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Drying mushrooms is one of the ways to prepare them for future use. But unlike salting or pickling, it retains all the useful properties of the product, its deep aroma in dishes and promotes better absorption by the body. However, not all varieties are suitable for drying; some of them contain bitterness and therefore are prepared fresh or salted. Appropriate processing removes the unpleasant aftertaste from them. Those mushrooms that can be dried will be discussed today.

What mushrooms to take for drying

Mushrooms are lamellar, marsupial and tubular. In addition to them, there are two more species - tinder fungus and chanterelles. At home, you can dry:

• Tubular mushrooms... Boletus, goat, boletus of all kinds, boletus, oak, Polish mushroom, moss and porcini mushrooms. All of them have a spongy layer under the caps, consisting of the smallest tubes.
• Lamellar... Champignons, variegated umbrella mushroom, autumn, winter and summer honey agarics, deer mushrooms, fleecy scales and hangings. Thin plates are densely arranged in the radial direction under the cap of these mushrooms. It is not recommended to dry volnushki, milk mushrooms and russula, their milky juice contains a lot of bitterness.
• Marsupials... These are morels and white truffles. They have a shapeless wrinkled body and spores located in special bags. White truffle is an expensive delicacy and quite a rarity, so its preparation by an ordinary summer resident is hardly possible. Morels are conditionally edible mushrooms and require drying for outdoors at least two months. During this time, the toxins from the product disappear, and it becomes safe for consumption.
• Polypores... These are branched and variegated tinder fungi, as well as sheep mushrooms.
• Chanterelles... This mushroom belongs to a separate family. At first glance, chanterelles look like lamellar mushrooms, but instead of lamellas, they have folds of pulp. The dried product has a slight bitterness.

How to prepare mushrooms for drying

There are different opinions on whether to wash them before drying. But mushroom pickers with solid experience wash only those mushrooms that are used for cooking, pickling or pickling. It is enough to clean them of sand, earth, moss, leaves, needles and wipe them with a slightly damp nylon cloth.

For drying, you need to select resilient, healthy and strong mushrooms that are not damaged. In boletus, chanterelles and honey agarics, the legs are usually cut off.

Mushrooms can be dried whole and sliced. In the first case, they should be sorted by size, then they will dry evenly. In the second, the mushrooms are cut into thick slices or quarters as desired. Legs of boletus, boletus and porcini mushrooms can be cut into 3-4 cm long columns or 2 cm thick cylinders.

For chanterelles, boletus, honey agarics and flyworms, only caps are usually used for drying. Morels are dried whole.

Advice! Drying the sliced ​​mushrooms should be started immediately, in this case the product will retain its quality and color.

How to dry mushrooms at home

Mushrooms can be considered dry if they appear light in weight, bend slightly, and break with little effort. Dry mushrooms should resemble fresh ones in taste and aroma. From 10 kg fresh mushrooms usually 1-1.5 kg of dried product comes out. You can dry mushrooms different ways, the main of which are described below.

How to properly dry mushrooms in the sun

Such drying is possible on sunny, clear days in an open, wind-blown place, protected from dust and rain. In the air, mushrooms can be completely dried or just dried, then brought to a dry state in the oven or stove.

If the weather deteriorates and becomes cloudy, the process should be temporarily suspended, as the product can pick up moisture, which it does not need. To dry in the sun, the mushrooms need to be strung on a fishing line, twine or a strong strong thread so that they do not touch each other, and then hang them, covering them with gauze from flies and dust.

For such "beads", you can make special comfortable stands from wooden blocks or planks.

Natural drying in sunny weather lasts 5-7 days. Mushrooms, cut into slices, should be dried for no more than two days. In this case, their natural color will be saved.

How to dry mushrooms in the oven

For this purpose, instead of a baking sheet, a "standard" or specially made grid is used, which is installed in its place. Place the mushrooms on it in a thin layer and start drying them at an oven temperature of 45 ° C. In this case, they will not darken.

When the mushrooms have dried up a little, the temperature can be raised to 60–70 ° C; the oven door should be kept slightly open to ensure air exchange. If there are several grates, they must be periodically replaced in order to evenly dry the product.

If there are no grates, and you are also reluctant to make them, the drying procedure can be performed on a baking sheet, having previously covered it with baking paper. The mushrooms should be sized and arranged so that they do not touch. The rest of the drying process is similar to the above method.

If the plates and caps of the mushrooms are the same size, they dry out. the same time... Ready dried mushrooms should be removed from the oven, and the rest should be brought to the desired state, turning them over from time to time.

How to dry mushrooms in a dryer

You can make your own mushroom dryer using homemade crates, draft, or forced airflow.

The boxes are made of plywood and planks 50 mm wide. They use a mesh with a cell of no more than 15 mm as a bottom. The bottom drawer runs a little bigger size than the rest, since guides are attached to it, along which the upper drawers slide.

Their number usually does not exceed 10 pieces, and the entire structure is located at the level of 30-40 cm. Its upper part is equipped with a plywood roof that provides shade. The gap between the roof and the top drawer is 10 cm.

The assembled structure must be placed in a draft. To speed up the drying of mushrooms, it can be equipped with an air collector. It is made from two sheets of plywood attached to the structure at different angles. The dryer can then be installed facing the wind.

Mushrooms placed in a thin layer on the nets of all boxes must be sorted by size. Due to the air circulation through the structure, they are dried.

How to dry mushrooms in an electric dryer

The well-thought-out design of this apparatus saves a lot of time when drying mushrooms and does not require constant monitoring and presence. The electric dryer has several tiers in the form of pallets, each of which is filled with chopped gifts of nature.

Pieces of mushrooms should be stacked in one even layer on each tier of the dryer. After setting the temperature to 55 ° C and the time from two to six hours, you can do another thing while the device is working.

The duration of drying mushrooms in this way depends on the thickness of their slicing. Thin plates dry faster, and a small number do too. Therefore, when installing not five or six pallets in an electric dryer, but two or three, the readiness of the product should be checked after a couple of hours, otherwise it can be overdried.

If the mushroom plates are slightly springy when bent and look dry, the device can be turned off.

How to dry mushrooms in the microwave

To dry mushrooms in this way, they need to be peeled and cut into plates 5 mm thick, then laid out on a wire rack or plate and set the microwave regulator with the product at a power of 100-180 W for 20 minutes.

When the time is up, the stove door should be opened for 5-10 minutes to ventilate. During this time, there will be an intensive evaporation of excess moisture released by the mushrooms. This procedure must be repeated 3-4 more times.

The result of work can be dry mushrooms or their semi-finished product, subject to further shrinkage. It depends on the type of mushroom. The drying process is quite long and tedious, especially if the oven has a small volume.

How to dry mushrooms in a Russian oven

Before drying the mushrooms, sweep under the oven to remove ash and remove any container with water or food, if any, from the fireplace. During drying, the mushrooms should not come into contact with the hearth of the oven. Therefore, if the braids or gratings do not have legs, then under them it is necessary to put bricks in the "on the edge" position.

Mushrooms prepared for drying should be placed on the grates with their caps down or strung on knitting needles. When after the furnace the temperature in the furnace drops to 70 ° C, the stacked or strung product can be loaded into it. A higher temperature in the oven is not recommended - mushrooms can burn, and at temperatures below 50 ° C they dry out slowly, they can sour and deteriorate.

An important factor in the drying process of mushrooms in the oven is the removal of moisture, which is evaporated from the raw materials. In order to ensure this process, the oven damper must be placed on two bricks, between which there must be a gap for air flow.

At the beginning of the drying process, open the chimney to? gate valves. In the process of drying out the mushrooms, it should be gradually closed.

Drying of the product is uneven. Large mushroom caps dry more slowly, small ones faster. Therefore, dried mushrooms need to be removed on time, otherwise they may lose their aroma and taste, and unfinished ones begin to grow moldy from the slightest dampness.

How to make mushroom powder

Overdried mushrooms can be used to prepare this product. Break them into pieces and grind them in a coffee grinder. In the process of crushing, the films of mushroom fibers are destroyed, and the product acquires new properties: it is more easily absorbed in the body and has best flavor and taste. Porcini mushrooms are especially good when crushed.

For safety when grinding, fine salt is added to the mushroom powder in an amount of 5-10% of its total weight... To emphasize and improve the taste of the product, you can add various ground spices to it: cumin, allspice, dried parsley, celery leaves, etc.

Mushroom powder is added to hot food at the end of cooking no more than one minute before the stove is turned off. In addition, it is used as a common seasoning for salads, main courses and soups.

For the preparation of fragrant omelets, mushroom powder is added while beating eggs. Store the product in a tightly sealed glass container, placed in a dark place. Without reducing its quality, mushroom powder can be stored in such conditions for up to 1 year.

Dried mushroom storage rules

Dried mushrooms, especially in powder form, are highly hygroscopic. They easily pick up moisture from the air and various foreign odors. Therefore, store such a product in a well-ventilated area. As a container, you can use moisture-proof bags and metal or glass jars with lids.

Linen and gauze bags are also suitable for this purpose, but in this case, the mushrooms must be separated from products that have strong odors. If, for any reason, the mushrooms have absorbed moisture, they should be quickly sorted out and dried again.

For long-term storage product, as long as the mushrooms retain their warmth and fragility after drying, they can be immediately placed in sterile and sealed glass jars. The container is sterilized at T = 90 ° C: liter cans- within 50 minutes, half-liter - 40 minutes.

You can remove air from the jar in this way: pour a little alcohol into its lid, set it on fire, and close the jar immediately. In this case, all the oxygen in the container is spent on fuel combustion, so an airless space is formed in the container. Thanks to him, the mushrooms will not be covered with mold, even if they have some residual moisture.

How to dry mushrooms - watch the video:

Before cooking, dry mushrooms should be washed and then left in water for several hours to swell. The product is boiled in the resulting infusion. Bon appetit, everyone!

Dried or frozen mushrooms in winter will remind you of warm summer and generous autumn. Magic mushroom flavor can not be compared with anything! We will learn how to dry mushrooms properly and figure out how to freeze mushrooms. At home, it is easy to do both.

Rules for preparing mushrooms for drying and freezing

1. Every mushroom picker should know that you need to dry and freeze fresh, just picked mushrooms... And, of course, the best thing is to pick mushrooms yourself, and not buy from the market or by the road. After all, mushrooms instantly absorb all harmful substances if they grow or just lie near cars.
2. Before processing mushrooms need to be sorted out, check again if there is any among edible mushrooms poisonous or inedible. All stale, heavily fermented, mashed mushrooms should be set aside or thrown away. Remember, mushrooms must be selected for drying and freezing.
3. Everything mushrooms need to be peeled from twigs and dirt, carefully cut the ground on the leg.
4. For fresh drying and freezing, it is better not to wash the mushrooms.... They absorb water very well, therefore, they will dry poorly and may become moldy, and when frozen, the water will turn into ice.

To determine the freshness of mushrooms, follow these rules:

• white and aspen mushrooms will live in the refrigerator for a maximum of a day after assembly, and then if you collected young and strong;
• boletus boletus boletus is best processed on the day of collection;
• chanterelles will be able to "hold out" in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

How to dry mushrooms

Anyone who regularly picks mushrooms knows how to dry mushrooms at home. In especially fruitful years, you cannot do without drying mushrooms. And for beginners, we will tell simple rules what mushrooms to dry, how to dry mushrooms, and what methods exist.

• What mushrooms to dry

Not all mushrooms are worth drying. It is believed that tubular mushrooms are more suitable for drying, since the lamellar ones will taste bitter. Most often dried white, boletus, boletus, boletus, moss, chanterelles, autumn mushrooms and mushrooms. Drying mushrooms are best picked on a dry, sunny day. For even drying, you can dry large and small mushrooms separately. For drying, large mushrooms must be coarsely chopped. But keep in mind that they will shrink 3-4 times. Small mushrooms can be dried whole. If the mushroom is medium, then just divide the cap and the leg.

How to dry mushrooms in the sun

If the balcony faces the sunny side or you live in a private house and it is hot outside, then you can simply dry the mushrooms in the sun. Mushrooms for drying are strung on threads and hung in the sun. Also, mushrooms can be spread out on a baking sheet, paper or cloth in one layer. In order to dry the mushrooms properly, it is necessary that they are blown by the wind. In this case, the mushrooms will dry out in three to four days. If the weather turns bad, then the mushrooms can be dried in the oven.

How to dry mushrooms in the oven

It is even easier to dry the mushrooms in the oven. To do this, put the prepared mushrooms on a baking sheet in one layer with the caps up, open the oven door so that there is air access, you can turn on the convection mode. Put the oven at 70-80 degrees and dry for several hours. You can dry mushrooms in the oven in several stages, but do not close the oven door.

How to dry mushrooms in the oven

If there is a stove in the country, then it is most convenient to dry mushrooms in it. Moreover, in the fall it has to be drowned often. To dry one batch, you will need several fireboxes: first, the mushrooms will need to be placed in an already cooled oven, in the oven it should be about 50 degrees. And leave for 3-4 hours - the mushrooms will dry up, they will become soft, but the juice will no longer emit. In the next furnace, the mushrooms need to be dried at a temperature of 70-80 degrees. When they are dry and brittle, they are ready. Do not put mushrooms to dry in the oven during the heating and immediately after it, otherwise everything will burn out.

How to dry mushrooms in an electric dryer

You can also dry mushrooms in special dryers - they are very economical and productive. Remember that with any method, it is necessary to remove the baking sheet with mushrooms 2-3 times during the entire drying time and ventilate them a little so that they do not burn and retain a light color.

How to store dry mushrooms

• It is best to store dry mushrooms in a dry place in a glass or ceramic jar. You can grind some of the mushrooms in a coffee grinder, they are useful for sauces and flavoring dishes, and they will take up much less space.

How to freeze mushrooms

If you don't have time to dry the mushrooms, you can use another method of preserving them. Let's figure out how to freeze mushrooms, which mushrooms can be frozen. So, simple rules for keeping mushrooms in the freezer.

How to freeze raw mushrooms

First, let's decide which mushrooms can be frozen raw. Typically b spruce, boletus, boletus and all mushrooms with a sponge under the cap - it is better to freeze fresh... This will keep them fresh and firm. When cooked, these mushrooms become watery and lose much in taste after defrosting. Honey mushrooms and chanterelles can be frozen in the same way.

Freeze mushrooms correctly not difficult at all. Consider our advice and you will delight yourself with delicious food in winter. To save space in the freezer, the mushrooms can be chopped; the smallest ones are best left whole. To freeze the mushrooms very quickly, you need to distribute them in a thin layer on the tray or bottom of the freezer, which is turned on to the maximum. After 12 hours, mushrooms can be poured into a bag and return the freezer to normal mode.

How to freeze boiled mushrooms

Before freezing, the mushrooms must be boiled, in accordance with the recommendations for the preparation of each type. For example, honey mushrooms need to be cooked for at least half an hour, otherwise they can cause an upset in the body. After cooking put the mushrooms in a colander and drain... For a long time - half an hour, or even an hour. You can squeeze the mushrooms a little more with your hands to remove excess moisture. Then put the mushrooms in a tight bag or container for freezing and put in the freezer.

How to defrost mushrooms

• Mushrooms cannot be re-frozen - you will get a tasteless watery porridge at the exit. It is best to defrost mushrooms slowly - just transfer to the refrigerator and leave overnight. If they do not defrost, then you can defrost at room temperature.
• If you are afraid that large white and aspen mushrooms will turn out to be watery, cut off their sponge after freezing.

How to cook dried mushrooms

Mushrooms harvested for the winter can significantly diversify both a lean and a short diet. One of the most popular blanks for the winter is long garlands. dried mushrooms... Dried mushrooms retain most nutrients and can greatly vary your diet, especially if you are fasting. With mushrooms, the question of a rich broth is removed, because mushroom is fragrant and rich. Mushrooms give dishes a very special taste, make vegetable stew more interesting and satisfying, and cereals and salads are more original and varied.

Many people wonder how to cook dry mushrooms. Using dried mushrooms in cooking is quite simple.

• Since mushrooms are not washed before drying, they should be washed before cooking. And if you bought dried mushrooms at the market, be prepared for the fact that you did not clean them well.
• Soaking dried mushrooms is also a must. It is possible in cold water, but it is possible in milk. It will soften the taste of the mushrooms.
• The taste of dried mushrooms is more intense and aggressive. Therefore, it is better to put them in a little at a time. A handful or less for a liter of sauce, about a handful in a large pot of soup.
• Since the flavor is more concentrated, dried mushrooms are suitable for soups and added to various dishes. It is not recommended to make filling for pies or mushroom caviar only from dried mushrooms. It is better to add salted ones to them, after thoroughly rinsing them from excess salt.
• It is better to drain the water after soaking the mushrooms. Then they will not taste bitter, and the taste will be more calm.
• In addition, it is more convenient to wash the mushrooms after soaking. Then all the grains of sand and specks that have dried to the mushroom are quietly removed.
• If broth is needed, then it will turn out very good even on second water. And on the first it can have an unpleasant aftertaste.
• After soaking, do not forget to chop the mushrooms, as they dry large chunks and after soaking, you get burdocks in a saucepan.
• The foam should be removed from the broth in the same way as when boiling fresh mushrooms.
• Dried mushrooms can be completely replaced with fresh ones. Only their number should be reduced by 6-8 times. If written - 300 g fresh, take no more than 50 grams of dried mushrooms.
• If there is no time to soak the mushrooms, then you can bring them to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then drain the water, rinse the mushrooms and cook further.
• To get fast mushroom broth and cook porridge on it, for example, you can grind a couple of dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder or crush in a mortar. And put the powder in boiling water.
• For soup, sauce, adding mushrooms to vegetable dishes, it is good to fry them. This will improve their taste.
• It is best to fry mushrooms in butter(most the best way take ghee). You can fry mushrooms in vegetable, and add creamy at the end. It greatly improves the taste. Of course, this is only possible for non-fasting dishes. By the way, this applies not only to dried, but also to fresh mushrooms.

Cabbage soup with dried porcini mushrooms

¼ head of white cabbage
300 g sauerkraut
1 handful of dried mushrooms
5 potatoes
1 onion
1 carrot
Vegetable oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Step 1. Soak the dried mushrooms overnight in 2.5 liters of water. Then rinse. And slice.
Step 2. Pour in fresh hot water and bring to a boil. Salt, cook for about an hour.
Step 3. Peel potatoes, onions and carrots. Cut the potatoes into slices, the onions into rings and grate the carrots.
Step 4. Add potatoes to soup.
Step 5. Spread onions and carrots on vegetable oil... When soft, add tomato paste and still darken.
Step 6. Chop the cabbage and add to the soup. Cook for 15 minutes.
Step 7. Add stir fry and sauerkraut to the soup. Boil.
Step 8. Put Bay leaf, pepper and salt. Let it brew for 15 minutes under the lid.

How to cook frozen mushrooms

The beneficial properties of the product are preserved in frozen mushrooms, so fresh mushrooms can be easily prepared for the winter and enjoy mushroom dishes at any time of the year. Frozen mushrooms are prepared in the same way as fresh ones. Pre-defrost them and rinse them in cold water. You can boil them slightly if the mushrooms have been frozen fresh. Boiled frozen mushrooms are immediately ready for cooking after defrosting. Frozen mushrooms can be prepared tasty soup, julienne, dumplings, pie, roast, casserole and pies. Here are a few interesting recipes cooking delicious dishes from frozen mushrooms.

Mushroom soup made from frozen mushrooms

0.5 kg mushroom mixture
leek 1 pc.
onion 2 pcs.
canned tomatoes 1 can
meat broth 1.5 l
dried bread 150 g
salt and ground black pepper to taste.

For dressing - garlic (3 cloves) and fried almonds (3 tbsp. L).

Step 1. Defrost the mushrooms and rinse in cold water. Cut into small pieces.
Step 2. Finely chop the onion. Fry the onions in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Step 3. Introduce canned tomatoes and juice, mushrooms.
Step 4. Mix well and cook for about 15 minutes over low heat.
Step 5. In a separate bowl, combine chopped garlic, saffron and almonds. Salt to taste. Pour in the finished chicken broth.
Step 6. Pour the resulting dressing into the soup and add dried pieces of bread on top. Salt and pepper to taste. Mushroom soup cook for another 5 minutes.

How not to get poisoned by mushrooms

About 2 thousand species of mushrooms grow in Russia, of which 300 are edible, but only 60 end up on the table. Poisonous mushrooms when eaten, cause various disorders in the human body, up to and including death.

To prevent poisoning, never pick mushrooms:

• near industrial enterprises, landfills, fields treated with chemicals, railway tracks and highways, under high-voltage lines, within the city;
• with unpleasant odor having a tuberous thickening at the base;
• with a shell, a "bag" at the base of the leg (like a pale toadstool, red fly agaric);
• old, wormy, eaten up or absorbed water after long rains - it is possible that the process of protein decomposition has begun in them;
• appeared after the first frost, which can cause the appearance in them poisonous substances;
• after long hot days and lack of sediment, do not harvest the first crop of mushrooms, because even edibles can be poisonous and life-threatening.

Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause damage gastrointestinal tract, damage to the central nervous, cardiovascular systems, damage to the liver and kidneys, up to death.

Besides:

• collected mushrooms must be stored no more than 2-3 hours;
• store unprocessed mushrooms only in the refrigerator or cellar;
• attention should be paid and their correct preparation: do not try raw mushrooms, do not salt or pickle mushrooms in galvanized and aluminum cookware, cook long time, Changing the water 2-3 times.

We recommend that you follow these simple rules and follow the principle: "If you are not sure - do not take it," then the "quiet hunt" will give you real pleasure.

How to properly dry mushrooms at home mushroom pickers will tell in our article and share their secrets. It is not enough just to pick mushrooms, you need to know which of them can be eaten fresh, which to salt and which to dry. In today's article, we will focus on the rules for drying mushrooms. Newly minted mushroom pickers will find out practical advice to help you master this craft. Experienced ones will also be able to glean important information.

One of the most successful ways to harvest mushrooms is drying. They persist well with useful properties and even become more aromatic and rich. Moreover, mushrooms in this version are better absorbed than pickled or salted ones. In addition, in soups, they are irresistible. I would especially like to mention the porcini mushroom.

After collecting a certain amount of mushrooms, you should not dry them immediately. Some species produce bitterness that will intensify as the fruit dries. Therefore, you should understand which mushrooms are more suitable for drying.

Which mushrooms to choose for drying?

Mushrooms are divided into several types:

• tubular;
• lamellar;
• tinder fungus;
• chanterelle;
• summy.

Let's consider each of the categories separately.

Tubular

Representatives of this family can be identified by the spores, which are located under the cap in a layer of small tubes, similar to a sponge.

Edible tubular mushrooms are almost all dryers. But the best ones are:

Lamellar

This family under the cap has radial stripes of dense plates in which spores are located. Most lamellar mushrooms have a milky sap that will add bitterness when dried.

Here are the varieties of lamellar mushrooms that can be dried:

• winter, summer and autumn mushrooms;
• Champignon;
• colorful umbrella mushroom;
• deer mushrooms;
• pendants;
• fleecy scales.

Important! Only russula, milk mushrooms and volushkas are not dried, as they can taste bitter.

Chanterelle

They may look like lamellar, but instead of lamellae, they have folds of flesh. For a long time, science could not identify them to any species, so it separated them as its own family.

Of this species, only chanterelle ordinary, but there is also a little bitterness in it.

Marsupials

They look wrinkled, bumpy and shapeless. Spores in this species are kept in a separate special bag.

From this family, dried white truffle, which is a rare and expensive delicacy, and morels.

Morels should be eaten with caution. To be edible, they need to be properly processed. Dried for about 2 months, and better even longer. During this period, toxins disappear from them, and they become safe. Dry them only outdoors, not in a residential area.

Now, understanding what can be dried and what is not, we will discuss next question, how to do it all the same.

Preparatory stage for high-quality drying

From correct preparation the final result depends. You should try to make the vegetables tasty, healthy and aesthetically attractive. To do this, you need to carefully prepare the product.

The first, and one of the main questions, is how to cleanse the mushroom without resorting to the use of water. If the mushrooms are wet, they absorb water and take longer to dry.

A knife must be used for this process. With its help, the hats are cleaned of the remnants of leaves and grass. There is no need to remove the skin, they are dried with the skin.

Sand can be swept away with a soft dry brush. Any impurities that remain will be washed off immediately before preparing already dry mushrooms, which are soaked in water.

In the next step, the mushrooms are sorted by size. Small, medium and large are placed separately. This is necessary so that they dry evenly over a certain period of time.

It happens that the vegetable looks whole and resilient, but worms live inside. No matter how beautiful and big mushroom if residents are found in it, it should be thrown away.

Aspen mushrooms, boletus, flywheels and butter are cut longitudinally to separate the leg from it at the very base of the cap.

The boletus is divided in half, cutting across.

Advice! When mushrooms are peeled and cut for drying, it is better to do this with a plastic knife. Unlike metal, it does not oxidize. Although it is not very convenient to use and difficult to adapt to, it is preferable.

If the metal knife is in contact with the fruit and the legs or caps are oxidized, then taste qualities the finished product will be much lower.

Fundamental rules

There are basic rules that must be taken into account so that dried mushrooms are tasty and aromatic.

Drying methods for mushrooms

Outside

It will take about 7 days to dry the mushrooms outdoors in the sun in hot weather. Mushrooms, sliced ​​or whole, are strung on a dense thread and hung in the sun. You need to string it so that they do not touch each other. You can cover them with gauze to keep flies and dust out.

You can place the chopped mushrooms on cardboard or baking paper. In extreme cases, on clean wooden boards, and dry it already in the oven or Russian stove.

In the oven

Mushrooms are laid out in a thin layer on the wire rack. It is convenient on it and there is no need to adapt something so that the mushrooms do not fall out. You can do this on a baking sheet, but then you should put baking paper on it so that the vegetables do not burn. They need to be laid out so that they do not touch each other.

Initially, you need to set the temperature to +45 degrees. When the mushrooms have dried up, but so that they do not darken, you will need to add the temperature to + 60 + 70 degrees. It is necessary for the air to circulate, for this you need to open the door a palm width. Replace the grates periodically during the process so that the raw material dries evenly.

Watch the video! How to quickly dry porcini mushrooms in the oven

In the microwave

• To take advantage of microwave oven, it is necessary to cut the mushrooms into pieces about 5 mm thick.
• They should be laid out on a plate or wire rack, put on a power of 100 watts for 20 minutes.
• After that, open the door and check for 7 minutes.
• This process must be done 4-5 times.
• You can cook mushrooms in the microwave, but you have to work a little.

In the Russian oven

It would seem what is the difference between an oven and a stove. But the owners of both know for sure. The oven has its own special atmosphere. The air supply and drying quality are somewhat better in the oven.

Grandmothers always dried mushrooms in the oven. Bricks were placed under the grate so that they did not come into contact with the hot surface.

• Mushrooms can be placed on a wire rack, caps down, or strung on knitting needles or skewers. You can also lay them out on straw in the old fashioned way.
• You can put it in the oven when the temperature drops to +60 degrees.

Advice! If you dry mushrooms with high temperature they can burn, turn black and deteriorate. If the temperature is too low, then they turn sour and disappear.

• It is necessary for air to circulate, for this the damper must be slightly open. Be sure to keep the chimney open.
• Initially, the valve should be 75% open even slightly more. But by the end of drying, it must be completely closed.
• Mushrooms can dry in different ways due to the fact that the caps different sizes... If they are overdried, they will not process well, and if they are not dried, they will quickly deteriorate. Therefore, it is gradually necessary to remove the ready-made dried caps, and dry the rest.

In an electric dryer

This option is for the lazy. The main thing here is to cut the mushrooms correctly. The plates should be at least 1 cm, but you can dry them whole, as anyone likes. Everything is simple here: the time and temperature are set and the process has begun.

You can experiment a little and add temperature, but slow down the time. The effect will be the same.

Watch the video! How to dry mushrooms in a dryer

Over the gas stove

Not a convenient way, but if there is no choice, then you can use it. The burners should burn continuously for 2-3 days. And if during the drying process the food is being prepared, the vegetables will absorb the steam and the smell of the food being prepared.

The mushrooms are strung on a rope and hung over the very ceiling, the burners are lit. If the gas is not turned off and the drying is continuous, the product will be ready in 3 days.

How do you know that dried mushrooms are ready?

Correctly dried mushrooms have a solid color, they are light and have no tan or burnt parts. They should be elastic, bend, but not break. The texture will be firm and not wet.

How to store

Half the job is done and the mushrooms are dried. Now it's time to do the second half - save them for the winter. To do this, you need jars and containers that twist well. Mushrooms very easily absorb odors and moisture, so they easily deteriorate and become moldy.

Some housewives put well-dried mushrooms in a sterilized jar, which they immediately close. You can smear the edges of the can with alcohol, set it on fire and close it immediately. then there will be a slight vacuum in it, which contributes to the storage of the mushrooms.

Alternatively, you can use cotton bags to store dried mushrooms. But for this you need to choose the right room in which they will be located. To store dry vegetables, it is necessary that the air circulates well, because the smell of mushrooms is very strong. They should not be stored with other strong-smelling vegetables, such as onions and garlic. If the mushrooms have absorbed moisture, they can be sorted out and dried.

So today we considered how to properly dry mushrooms at home and methods of their preparation. Let the mushroom stocks delight lovers of these fragrant fruits all year round.

Watch the video! How to dry mushrooms at home

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In principle, the drying of mushrooms depends on the specific place of collection, the region, the peculiarities of transportation and the technical capabilities of the mushroom picker. Each experienced mushroom picker has his own, proven over the years, methods of drying mushrooms and uses them. However, for overall development, you can familiarize yourself with this material, perhaps you will be able to learn something new or long-forgotten old, but useful. So, how are we going to dry mushrooms?

• : what, where and how we dry
• : The "bonus" of the procurement method

Drying mushrooms: how to dry mushrooms?

Drying is one of the simplest and available ways harvesting mushrooms. Dried mushrooms keep well long time... In terms of nutritional value and digestibility, they are superior to salted and pickled mushrooms. In terms of protein content, dried mushrooms are superior to canned ones. When drying, all nutritional benefits mushrooms; the aroma of some species is even enhanced with this preparation method, as, for example, in porcini mushroom.

Drying mushrooms in the sun

On hot days, mushrooms can be dried in the sun or just dried to dry them completely at a higher temperature on the stove or in the oven.

For this purpose, mushrooms are placed on drying trays, thick paper or dry board. In no case should the mushrooms be placed on an iron baking sheet, as the mushrooms can bake and turn black on it.

Drying is carried out in a place protected from rain and dust and well-blown by the wind. It is very important that the mushrooms, previously cut into slices, are dried or dried completely within a period of no more than 1-2 days. In this case, they retain their natural color.

Correctly dried mushrooms bend; overdried crumble - it is better to soak such mushrooms and use them as they are.

Drying mushrooms in the oven

When drying in the oven, the mushrooms are laid out in a thin layer on specially made or ready-made racks that are installed in place of ordinary baking sheets. The temperature in the oven should be between 60-70 ° C, and in order for the air to circulate in it constantly, the door should be kept ajar. As the mushrooms dry up, the grates are interchanged from top to bottom.

In urban environments and for modern kitchen- This method of drying mushrooms is probably the most common and simplest: ovens(and grates in them) are in every home. If there are few grates (or there are none, it happens), then you can independently make 2-3 grates according to the size of the oven so that they can be installed instead of baking sheets. The grilles can be made from any coarse wire mesh.

Baking trays can also be used if there are no grates. Mushrooms are selected by size (large ones are cut into pieces) and laid out on baking sheets. In this case, the mushrooms should not come into contact with each other, and in the oven it is necessary to ensure air circulation (open the door a little).

First, the mushrooms are dried at a temperature of 45 ° C. At a higher initial temperature, mushrooms stand out on the surface and then dry out protein substances which worsens further move drying and gives the mushrooms a dark color. At the same time, the mushrooms become so soft that it is impossible to use them for food. Only after the surface of the mushrooms dries up and they stop sticking, the temperature can be raised to 75-80 ° C.

The duration of drying and drying of mushrooms cannot be accurately determined. If the mushroom caps and plates are the same size, they dry out at the same time. Dry mushrooms are removed, and the rest are dried, turning them over from time to time.

Drying mushrooms in the microwave

When drying mushrooms in the microwave: peeled and chopped mushrooms are laid out on a plate or wire rack, the minimum power is set to 100-180 W and put on for 20 minutes, then the stove is opened and ventilated for 5-10 minutes. During this time, excess moisture evaporates intensively. Then the operation is repeated 2-3 more times. As a result, you can get at the exit either a finished product - dried mushrooms or - a semi-finished product for further drying, it depends on the specific mushrooms.

This method of drying mushrooms is quite troublesome. Convenient only if your microwave has a large capacity. On "small cars" the process is very tedious and lengthy, although quite real.

Drying mushrooms in a Russian oven

Where else can one find this very “Russian stove” today ... Well, okay, now is not about that.

Mushrooms prepared for drying are laid out with their caps down on grates, braids or strung on knitting needles. The loaded devices should be put into the furnace when the temperature in it after the furnace drops to 60-70 ° С. At a higher temperature, it is not recommended to start drying, as the mushrooms can be steamed or roasted, burned and blackened strongly. At temperatures below 50 ° C, they dry very slowly, sour and deteriorate.

Before loading the mushrooms under the oven, it is necessary to sweep so that there is no ash left on it. At the time of drying, there should be no dishes with food or water in the oven.

If the grates or braids do not have legs, then bricks should be placed under them, placed on the edge, so that the mushrooms do not come into contact with the hearth of the furnace.

During drying, it is very important to ensure that the moisture evaporating from the mushrooms is removed. To do this, the flap should be placed on 2 bricks, leaving a gap between them for air flow from below. Top part the dampers should not tightly cover the front of the stove so that moist air is constantly evacuated.

At the beginning of drying, the stove pipe is opened by 0.75 of the gate valves, as the mushrooms dry up, it is gradually pushed in and closed tightly by the end of drying. Mushrooms dry unevenly, small caps dry faster, large ones more slowly, so dried ones must be removed in a timely manner, otherwise they will lose their aroma and become tasteless. Underdried mushrooms begin to grow moldy at the slightest dampness.

Drying morel mushrooms

Morel mushrooms, which are classified as conditionally edible, are dried only in the air.... They are strung on threads, placed loosely in gauze bags, old nylon stockings and dried in a ventilated dry room for about 5-6 months. During this time, the oxygen in the air purifies toxins and detoxifies the lines - the mushrooms become edible.

Storage of dried mushrooms, canning of dried mushrooms

Dried mushrooms are very hygroscopic: they absorb moisture from the surrounding air (especially if they are prepared in the form of mushroom powder), easily damp and mold. In addition, they quickly absorb extraneous odors. Therefore, dried mushrooms should be stored in dry, well-ventilated areas and, best of all, in moisture-proof bags or tightly closed glass or metal jars. Dried mushrooms can also be stored in gauze or linen bags, but, strictly, in a well-ventilated place and separate from products with a pungent odor.

If for some reason the mushrooms become wet, they should be sorted out and dried.

To preserve the mushrooms for a long time, it is more convenient to put the mushrooms in hermetically sealed glass jars immediately after drying (while they still retain their fragility and warmth). Banks are sterilized at a temperature of 90 ° C: half-liter - for 40 minutes, liter - 50 minutes.

To suck air out of the cans, you can use next way... A little alcohol is poured onto the inner surface of the lid, light it and immediately close the jar. When burning alcohol, almost all the oxygen in the can is consumed, as a result of which the mushrooms do not grow moldy, even if they were not sufficiently dried and they were laid in a damp room.

Before preparing food from them, the mushrooms are washed with a brush, cleaning dust and dirt, and poured for several hours with water to swell, and then boiled in the same water.

Yet it is better to soak dried mushrooms in milk or milk mixed with water. Mushrooms that have turned black during drying should be rinsed well before being put into the soup so that they do not give the soup a black color. The broth of morel mushrooms is poured out without trying; in other cases, it is left to settle possible sand, filtered and used to make soups, sauces or gravies.

Well dried or overdried mushrooms can be chopped and ground into a fine powder in a coffee grinder. When crushing, poorly digestible films of coarse fibers are destroyed, and mushrooms in this form better reveal their taste and aroma and are more easily absorbed by the body. Powdered porcini mushrooms are especially good.

When grinding, add 5-10% by weight of fine salt to the mushroom powder for preservation. Ground spices can also be added to taste: allspice, caraway seeds, dried celery and parsley leaves, etc.

Mushroom powder is very convenient for adding to food or at the very end of cooking - no more than 0.5-1 minute before the end, or for direct addition to hot and cold food - salads, soups, main courses. It is added to omelets when beating the egg mass. Store in a glass jar with a tight lid, protected from light. Shelf life with practically no deterioration in quality - up to 1 year.

There are several ways to save mushrooms until winter season- This is salting and drying at home.
Pickles are often used as an appetizer for festive table, but making soup with them or frying potatoes is not popular. This is because during pickling, the main taste is lost, as well as their specific aroma. Drying is a completely different matter.

To prepare mushrooms for the winter, it is necessary, among other things, to know how to dry them correctly so as not to lose the unique qualities of the product. After all, they are also natural source substances such as protein, iron, iodine, potassium, manganese. For drying, it is best to choose mushrooms from the tubular family (white, boletus, chanterelles, honey mushrooms, boletus), since the lamellar ones acquire bitterness after the procedure.

Preparing mushrooms for drying

Only strong, undamaged mushrooms are suitable for drying. They are thoroughly cleaned of needles, leaves, earth and various debris, wiped with a dry cloth. They should not be washed or moistened - this complicates drying and reduces the quality of the product (when drying, the mushrooms darken and lose their aroma).

Peeled mushrooms are sorted out, sorted according to size and quality. Then, in boletus, boletus, kids, butter, mushrooms, the leg is cut flush with the cap, and in porcini mushrooms - only lower part legs. In this case, it is recommended to use bone or horn knives, since metal mushrooms turn black from the metal. Fresh porcini mushrooms are cut (together with a cap and a leg) along sharp knife into pieces no more than 10-15 mm thick. The slices are laid out in one row on sieves and dried in a place protected from rain, then dried in an oven or dryer.

Air and sun drying

Prepared mushrooms are strung with a needle on a thread and hung on the balcony or in a well-ventilated area. Necessary condition- hot sunny day. You can also use paper or cloth in one layer, carefully spreading the mushrooms on it. If all conditions are met, then in a few days, they will be ready for winter storage.

Drying in the oven

In order for the mushrooms not to get dirty from ash and ash, first you need to put them on a wicker, a baking sheet or prick on knitting needles, you can use clean and dry straw. And only after that start the drying process. It is important to maintain the temperature inside the oven for proper drying. It should be in the range of 60-70 ° C. If the temperature is higher, then the mushrooms can mate or burn, if lower, then drying will occur slowly, as a result of which they can acidify and deteriorate.

They put things in order in the Russian stove, sweeping ashes, ashes and coals, then arrange braids or baking trays with mushrooms, having previously substituted bricks under their edges. In order for the mushrooms not to bake, you need to ensure good air circulation in the oven by opening the oven damper (you can also substitute two bricks under it), which will allow the evaporating moisture not to linger inside the oven. At the beginning of drying, the chimney should be slightly open by about 2/3 of the damper, towards the end it should be covered more and more, and at the very end of drying it should be closed completely.

Mushrooms dry unevenly, so you need to constantly monitor them, removing small, already dried, and leaving large ones to dry.

How to dry mushrooms in the oven

Drying mushrooms in the oven is the simplest and most convenient for home conditions. The mushrooms are laid out in one layer not on a baking sheet, but on grates and placed in an oven preheated to 60-70 ° C, while the door is left ajar for free air circulation and evaporation of the released moisture.

Drying over a hot plate

At home, you can dry mushrooms over a hot stove, near the hot wall of a Russian or Dutch oven, strung on threads or twine.

It is very convenient and practical to dry in special vegetable dryers. On a tape or sieve (tape and sieve must be made of of stainless steel), they spill out in a fairly thick layer (3-4 cm), after which the drying process takes place for 2-3 hours at a total temperature of 40-45 ° C. When the mushrooms have wilted, you can proceed directly to drying, while the temperature is increased to 60-70 ° C. If you have morels and stitches, then dry them at a temperature of 50-55 ° C.

Drying mushrooms at home with a compact electric dryer

Such electric dryers have become a fairly common device in our time; they are designed to dry not only mushrooms, but also other vegetables and fruits. Drying in it is carried out using heated air, which is supplied to special trays, which prevents overcooking.

After any drying procedure mass fraction dried mushrooms does not exceed 10% by weight of fresh ones. Moreover, even dried ones must be elastic and flexible. If they break, then you have dried them out. In this case, it is recommended to make a powder out of them, which will be an excellent seasoning.

Store properly dried mushrooms in gauze bags (suspended) in a well-ventilated area. The air humidity should not exceed 70%, otherwise they will become saturated with moisture, mold and deteriorate. Products with a pungent and specific smell should not be nearby, as they tend to absorb odors.