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Large harvests of quiet hunting raise the question of the safety of the product before a person. You can store porcini mushrooms in several ways. Depending on the expected period, the conditions for keeping mushrooms may change.
Where to store porcini mushrooms
In order for the product not to lose its consumer qualities for a long time, care must be taken to create suitable conditions for its preservation. There are several classic ways to store fresh porcini mushrooms. The most popular are:
- cooking;
- drying;
- freezing.
Depending on the chosen method, porcini mushrooms are stored in different ways. The boiled product is put in the refrigerator for several days. Frozen mushrooms are stored in the freezer in plastic containers or plastic bags. Dried mushroom pieces are allowed to be stored at room temperature, provided that the correct conditions are provided in the room.
How long are porcini mushrooms stored
A freshly harvested crop needs to be processed as soon as possible. Over time, the taste characteristics of the fruit begin to deteriorate. If timely measures are not taken to preserve the crop, porcini mushrooms can deteriorate and harm the human body.
It should be understood that high air temperature indoors or outdoors can accelerate the decay of the product. Do not store porcini mushrooms after harvesting in closed bags. In such cases, they begin to actively release toxic substances.
Depending on the chosen storage method, product expiration dates may vary.
How long can fresh porcini mushrooms be stored
Before storing mushrooms for storage, it is necessary to carry out their primary processing. It is worth carefully sorting them out to remove spoiled and rotten specimens. Each mushroom is washed with running water, removing particles of leaves and dirt accumulated on it. Using a knife, the lower part of the leg and damaged areas of the fruiting body are removed.
After that, porcini mushrooms are washed again with water and wiped with a napkin or paper towel. Dried fruiting bodies are placed in a plastic container, covered with gauze and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. To store them in this way, a constant temperature of no more than 2 degrees is required.
Under such conditions, mushrooms are able to retain their taste and useful properties for up to 2 days. Usually this time is enough to resolve the issue with further processing of the product. If you store them in this way for more than 7 days, toxic substances begin to accumulate in the hats.
How long to store boiled porcini mushrooms in the refrigerator
Cooking allows you to kill almost all the harmful substances contained in mushrooms, thereby slightly extending the shelf life of porcini mushrooms. Fruiting bodies washed and cleaned of dirt are cut into large pieces and poured with water. The average boiling time is about half an hour.
The liquid is drained, and the fruiting bodies are transferred to a plastic container and put in the refrigerator. At a temperature of 2-4 degrees they are stored for up to 3-4 days. There is a great way to extend the shelf life of the product – immediately after cooking it is laid out in a sterilized glass jar and tightly covered with a lid. In this case, mushrooms can withstand up to 6-7 days at the right temperature.
How long to store dry porcini mushrooms
Drying allows you to repeatedly increase the shelf life of any product. Depriving of moisture, porcini mushrooms completely stop the processes of decay. Such a semi-finished product is not too demanding on environmental conditions. There are several ways to prepare it:
- drying in the sun;
- drying in the oven;
- using an electric dryer.
Drying can significantly increase the shelf life of the product
Regardless of the harvesting method, it is best to store the semi-finished product in a cloth bag that will allow natural ventilation. At room temperature, dried porcini mushrooms are stored for up to six months. In dry, darkened rooms with low temperatures, their shelf life can reach up to 9-12 months.
How long to store frozen porcini mushrooms
The most popular way to preserve large yields of silent hunting is freezing. In this form, fruiting bodies can be easily stored until the next harvest. Experienced housewives are advised to boil pre-treated porcini mushrooms. The average cooking time before freezing is 15-20 minutes.
After that, the water is drained, the mushrooms are wiped dry with a paper towel or dried. They are laid out on a large cutting board or baking sheet so that there is a small distance between the pieces. Then porcini mushrooms are placed in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
The finished semi-finished product is taken out and laid out in plastic bags or containers and put back into the freezer. At an average temperature of -15 degrees, mushrooms can be stored for up to a year. Cooler temperatures make the shelf life of frozen porcini mushrooms virtually indefinite.
It is important to remember that the mushroom flavor eventually leaves the frozen product. After a year of storage, mushrooms will lose their noble aroma and taste like less valuable mushrooms. It is best to store them in this way for no more than 5-6 months.
How to save white mushroom
There are various situations where it is necessary to maintain the freshness of food for a certain period of time. Most often this happens when the crops are too large, when it is not possible to process the collected mushrooms as quickly as possible. Depending on such situations, it is necessary to choose the right strategy for preserving the fruits of quiet hunting.
It is not uncommon for forays into the forest to drag on for a day or more. Experienced mushroom pickers in such cases are advised to cover the bottom of the basket or bucket with a layer of moss collected in the forest. It will provide protection from high temperatures and improve natural ventilation. For the best effect, the basket is also covered with moss on top and sprinkled with fresh needles.
The fresh harvest of silent hunting should be processed as quickly as possible
If it is necessary to save the crop already at home, you should pay attention to the desired storage conditions. Depending on the estimated time frame, you can use different methods. It is important to remember that fruiting bodies begin to deteriorate rather quickly, so delaying can completely destroy abundant crops.
How to save porcini mushrooms for a day
Most often, the question of short-term conservation of the nutrients of the product is at high yields, when the hostess is physically unable to process the collected volume of mushrooms. Despite the seemingly insignificant time frame, storing fresh porcini mushrooms at home at room temperature is highly undesirable. High relative humidity and temperature above 22-24 degrees for 5-6 hours will start irreversible processes of their deterioration.
Pre-treated porcini mushrooms are wiped dry and put in the refrigerator. It is worth covering the container with them with gauze or a paper towel to avoid the ingress of unwanted microorganisms. If it is possible to transfer the crop to a cellar or a cold basement, this method will allow you to save porcini mushrooms without problems for a day or even 3 days.
How to save porcini mushrooms for a week
Unlike short-term or maximum long-term storage, keeping mushrooms fresh for a period of 7 days is a rather difficult task. After 3 days in the refrigerator, porcini mushrooms will begin to release substances that are toxic to the human body, so you have to resort to various culinary tricks. The most popular include boiling with subsequent maintenance in a sterile closed container. Can be left in water with ice cubes.
Boiled mushrooms are laid out in a large plastic container. They are mixed with ice cubes and cold water and left in the refrigerator. Thanks to this, a constant temperature of up to +1 degree is maintained in the container. The main thing is not to forget to replace the melting ice once a day.
How to save porcini mushrooms for the winter
Freezing is the best way to prolong the freshness of mushrooms
Long-term storage allows you to enjoy the taste of the gifts of summer even in the cold winter months. With the right method, the mushroom taste and bright aroma will last for quite a long time. Since it is not possible to keep the product fresh for a long time, a compromise has to be made using drying and freezing methods.
Both methods will retain most of the useful properties of a fresh product. However, it should be remembered that long-term storage reduces the noble mushroom aroma. Since drying allows you to get a semi-finished product sooner, experienced housewives advise resorting to freezing. Fresh or boiled mushrooms are placed in the freezer and, using the “shock freezing” mode, turn them into a product that will easily survive several winter months.
Tips from experienced mushroom pickers
Very often, short shelf life and sudden deterioration of the product can be caused by improper preparation. Some housewives lose sight of the fact that small worms and small insects can accumulate inside white mushrooms. Experienced mushroom pickers advise soaking fruiting bodies in lightly salted cold water for 6-12 hours before storage. During this time, pests will completely leave mushrooms.
If a longer preservation of the product is implied, it is worth using some tricks when freezing. When boiling porcini mushrooms, you can add a small amount of citric acid or juice to the water. The components that make up their composition, when interacting with the mushroom surface, make its color and structure more attractive. The pieces become whiter and denser.
Conclusion
Keeping porcini mushrooms at home for their further use is quite simple. Depending on the desired shelf life of the nutritional qualities of the product, you can resort to various methods of maintaining freshness. If you follow the advice of experienced housewives, then you can enjoy the noble mushroom taste and aroma for many months.
