Can You Freeze Mushrooms? Yes, that’s possible!

Can you freeze mushrooms. Sustainability is high on the agenda and we are more and more trying to avoid food waste as much as possible. But sometimes you simply do not have time to eat all the food – then you can put it in the freezer and save for later! When we can easily throw berries and meat in the freezer, however, many people tend to be a little more thoughtful when it comes to other foods. Can you freeze mushrooms? How does it work. Join us when we arrange the freezing options for some common foods that are often questioned.

Can you freeze mushrooms? Well, it depends

One issue that engages many mushroom hunters is how best to take care of the forest’s treasures. Mushrooms are known to be a fresh product that quickly becomes slimy, sloppy and dull even during cold storage. If you are now lucky enough to find several kg of mushrooms – can you just throw it in the freezer?

The answer is that it depends on what fungus it is. Some fungi risk becoming bitter when thawed again. This includes different types of soups and funnel chanterelles. These are better to dry instead of freezing.

Other mushrooms are better frozen. It is possible to freeze e.g. chanterelles are raw, but it often takes up a lot of space in the freezer and there is a risk that they will become bitter. Therefore, it can be recommended to preheat the mushroom, ie. put in a saucepan and boil off some of the water in the mushroom. This keeps the taste better and also takes up less space in the freezer. When you then take out the mushroom, it is best to put it undigested directly in the frying pan for a better taste experience.

Can you freeze Mushrooms: Basic Methods

There are several popular methods of freezing.

• To prepare raw mushrooms, you need to place them on trays at a short distance from each other and send them to the freezer for 10-12 hours. You should then place them in a bag or container for easy storage.
• You can prepare boiled mushrooms. In this case, you do not need to spend a lot of time preparing after thawing. Boil the mushrooms for 30-40 minutes, then cool completely before packing the product in a bag.
• Apricots are recommended to be pre-soaked and fried. They must be soaked in salted water in the proportion of 1 liter of water – 1 tbsp. L. Salt. This will help get rid of bitter apricots. It is better to fry in vegetable oil without salt. All liquids must be brought to a boil. After that, the mushrooms must be well cooled and stored in the freezer.
• Freezing in broth is considered the original method. Mushrooms must first be boiled well and allowed to cool completely. Place a plastic bag in a small container and ensure that the edges cover the walls of the container. Pour the mushroom broth into a bag and put it in the freezer for 4 to 5 hours. When the liquid is completely frozen, carefully remove the bag from the container and send it to the freezer. This frozen option is perfect for making mushroom soup.

Such frosts should be stored for at least a year at a temperature not exceeding -18 ° C. After thawing, mushrooms must be cooked immediately and cannot be stored for a long time in the refrigerator.

Any mushrooms that you collect in summer and autumn are suitable for laying in winter. From chanterelles to white mushrooms, most importantly, they are edible.

fist! The best way to thaw raw mushrooms is to put them in the refrigerator. Then they will be as fresh as fresh from the forest.

Rule number 3: Frozen boiled or stewed mushrooms

If you are afraid of freezing fresh mushrooms and want to be on the safe side, boil them before freezing. Not long – up to 5 minutes. In most cases, mushrooms for frying are frozen in this way. This method is also suitable for mushrooms that look crumbly and lost, but fresh and tasty.

To prepare the mushrooms, throw them in boiling water for 5 minutes, peel and cut into pieces. Then let it cool, colander and place in a food bag or container.

Count the number of mushrooms in a bag so that you can cook one dish using one bag. Typically, half of a small package is obtained with a larger weight of 300g to 0.5kg and half from 500g to 1kg.

You can also freeze it. To do this, fry clean and prepared mushrooms in a small amount of vegetable oil for 20 minutes until all excess moisture has evaporated. Put the completely cooled mushrooms in a bag and freeze.

The ‘Silent Hunt’ season shouldn’t be passing our freezer. Because, sadly, you can hardly find fresh boletus, chanterelle and boletus in supermarkets in winter. We will buy factory-frozen or eternal mushrooms, such as Egyptian pyramids, champignons, and oyster mushrooms.

But! If we are in a pretty hurry and beat our own laziness for a while … We will put the mushroom reserves in the freezer and, according to the rules, freeze them for the winter.

RULE #1: CLEAN, FRESH, YOUNG

No matter how frozen our mushrooms are, they must be fresh, clean and, if possible, not crumbly. A lot depends on this – the appearance and quality of the product after thawing. So you have to collect, buy, barter, and beg mushrooms. Up – yesterday’s assembly.

fist! Do not get too wet when peeling the mushrooms. The mold easily absorbs water, turning it into ice in the freezer. Why do mushrooms need water?

RULE #2: FREEZE FRESH MUSHROOMS

The easiest way to freeze mushrooms is fresh whole. After cleaning, place them in the freezer on a flat surface and after a few hours they can be poured into prepared bags or containers. The ideal mushrooms for freezing in this way are boletus, honey agarics, forest mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, aspen mushrooms, apricots.

We need the mold to be strong, retain its shape after thawing and decorate any dish.

fist! The best way to thaw raw mushrooms is to put them in the refrigerator. Then they will be as fresh as fresh from the forest.

RULE NUMBER 3: FROZEN BOILED OR STEWED MUSHROOMS

RULE #4: MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE

Frozen mushrooms for the winter can be stored at -18 ° C for up to a year. After completely thawing the mushrooms, use them immediately and in no case do not put them in the refrigerator “for later”.