How to properly dry mushrooms at home - oven and other methods. Drying and storing dried mushrooms

Drying is a common and convenient way harvesting mushrooms for the winter. Unlike conservation, in which up to 70% is lost useful properties mushrooms, it retains most of the vitamins and minerals. Despite its apparent simplicity, drying mushrooms has its secrets. We will tell you about them.

What mushrooms can be dried?

During drying, mushrooms with lamellar caps (milk mushrooms, russula, chanterelles, etc.) acquire a bitter taste. Therefore, experienced mushroom pickers recommend drying only tubular mushrooms(boletus, boletus, aspen, etc.).

Preparation

Mushrooms intended for drying should not be washed. Their tubular structure easily absorbs moisture. As a result, the procedure will take much longer.

Carry out all work with mushrooms with a plastic or ceramic knife, since when they come into contact with metal, their surface instantly oxidizes.

Carefully clean off any remaining soil, needles and leaves from the surface of the mushroom. Be careful not to damage the skin of the cap.
Sort processed mushrooms by size. This will allow the whole batch to dry evenly.
Cut each mushroom in half. In boletus, boletus, boletus and moss mushrooms, carefully separate the stem from the cap. Cut the boletus crosswise along with the stem. This is done in order to get rid of worms if there are any inside.

Air drying

The easiest and most convenient way.

Prepare a needle with a large eye and strong thread or fishing line.
String the mushrooms so that they do not touch each other.
Hang the collected garlands in a sunny place.
Cover them with gauze or mesh nylon to protect the workpieces from insects.
Dry the mushrooms for 7–10 days. Then remove them from the bottom, place them in glass jars and close tightly.

Drying over the stove

Suitable for those who do not have the opportunity to hang garlands outside.

Try to hang supplies as high as possible. With the stove on 24 hours a day, the mushrooms will dry out in 2–3 days. However, this method has one significant drawback: it is not recommended to cook anything during drying, otherwise the mushrooms will become saturated with the smell of food. If you remove and put away the garlands while you are cooking, the drying procedure may take about a week.

Oven drying

At home, it is most convenient to dry mushrooms on a wire rack in the oven. It is not recommended to use a baking sheet for these purposes.

Arrange the mushrooms in one layer and place in an oven preheated to +45 °C. Leave the door slightly open to allow excess moisture to evaporate freely.
After 1–1.5 hours, turn over the dried mushrooms and increase the temperature to +70 ... +80 °C.
Dry the workpieces for another 4–5 hours. Don't forget to turn them over periodically. Remember that the caps dry out much earlier than the stems. Therefore, you need to remove them from the oven 1–1.5 hours earlier.

Microwave drying

If necessary, the procedure for drying mushrooms can be speeded up using a microwave oven.

Place the prepared mushrooms in a single layer on the bottom of the plate.
Set the temperature to +100 °C.
Dry for 20 minutes.
Open the oven door for 7-10 minutes to release any excess moisture.
Repeat the drying procedure again.

Thanks to this method, one batch of mushrooms can be dried in one hour.

Remember: properly dried mushrooms do not crumble or break; they are elastic and bend easily. In a dry, cool, dark place, the products can be stored for several years without loss of taste and quality.

One of the best ways porcini mushroom preparations - drying. No other mushroom can compare in its dried qualities to boletus mushrooms. But in order to get a truly excellent product, you need to know how to properly dry porcini mushrooms.

Preparing mushrooms

For drying, you can only use mushrooms that are strong, not loose, and without serious damage. The material must be thoroughly cleaned of leaves, pine needles, and soil. Mushrooms intended for drying should not be washed; they absorb moisture, take longer to cook and lose their quality. You can wipe with a cloth or a soft-bristled brush.

Cleaned mushrooms are sorted and sorted by quality and size. In white mushrooms, before drying, only the lower part of the legs is cut off, unlike other mushrooms. Then each mushroom is cut along its entire length, along with its cap and stem. The pieces should be 10-15 mm thick. The cut slices are laid out in one row on a sieve, tray or other drying device.

The stems of porcini mushrooms can be dried separately from the caps. In this case, they are cut into plates 4-6 mm lengthwise. During large harvests, the legs can be passed through a mushroom cutter. For taste, you can add a tenth of porcini mushroom caps cut into thin slices to the dried stems.

Drying methods

There are many of them: in Russian ovens, dryers, in the sun, in ovens, etc. However, not all of them can be called acceptable. In villages, porcini mushrooms are often dried on a bare floor in Russian ovens. As a result, the excellent material deteriorates: the mushrooms become covered with ash, become dirty, dry out unevenly, and become tasteless and low in flavor. Another method, in which mushrooms are strung on a rod and placed edge-on in the oven, is also not suitable. The lower edges that touch the hearth become dry, burnt and dirty. It is clear that such methods should not be used.

How to properly dry porcini mushrooms in a Russian oven

To prevent the mushrooms from burning and becoming dirty, the oven must be heated and cleaned. After a while, rye straw is laid on the floor, on which mushrooms are placed with their caps down. You can use iron baking sheets covered with straw.

On the first day of such drying, the mushrooms are dried, and on the second (while maintaining the temperature) they are dried.
You should monitor the drying and periodically remove small specimens, which dry faster.

Oven drying

The baking sheet is covered with thick paper, on top of which clean twigs are laid loosely. On top of the rods - mushrooms, caps down, in one layer. The temperature should be such that the mushrooms do not burn, and the door should be ajar.

Over a hot stove

You can dry mushrooms at home either against a hot wall, over a stove, or in a Dutch oven. Mushrooms are strung on twine or thread and hung next to a heat source.

In carousel fruit dryers

The material to be dried is poured onto galvanized meshes placed in the drying chamber. First, drying occurs at a temperature of 37-50°C, then the temperature rises to 60-80°C for final drying. The duration of the process is 4-6 hours.

You can dry porcini mushrooms in the sun, but in most regions of the country you can only dry them in this way, and final drying is done using one of the above methods.

During drying, regardless of which method is used, it is necessary to ensure a constant flow of air and that there is an opportunity to remove the released moisture.

If mushrooms crumble during drying or storage, the crumbs can be used to make mushroom powder, which makes excellent broths and soups.

A foray into the forest for “forest meat” evokes in us a storm of the most vivid emotions, especially when we find mushroom meadow! Having brought home a rich loot, it’s not even possible to cook and eat everything at once big family, so today we’ll give you information on how to properly dry mushrooms at home! This knowledge is also important because they, unlike canned or pickled ones, retain all their medicinal and nutritional properties in this form.

The advantages of dry mushrooms over canned ones are simplicity and unpretentiousness in storage, high stability and preservation of nutritional properties with long-term conservation of reserves. Important advantages of dried forest products are also:

Excellent digestibility and high nutritional value, in comparison with salted or pickled mushrooms;
Higher protein content compared to their canned forest relatives.
Brighter aroma and taste.

Which mushrooms are best dried?

The main ones: boletus, boletus, oak boletus, boletus, boletus, mossy mushroom, honey mushroom, goat mushroom, chanterelle.

Methods for drying mushrooms at home

Outdoors on sunny, hot and dry days;
In a low oven heated to 60-70 degrees. With this method, it is necessary to open the door slightly for additional air circulation.
On a gas, electric or Russian oven;
In special electric dryers.

Proper preparation of mushrooms for drying

For further drying, we use only fresh and healthy specimens without wormholes. Do not wash them before drying, as they will darken and take longer to dry. Before putting them into drying, the caps and legs are cleaned of pine needles, leaves, moss, sand and soil using a slightly damp cloth.

Cut large caps into slices (for better and faster moisture loss). We cut the stems of porcini mushrooms, boletus and aspen mushrooms into circles 2-3 centimeters long or more. We do not dry the stems of species such as boletus, moss mushrooms, honey mushrooms and chanterelles, but use only the caps. But we dry the morels and strings whole.

Rules and tricks for drying mushrooms

Time

The product should lose moisture gradually. You cannot speed up this process, otherwise it will taste bitter in your dishes. You should maintain a fairly high temperature (up to 70 degrees) and do not overexpose them in the dryer. But too slow drying can affect the quality or even make the product unsuitable for further use.

How to dry mushrooms outdoors

If you decide to dry forest gifts outdoors, then with this method the process should last at least 7-8 days.

In this case, we string the caps and legs on strong threads, fishing line or thin twine, while the mushrooms should not touch each other. Having done this work, we fasten the fishing line and be sure to protect it with gauze from dust and insects.

Oven drying

Place the prepared parts of the mushrooms in one layer on a baking sheet, wire rack, frame, or cover part of the floor with straw (if you are using a dry room). Small caps dry out the fastest, so you should periodically check the mushroom layout and remove the mushroom caps that are ready for storage.

We try not to overdry the mushrooms, which can lead to loss of flavor and direct spoilage of the product. Also overdried product (too heat or too long time drying) does not boil or soften in dishes.

Mushrooms collected with such passion cannot be left dry, because then they quickly deteriorate during storage, becoming moldy.

Properly and efficiently dried forest beauties— light and dry to the touch, break quite easily, but do not crumble! In taste and aroma they resemble fresh, just picked mushrooms.

* Trick for gourmets
The most fragrant and delicious mushrooms obtained by two-stage drying. First they are dried in the sun, and only then they are moved to the oven, stove or Russian oven.

Important information!

Almost all types forest mushrooms contain vitamins C, B1, B2, D and PP. For example, the amount of vitamin B1 in a forest product is approximately the same as in beef liver or grain crops; vitamin B - like butter!

And how rich mushrooms are in minerals! Your body will be able to replenish iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, as well as such beneficial chemical elements, like zinc, manganese, iodine and copper, which normalize metabolism and digestion.

It was not in vain that you spent time reading an article about how to properly dry mushrooms, because the dried product contains all the useful and nutrients are saved.
Bon appetit and autumn mushroom memories in winter!

When there are sooooo many mushrooms, and you not only don’t want to eat them, but you can’t even eat them freshly prepared:), the freezer is full of frozen mushrooms, fresh and boiled, and in the refrigerator and underground there is no longer room for jars of pickled and salty, and then you remember that mushrooms can still be dried!
You can dry mushrooms at home in different ways, and the method depends on the weather and on the availability of certain gadgets, such as a vegetable dehydrator, microwave or oven :)
The most important thing is that the mushrooms should not be wormy. 1 voracious and prolific worm can ruin an entire tray of mushrooms!

What mushrooms can be dried?

As a rule, those mushrooms that are suitable dried for mushroom soup. These are, first of all, porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, and boletus mushrooms. The soup made from these dried mushrooms is the richest and most fragrant. Honey mushrooms, champignons, fly mushrooms, and many other fungi are dried. The main thing is to make sure that all of them are edible.

How to air dry mushrooms at home

If the weather outside is dry, even if it’s not hot, even if it’s not very sunny and even a little windy (the wind will also help us dry the mushrooms) - the choice is clear, we’ll dry the mushrooms in the most in a simple way: on air. We clean mushrooms without water, noble mushrooms are usually almost clean, except that you need to scrape off the soil with a knife at the stem, and remove the snotty skin from the butter. Cut the mushrooms into 2 mm thick slices. Place on a clean baking sheet in one layer. Place the tray in the shade in a ventilated room, on the balcony or outside. You can cover it with gauze to prevent dust from settling. After a day or two, the dried mushrooms are ready and can be poured into a storage bag.
Or we put the mushrooms on a strong thread, alternately stem and cap, and hang them in the shade. They will dry within a day or two. There is more work, but mushrooms dressed on a string dry much more evenly and quickly, not only in the air, but also in the oven.
We definitely dry honey mushrooms this way, they have very little water, they will dry out anyway, there is no point in transferring electricity to them.

Drying mushrooms in the oven

Again, we clean without water, because later it will be very difficult to get rid of it. We cut depending on the moisture content of the mushroom - the drier it is initially, the larger the pieces can be. The thinner you cut it, the faster the drying will take place. Honey mushrooms can generally be dried entirely in the oven. Most quick way drying - put it on threads and hang it at the oven exit in several rows (tie the edges of the thread to the handles of drawers, for example). We open the door slightly (we should have mushrooms hanging between the door and the oven). Turn on the lowest oven heat. Within an hour, the dried mushrooms are ready.

If you are too lazy to put it on a thread and decide to dry it on a baking sheet, cover the baking sheet with two sheets parchment paper. Place the mushrooms in one layer so that they do not touch each other. You should not place mushrooms directly on the tray; the metal tray will get very hot and the mushrooms will fry and turn black. Preheat the oven to 50 degrees C. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Leave the door well ajar to allow moist air to escape. In this mode, we dry the mushrooms until a dry film forms, then the temperature can be raised to 60-70 degrees. In this mode, the mushrooms will dry for 6-12 hours, depending on their initial moisture content and the thickness of the slices.
If the oven has a mode with air circulation (convection), be sure to turn it on. At a temperature of about 60 degrees with convection, drying of mushrooms ends after 30 minutes to an hour.

How to dry mushrooms in the microwave

Drying mushrooms in the microwave is quite a hassle, so be patient right away. Clean the mushrooms without water, blot off excess moisture paper napkin. If the mushrooms are too wet, they will cook in the microwave instead of drying out. Finely chop. Place on a wire rack or plate lined with paper. We put it in the microwave, turn on the minimum mode (100-150 W) and set it for 15 minutes. At the end of the time, open and ventilate the oven from the moisture released from the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes. Repeat heating and opening 3-4 more times.

Drying mushrooms in an electric dryer

This device is designed specifically for drying both vegetables, fruits and mushrooms. Clean without water, cut into thin slices, and place on removable trays. We dry the mushrooms at a temperature of 30 to 70 degrees with a light breeze. Therefore, it is better to choose an electric dryer with a fan and a thermostat that allows you to regulate the temperature.

How to dry mushrooms in an air fryer

Clean and cut similarly to the methods above. We insert a skewer between the body and the lid of the device for unhindered exit. humid air, select high speed on the device. The procedure temperature is 60-70 ºC. The total drying time is one and a half hours.

How to dry wormy mushrooms

Let's start with the fact that it is better not to dry wormy mushrooms. You can't eat them. Worms and larvae of other insects secrete toxic metabolic products into the fruit pulp, so consumption wormy mushrooms can lead to food poisoning in the same way as eating old or poisonous mushrooms. Many housewives put such mushrooms in salt water to expel the worms. However, the decay products remain in the fruiting bodies of the fungus, causing various intestinal diseases. If you dry mushrooms in the air on a string, as some suggest, all the worms will not immediately “fall out” either, but will first multiply, and you will dry exactly those products of their vital activity that were mentioned above.
But in case of famine, it is, of course, also possible to dry such mushrooms. First, cut them into thin slices and fill them with strong brine - a heaped tablespoon of salt per mug of water. We stand for 30 minutes, no longer is necessary. We rinse thoroughly under running water to rinse off all dead animals and their excretions. Place on a thick paper or woven napkin and blot it dry from water. Dry using any of the above methods using heat.

How to store dried mushrooms

High-quality dried mushrooms are light gray or brown, with a characteristic aroma, not brittle, but not wet either. If they turn black, you either overcooked them or they were too wet. It is better to store dried mushrooms in closed paper bags or tied cotton or linen bags, always in a dry place. Often there is a need to store dried mushrooms in the kitchen, then you can use glass packaging with a fairly tight-fitting lid to prevent moisture from entering. But in this case, periodically check the condition of the mushrooms and, if necessary, dry them again.

And a few words about dried mushrooms

Yes, you can also wilt mushrooms. I’m not sure about its usefulness, but it will add great flavor to the soup. Do not wash the mushrooms, cut them 2 times thicker than for drying, hang them on a thread and leave them out of a draft. On the second or third day they will dry out a little, then they will seem to get slightly wet, and on the fourth, if they are not dry, we dry them in any convenient way.

Step 1: Prepare the mushrooms for drying.

So, we need to carefully evaluate what we have as a result of a trip to the forest. For drying, we need only strong and young mushrooms with a light colored cap, without signs of wormholes. To clean mushrooms before drying, you need to scrape off any adhering moss, pine needles and other debris from them using sharp knife. Wash mushrooms Not should! Otherwise, the mushrooms will darken when dried and will dry much more slowly.

Step 2: Cut and select the mushrooms.

Place the prepared boletus mushrooms on a cutting board and cut off the very bottom part of the stem of each mushroom. If the mushrooms are not large (up to 4-5 centimeters height), you can dry them whole, but if the boletus mushrooms are very strong and large, then cut them into plates the thickness of 1-1.5 centimeters, along with the leg. At this stage, you need to select the mushrooms again, because it often happens that the mushroom looks strong and clean, but the cap inside is all eaten away. In this case, if the leg is clean, dry only it.

Step 3: Dry the mushrooms in different ways.

Method 1: Outdoors. If there are sunny and warm summer days outside, then it would be a sin not to take advantage of it. In this case, we string the prepared mushrooms onto a thick thick thread or fishing line and hang them in a well-lit room. warm place. To prevent the mushrooms from being spoiled by insects, of which there are a lot in the summer, we cover the mushrooms with gauze. Mushrooms are dried in this way only during the day, but at night they are put away in the house. Drying mushrooms this way will take about 2 weeks. Method 2: In the oven.

If fruits and vegetables are dried in the oven, then why not do the same with mushrooms? Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, and place the prepared boletus mushrooms on top of it in one layer. We will dry the mushrooms in 2 steps. First, heat the oven to 50 degrees, remove the baking sheet with mushrooms inside, open the oven door slightly, and dry the mushrooms in this way 3 hours. Then let them cool, and put them back in the oven, heated to 65-70 degrees. The oven door must also be open. Drying mushrooms 2 hours, then lower the temperature to 50 degrees, and keep some more mushrooms 2 hours. Give the mushrooms time to cool. Step 4: Remove the finished ones dried mushrooms for storage.

The finished dried mushroom can be easily broken - it should Not crumble, but be light and bend a little. Check the results of your work in this way. To preserve mushrooms until winter, put them in thick linen bags or in sterilized glass jars, and then cover them with lids. Place the container with dried mushrooms in

dry

, dark and cool place.

Step 5: Use dried mushrooms for further cooking.

Ready-made dried porcini mushrooms will become your assistant in preparing soups, main courses, sauces and more! The most important thing is that during the drying process they do not lose their beneficial and nutritional properties, as well as taste.

You can dry mushrooms over the stove, in a Russian oven, or in a compact electric dryer. I have given the two methods that are most accessible to everyone.

Dried porcini mushrooms can be stored for years. However, periodically check their condition; if the mushrooms are damp and moldy, sort them out and dry the selected ones.