All year round in the supermarket and between June and October in meadows, fields, in parks and on the edges of forests: mushrooms are actually always freshly available. But especially those who collect or breed themselves want to preserve their mushrooms accordingly. Freezing is a good way to do this.

Mushrooms are frozen raw

Frozen mushrooms develop a more intense aroma

What is particularly positive about freezing is that mushrooms develop a particularly intense aroma. However, you should only use young, healthy mushrooms for this - leave the older or already nibbled specimens or process them immediately. Drying also improves the aroma of many types of mushrooms - this also applies to mushrooms. However, if you want to be quick, freezing is preferable to drying.

Can you freeze mushrooms in the freezer?

A household freezer in which you can store the mushrooms at at least minus 18 °C is suitable for freezing mushrooms. Devices that enable shock freezing are also very suitable. Flash freezing keeps the mushrooms fresh longer. The freezer compartment of the refrigerator, on the other hand, is not suitable, as the temperatures required for a longer shelf life cannot be achieved here. However, it is possible to store fresh raw or prepared mushrooms there for a few days.

Prepare mushrooms properly

However, before freezing, you should first prepare the mushrooms. This includes thorough cleaning and cutting of the mushrooms. Since button mushrooms (like all mushrooms) absorb water like a sponge, you should not wash them, do not soak them or blanch them. The latter saves a lot of space, but results in a serious loss of quality.

Clean and cut the mushrooms

Instead, clean and cut the mushrooms in a way that preserves the aroma:

  • Brush off the coarse dirt with a clean round brush or vegetable brush.
  • The paintbrush and brush should be dry and not damp.
  • Now take a dry paper kitchen towel and rub the mushrooms thoroughly.
  • Clean each mushroom individually.
  • Gently hold the mushrooms between your thumb and forefinger.
  • Do not press too hard to avoid pressure points.
  • Cut out pressure and other damaged areas.
  • Cut off the dried stem end.

Now the mushrooms can be sliced or cut into large pieces.

Freeze prepared mushrooms

If possible, freeze raw, fresh and young mushrooms. Fill the prepared mushrooms in small quantities into freezer bags or well-sealed freezer cans and squeeze out the air. Since the freezing should take place as quickly as possible, it is best to set the freezer to the highest level some time beforehand. Ready-made mushroom dishes can also be frozen, but you should chill and shock-freeze them as quickly as possible immediately after preparation. Since the mushroom protein decomposes very quickly, a mushroom dish should not be left outside for a long time before freezing. So do not freeze the leftovers of mushroom dishes that have been on the table in the warm dining room for some time - this is a quick way of getting food poisoning.

How long do frozen mushrooms keep?

Fresh raw frozen mushrooms can be stored at minus 18 °C for between six and ten months. Mushroom dishes that have already been prepared should be taken out and eaten after three months at the latest.

How to properly prepare frozen mushrooms

Frozen mushrooms must not be thawed, but should be used immediately while frozen. It is important that the outer pores close quickly as a result of the heat, otherwise the mushrooms will become limp and have a soft consistency. It is therefore best to put them in hot fat or hot broth right away. Mushrooms or mushroom dishes that have been thawed and heated must not be refrozen.

tips

Many dishes can be refined with a home-made, aromatic mushroom oil. You can make this from a single variety (e.g. from mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, etc.) or from mixed mushrooms. Do not use fresh mushrooms for this, only dried ones.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

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Vegetable garden