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It is extremely important to keep oyster mushrooms at home without losing their taste and nutritional qualities. Mushrooms are a perishable product that requires timely processing and a certain storage regime. The conditions for placing blanks should ensure the invariance of taste, consistency and safety during further use.
How to save oyster mushrooms
The choice of method depends on the planned period of consumption or processing, conditions and personal taste preferences. Fresh mushrooms can be stored indoors at a temperature of 17 to 22 degrees for no more than a day. Therefore, you must immediately begin to prepare the product or place it in a suitable environment to preserve its properties.
You can store oyster mushrooms at home in the following ways
- cooling;
- freezing;
- drying;
- pickling;
- salting;
- boiling.
Of particular importance for any variant of the workpiece is given to the preparatory stage, which should begin with inspection and sorting. The main signs of quality are a fresh look and smell.
After selection, the bunch must be divided into shares, cleaned, rinsed with water and laid out on a clean towel to dry.
Fruit clusters (druzes) are conveniently washed and dried in a colander
At the end of the preparatory stage, the mushrooms must be processed in the chosen way or placed in storage.
To extend the shelf life of the product, it can be frozen. Freezing allows you to save the useful qualities of fruits for up to six months. Pre-boiled oyster mushrooms in salt water can be stored in the freezer for 60 to 90 days longer. The temperature should be maintained at a stable level of -18 degrees. Secondary freezing is not allowed
Fresh cooling, as a way to preserve oyster mushrooms, is used for a short period, not exceeding 5 days. They quickly fall into disrepair.
It is customary to store fresh food in the refrigerator until further preparation. The shelf life of heat-treated blanks is also extended by refrigeration.
How to store oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator
Cool moist air is the optimal environment for the preservation of oyster mushrooms. The temperature regime in the refrigerator usually ranges from +2 to +10 degrees and is considered suitable. Additional moisture, compliance with packaging requirements and rules for the placement of mushrooms can extend the period of possible consumption. To avoid foreign odors, the container must be hermetically sealed.
How to store fresh oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator
To keep oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator, you need to skillfully prepare them, pack and place them in the chamber.
Selected samples must be cleaned. This does not require any special tricks. The fruits are rarely contaminated due to the fact that they grow on trees. The cleaned shares are washed under a shower or running water, allowed to drain excess moisture and dry naturally on a clean surface.
Prepared oyster mushrooms must be packed in a suitable container, which must be clean and dry. Mushrooms should be placed freely and so that the laying height does not exceed 25 cm. This will prevent mold and mustiness. It is better to store fruits in small portions.
As packaging for storage in the refrigerator, you can use:
- Plastic container;
- plastic bag;
- substrate for products and food film;
- parchment paper.
Hermetically sealed plastic containers are the best option. Oyster mushrooms are neatly stacked, the container is closed and placed on the shelf of the refrigerator.
A tight plastic bag is also suitable for storage. It is preferable to purchase a securely closed zip bag. With this method of packaging, the fruits are not placed tightly, in one layer. The air should be released as much as possible, the bag should be hermetically sealed with a zip fastener. To tightly seal a regular bag, you need to tie it around the edges.
It is allowed to store oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator on a disposable pallet. Cleaned, washed, dried fruiting bodies are loosely laid on a substrate and wrapped tightly with cling film. The wrapping protects the product from foreign odors and prevents drying out.
It is convenient to store fresh oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator on a disposable substrate
In order to preserve the original appearance and freshness of oyster mushrooms as much as possible, it is recommended to wrap each fruit with paper. Pre-prepared shares are wrapped in paper and placed in a container that is tightly closed. In case of insufficient or doubtful tightness of the container, you can additionally use cling film.
How to store heat-treated oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator
After heat treatment, oyster mushrooms are placed in sterilized glass jars, hermetically sealed, without air access. To provide a vacuum, they are rolled up or twisted with metal lids.
Glass containers with tight-fitting glass lids with an integrated metal clip are suitable for storing workpieces.
Banks are placed in the refrigerator. The temperature should be kept in the range from 0 to +8 degrees.
How long do oyster mushrooms last in the refrigerator?
The shelf life of oyster mushrooms is determined by the type of processing and the temperature regime of the refrigerator.
Fresh mushrooms at a temperature of +4 to +8 degrees can be stored for no more than 3 days, after which they must be eaten or put into further processing. At a temperature of +2 degrees, they are allowed to be stored for up to 5 days, subject to their careful preparation, sorting and proper packaging.
When the temperature drops to -2 degrees, it is allowed to store fresh oyster mushrooms for 3 weeks. But in ordinary conditions, when other products are stored in the refrigerator, this mode is not set. The conditions are more applicable to wholesale storage of mushrooms using a separate chamber.
You can store oyster mushrooms that have been previously thermally processed in the refrigerator for a longer time. The shelf life of pickled mushrooms is 6 – 12 months, depending on the characteristics of the preparation. Boiling in the marinade increases the shelf life of the blanks compared to the method of pouring boiled parts with marinade.
Conclusion
If it is not possible to quickly process mushrooms after picking or buying, you can store oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator. So that the mushrooms do not lose their taste, aroma and valuable qualities during this period, it is necessary to properly prepare them for storage and take a responsible approach to packaging. Compliance with simple rules will allow you to enjoy a useful product even in a delayed time.