast on mushroom dishes all winter, you need to know the conditions and methods of storage. It is best to dry the mushrooms, in this form they retain useful substances and smell good.

For drying, tubular fleshy mushrooms are suitable - boletus, boletus, boletus, and, of course, porcini mushrooms. From lamellar chanterelles, mushrooms, honey agarics and hanging mushrooms can be dried. True, then they will have to be soaked to get rid of the bitterness. It is strictly forbidden to dry old mushrooms - they contain toxins that are dangerous to health.

Before drying, the mushrooms should be peeled, sorted and sorted. Hats and legs should dry well, otherwise excess moisture will provoke rotting. The spoiled copies should be thrown away. Mushrooms that are too dry are not suitable for storage - they will crumble. But in this case, you can cook mushroom seasoning - chop the fruits and add spices.

Mushrooms are dried on open air... They are strung on a fishing line or thread and covered with gauze so that flies and dust do not sit down. Can also be oven dried.

Store mushrooms in a dry place with good ventilation. They are placed in a paper bag or linen bag. If there are a lot of mushrooms, use wooden boxes, which are lined with paper. It will not be a mistake to put mushrooms in glass jars, tightly covered with lids. The room should not be too humid, otherwise the fruits will absorb moisture and deteriorate. The optimum storage temperature is 10-15 degrees.

Dried mushrooms can be stored from several months to 2-3 years. It is very important to periodically inspect stocks, to make sure that insects and mold do not start there. Spoiled mushrooms develop germs that can cause severe poisoning.

people are interested

There are several ways to harvest mushrooms for the winter, but the most optimal and very popular with many housewives is the drying method. When dried, mushrooms significantly lose in volume and do not take up much storage space, while maintaining everything beneficial features and flavor. How to store dried mushrooms at home to keep them safe long time?

Storage rules for dry mushrooms

• Before choosing a storage method for mushrooms dried for storage, it should be remembered that the mushroom has the property of easily absorbing moisture and extraneous pungent odors and aromas, so choose a dry, well-ventilated room for storing them. It is undesirable to find products with a strong aroma next to mushrooms. During storage, dry mushrooms will absorb it and may taste completely different.
• The storage time for dried mushrooms depends on the drying quality. Insufficiently dried mushrooms can become moldy, as excess moisture remains in their fibers, and overdried mushrooms become brittle. Therefore, before storing them for the winter, make sure they are sufficiently dry.

Storage of mushrooms in jars

• Glass jars are widely used for storing mushrooms; tinted glass containers are best suited.
• Banks must be dry, clean, and tightly closed so that moisture does not penetrate into them.
• Banks intended for storage must be well sterilized and dried so that condensation does not form during storage.
• An ideal and reliable storage option is the use of containers with vacuum lids... If you don't have vacuum jars, you can create a vacuum in a regular glass jar with a screw cap. Before closing it, pour a little alcohol into the container with the mushrooms and set it on fire, quickly close it while the burning process continues. In this way, oxygen residues are destroyed and a vacuum effect is created - no mold is terrible for your fungi.

Storage of dried mushrooms in bags

If you have a dry and ventilated room in your house, where there will be no sudden changes in temperature and third-party odors, such as a pantry or a loggia, you can use the storage method in fabric bags to store mushrooms. Natural fabric will allow the mushrooms to "breathe". You can sew the bags yourself from thick gauze and others natural materials... In addition to cloth bags, mushrooms can be stored in tight paper bags or cardboard boxes. The disadvantage of this storage method is the likelihood that moths or cereal bugs will start in the mushrooms, so it is recommended to look at the storage bags from time to time.

Storing dry mushrooms in the freezer

Storing mushrooms strung on a rope

To store dried mushrooms strung on a rope, you must choose a dry room where moisture and dampness are excluded. You should also be careful not to overdry the mushrooms, otherwise they will begin to crumble and fall off the rope. When using mushrooms for cooking, it is not necessary to untie the rope, you can simply break them off.

• For storage, use only well-dried, perfectly clean mushrooms.
• Inspect mushrooms often, especially those stored in cloth bags or jars. If you find moldy or fungi that have absorbed moisture, remove them from the container. Check the mushrooms for bugs and moths.
• Keep an eye on the optimum temperature of the room where the drying is stored. There should be no sudden temperature changes, and air access should be constant. If you notice that the mushrooms have become moist, it is better to dry them a little in the oven at a low temperature.
• Overdried mushrooms that break and crumble can be ground in a coffee grinder and stored as mushroom powder. Salt is added to the mushroom powder and stored in an airtight container.

With proper storage, creation optimal conditions for dried mushrooms, you can enjoy unique aromatic nutritious mushroom dishes all year round.