Freezing milk mushrooms for the winter at home

You can freeze milk mushrooms in the freezer for the winter in different ways, depending on the further methods of use. However, since these mushrooms have a certain bitterness, freezing them is not the easiest thing to do. However, there are plenty of ways available.

How to freeze milk mushrooms               

To successfully freeze mushrooms for the winter at home, three things must be considered:

• initial bitter taste;
• texture of mushrooms, their humidity;
• mushroom size.

Since, due to bitterness, this species is classified as conditionally inedible mushrooms, this must be taken into account when freezing. So, bitterness is removed by preliminary heat treatment and soaking, however, if you do not drain the excess liquid, then after defrosting, the mushrooms will acquire the consistency of boiled porridge.

They are also soaked in order to clean out the adhering dirt.

In addition, mushrooms are sorted by size when frozen. Small ones are harvested whole, larger ones are cut into pieces. Each batch should have pieces that are similar in size.

How to freeze white mushrooms

Since re-freezing is unacceptable, white milk mushrooms are frozen exclusively in portions. Before freezing, they are soaked in cold water, getting rid of litter and dirt, and then, as a rule, boiled or fried in a small amount of vegetable oil. At the same time, before frying, the washed mushrooms are allowed to dry.

The liquid formed during cooking is drained.

Secrets of freezing black mushrooms

Although it is customary to salt black mushrooms, freezing them is quite feasible. At the same time, technologically, it almost does not differ from the freezing of whites. However, there are some nuances that are better to know when harvesting mushrooms for the winter:

1. It is necessary to remove already prepared specimens in the freezer only after cooling.
2. Since they shrink during the cooking process, the time of boiling or frying should be reduced to a minimum before freezing.
3. The liquid is drained before freezing, and the mushrooms themselves are squeezed a little.
4. It is necessary to minimize the amount of vegetable oil when frying.
5. When packaging, leave free space for mushroom juice.

How to freeze raw milk mushrooms                                                                             

Theoretically, fresh milk mushrooms can be frozen without prior heat treatment, but keep in mind that the taste will deteriorate significantly. In addition, the structure of the fungus is greatly changed for the worse. To freeze raw, you need a refrigerator with a quick freeze mode or a powerful freezer.

To minimize damage, raw mushrooms are frozen like this:

1. Cleans debris and dirt from mushrooms.
2. Soak in cold water for several hours.
   Attention! The mushrooms should be as fresh as possible. It is best to carry out the procedure on the same day when they were collected.
3. Large specimens are cut into small pieces.
4. The resulting liquid is drained.
5. They are laid out in containers or bags, leaving a little space for juice, and sealed hermetically.

After thawing, such mushrooms are used for frying or as an ingredient in stews.

How to freeze dry milk mushrooms for the winter

Many mushroom lovers are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to freeze dry milk mushrooms for the winter. If the harvesting of “dry” mushrooms means the absence of any processing, then the answer is very simple – such a freezing is impossible for mushrooms, because after defrosting the bitter taste will remain.

To remove bitterness, dry milk mushrooms are usually stewed in oil. So, for 1 kg of mushrooms you will need 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a quarter teaspoon of salt, a bunch of herbs and spices if desired, as well as 1 tablespoon of white wine – to taste.

Freezing process:

1. First, the mushrooms are dry-cleaned of small litter and dirt.
2. Then cut into equal pieces.
3. Oil is poured into a deep bowl, mushrooms are poured, put on fire.
4. Stew until soft.
5. Add white wine, salt, spices, herbs, keep on low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Cool, drain the juice and freeze.

Mushrooms prepared in this way can be eaten as an independent dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

Is it possible to freeze boiled mushrooms

If you pre-boil and freeze milk mushrooms, then their texture will be preserved, and bitterness will leave the taste. This is the main reason why pre-boiled mushrooms are the best suited for freezing for the winter. In winter, they are added to salads, soup, stews.

To prepare this dish, salt, citric acid and patience are needed. They do it like this:

1. First, milk mushrooms are soaked, eliminating dust and litter.
2. Then the water is brought to a boil, salt and citric acid are added, then the mushrooms are poured.
3. Bring to a boil, cook for 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cool, lay out in portions and freeze.

Defrost by immersion in boiling water.

How much to cook milk mushrooms before freezing

Depending on the volumes and size of individual specimens, the cooking time can be either reduced or increased. Milk mushrooms are cooked for freezing from 5 minutes after boiling to 10 minutes after.

Freezing milk mushrooms after short-term scalding

This method is popular due to its simplicity and efficiency:

1. First, milk mushrooms are soaked in cold water for several hours to remove adhering dirt and get rid of bitterness.
2. After that, they are thoroughly cleaned.
3. Large specimens are cut into pieces, small ones are left as is. Transfer to a container with high sides, pour boiling water over it.
4. Leave in boiling water for 2 minutes.
5. Drain the liquid, spread the mushrooms in one layer, blot with a towel.
6. Lay out in containers or bags, seal tightly and put in the freezer.

Mushrooms frozen in this way are suitable for frying or a variety of soups.

Is it possible to freeze fried milk mushrooms for the winter

Fried milk mushrooms for the winter can be cooked in a pan or in the oven. The main difference is that the dish cooked in the oven does not contain excess fat.

Freezing process:

1. First, the mushrooms are cleaned and soaked, and immediately divided into pieces of approximately equal size.
2. Then they are sent to boiling water, having previously salted it, and boiled for 15 minutes after boiling again.
3. After cooking, recline in a colander, allowing the liquid to drain.
4. Vegetable oil is poured into the pan, mushrooms are poured and fried for half an hour, stirring occasionally.
5. When cooking in the oven, a temperature of 180 degrees is recommended. Pour the milk mushrooms onto a baking sheet and, stirring regularly, bake until the juice has practically evaporated.
6. The cooled mushrooms are laid out in portioned containers and sent to the freezer.

Freezing stewed mushrooms for the winter

The peculiarity of mushrooms prepared in this way is that they are frozen together with the broth. The shelf life is reduced to 3 months instead of six months. In addition, once frozen in a stew, due to their consistency, they are best suited for making soups, mashed soups or julienne.

To properly freeze stewed milk mushrooms for the winter, you must:

• 1 kg of washed, peeled and chopped mushrooms;
• 1 glass of water – twice;
• 2 teaspoons of salt;
• Spices to taste.

Prepare like this:

1. Pre-prepared mushrooms are placed in a saucepan, poured with water, salted.
2. Cook for a quarter of an hour, not forgetting to stir.
3. Drain the liquid, pour fresh water.
4. Add spices and herbs.
5. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Allow the dish to cool, then lay out in containers and freeze.

Recipe for freezing salted milk mushrooms for the winter

The process of freezing salted mushrooms is very simple:

1. The brine is drained.
2. An optional item – the mushrooms are washed with plain water to remove the remaining brine.
3. After that, they are left in a colander and allowed to drain excess liquid, and then squeezed a little.
4. Lay out in bags or containers and freeze.

During defrosting, salted milk mushrooms change their structure: they become soft, so the number of dishes where they are used is limited. So, they are suitable for making soup or as a filling for a pie or casserole.

What to cook from frozen mushrooms

You can cook many dishes from frozen mushrooms.

How to defrost milk mushrooms

During the defrosting process, milk mushrooms should not be left to gradually thaw, as happens with meat or poultry – if there is a need or desire to use frozen mushrooms, they start cooking immediately. So, they are usually sent to boiling water or fried in a pan.

When harvesting frozen mushrooms for the winter, it should be remembered that re-freezing is not possible, so it is better to pack them in relatively small portions.

Dishes that can be prepared from frozen mushrooms

Far from one or two dishes are prepared from frozen mushrooms, however, the choice will depend on which method of processing the product was chosen earlier. So, you can be content with fried or stewed mushrooms as a self-sufficient dish or side dish, make a salad, julienne, cook soup (for example, a Georgian soup) or mashed potatoes. Frozen mushrooms are also suitable as a filling for a pie or pizza.

Rules and terms of storage of frozen milk mushrooms

The maximum allowable shelf life of the workpiece in the freezer is 6 months. An exception is possible when the temperature of the freezer is -19 degrees or below this indicator – then the workpiece can be stored for 12 months. The length of the shelf life depends on the temperature of the freezer and on the specific method of freezing.

So, if the composition of the preparation included vegetables, or the mushrooms were frozen along with the broth, the shelf life of the product is reduced to 3 months.

As a rule, the workpiece is stored for three months at temperatures up to -14 degrees and up to 6 months at temperatures up to -18 degrees.

Conclusion

Although it is relatively easy to freeze milk mushrooms in the freezer for the winter, they rarely resort to this harvesting method – they are salted much more often. However, freezing also has its advantages – a frozen product takes up little space, therefore, it can be prepared much more. This method has its drawbacks – in order to get rid of bitterness, additional efforts must be made.

Therefore, when freezing milk mushrooms, it is worth weighing the pros and cons of this method so as not to be deceived by expectations and not to be disappointed with the taste.