The growth of many fungi is linked to environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. If there is a sudden flood of mushrooms in the woods and fields, found edible mushrooms cannot be stored for long due to their short shelf life.

Recognize the freshness of mushrooms

Once you have positively identified a mushroom species as edible, you should also determine whether the specimen you have found is still fresh enough to eat. The following indicators show you that you might be better off leaving a mushroom in the forest:

  • the fungus gives off an unpleasant smell
  • the lamellae on the underside of the cap show visual signs of decomposition
  • the inside of the stem is already rotten

Depending on the type of mushroom, fresh mushrooms can be stored for one to several days after harvesting before they are no longer readily edible. Visual signs of decomposition and a penetrating odor in the refrigerator are also indications that edible mushrooms are better disposed of than eaten.

Preserve porcini and other mushrooms by drying

Drying porcini and other types of mushrooms is a good way of preserving their delicate taste and can also be used for tasty mushroom dishes in the winter months. For drying, the mushrooms are cut into slices and pieces no more than one to two centimeters thick. Then they can be gently dried in a warm and dry place with low humidity. To do this, you can thread the mushrooms, but you can also put them on a baking sheet in the sun.

Dry larger quantities of mushrooms with oven heat

Mushrooms can also be dried in the oven if the temperature does not exceed around 50 degrees Celsius. A wooden cooking spoon handle between the oven interior and the oven door allows the escaping moisture to escape. Mushrooms can also be gently dried in a special dehydrator for fruit. However, as in the oven, the mushroom pieces should be arranged in a single layer and not on top of each other.

Preparation for drying

An important point when drying edible mushrooms is proper preparation. As with fresh use, mushrooms should never be washed off with water, otherwise their typical taste is often lost. Instead, use a sharp knife for cleaning, with which any dirt and unsightly areas can be scraped off or cut out.

Storage and use after drying

Once dry, the mushrooms can be stored in airtight storage jars with screw or snap tops. They can be kept for up to two or three years, depending on how they are processed and stored in the dark at best. Some types of mushrooms can be soaked in water as dried mushrooms and then taste almost the same as their fresh counterpart. Others add the final touch to delicious mushroom season dishes as a seasoning in sauces.

tips and tricks

After drying, porcini mushrooms are often ground into a fine flour, which is ideal for refining soups and sauces.

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:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden