Redheads turn black: why, how to salt so that they do not darken

Mushrooms are the most popular representatives of agaric mushrooms. They contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to humans. Due to their high protein content, they are popular among vegetarians. Fruiting bodies are universal in terms of culinary processing: they are fried, boiled, harvested for the winter. There are many recipes for salting and pickling mushrooms. They contain milky juice, which oxidizes during processing, so every housewife wants to pickle mushrooms so that they do not darken, how to do this will be discussed below.

Why, when pickling mushrooms, the brine is black

Salting is the most popular way of processing mushrooms. The product is ready for use in 2 weeks. The color of mushrooms during growth is bright orange, but when salted, mushrooms may turn black. This does not mean that the product has deteriorated. If there is no mold or sour smell of fermentation, it is quite usable.

The brine can darken for several reasons:

1. Ryzhik differ in color: spruce darker, pine orange. When salting, the first ones always darken. If two varieties are placed in one container, the pine ones will also darken.
2. If the fruiting bodies were not completely covered with liquid, the part that was on the surface changes color under the influence of oxygen. Such a product loses its presentation, but retains its taste.
3. The mushrooms will have a black brine if the proportions of the recipe are not observed during processing and a large amount of spices are present in the workpiece. For example, an excess of dry dill seeds will change the color of the brine and darken the product.
4. If mushrooms are not processed immediately after harvest, they will darken. If they were in the air for a long time after processing, the milky juice oxidizes and turns green on the sections. After salting, the liquid may darken.
5. Harvest harvested in a zone with poor ecology contains not only useful substances, but also carcinogens. When salting such raw materials, the brine will definitely darken.
6. When collecting, it is recommended to avoid damage to the fruiting bodies. If they lie tightly in the container, the squeezing areas darken, after salting, the areas will darken even more and change the color of the liquid.
7. The water may darken if the seal is broken. If the container was opened and it stood at a high temperature for a long time. This product is not suitable for further consumption.

How to salt mushrooms so that they do not darken

There are two ways to pickle mushrooms – cold and hot. The classic salting recipe does not provide for boiling the fruiting bodies. Basic rules for salting mushrooms so that they do not darken:

1. Do not mix mushrooms collected at different times in one container. It is recommended that processing be carried out immediately after collection. With a sponge or a clean napkin, fragments of dry leaves, herbs are removed from the fruiting body, and the bottom of the leg is cut off. Mushrooms are not washed, but immediately begin to pickle so that the processed raw materials are not exposed to air.
2. If the fruits are heavily clogged, they are washed in water with the addition of citric acid and dipped in boiling water for 10 minutes so that the mushrooms do not darken during salting and the color of the liquid does not change. Soaking the raw material is not recommended, because it may darken, which will make the workpiece unattractive.
3. The sequence of processing is observed: the raw materials are laid in layers and sprinkled with salt, gauze, a wooden circle and a load are placed on top. Under pressure, juice will appear, completely covering the workpiece.
4. Store the container at a temperature not higher than +10 ⁰C in a shaded area. Higher temperatures lead to a reduction in the shelf life of the blanks.
5. If further storage will be in glass jars, before packing, the jars are washed with baking soda and poured over with boiling water. Mushrooms are laid and poured with brine, in which they were salted, tightly closed with nylon lids.
6. Metal caps oxidize when in contact with liquid, which can also cause discoloration.
7. So that the brine in the mushrooms does not darken, a minimum of spices is used during salting.

Store the product in a wooden, enameled or glass container, observing the temperature regime. Storage at high temperatures can cause fermentation, making the mushrooms unfit for consumption.

Is it possible to eat mushrooms if they have darkened

Changing the color of fruiting bodies during salting is a natural process. Spruce mushrooms naturally have a dark hat, after processing they will turn dark brown (sometimes with a blue tint) – this is normal. If different types are cooked together, all fruits can darken.

When using hot salting technology, the fruiting bodies will become dark already in the process of processing, boiled mushrooms will be darker than those harvested in a cold way.

Color is not an indicator of the quality of the product; when salting mushrooms, the brine may turn black if the sequence and proportions of the recipe are not followed.

What to do if the saffron mushrooms turn black

Signs that you need to take action to save the workpiece:

• the appearance of foam on the surface means that the liquid has begun to ferment;
• the fruiting bodies of the upper layer turned black, the caps became slippery;
• mold appeared;
• the brine emits a sour or musty odor.

Mushrooms are distinguished by a high rate of protein in the fruiting body, so the spoiled product has the smell of decomposition and acid. This product is not recycled. In other cases:

1. Mushrooms are taken out of the container.
2. Throw away the top layer.
3. The rest are washed in water with the addition of salt.
4. The old brine is poured out.
5. The container is washed with baking soda.
6. Treated with boiling water.
7. The mushrooms are laid in layers.
8. Sprinkle with salt.
9. Boil water, cool and add to the container so that the workpiece is completely covered.
10. They put the load.
11. Cleaned up in a cool place.

You can package the blank in sterilized glass jars using the same technology.

If there is no musty smell, and mold has appeared on the surface, the mushrooms are washed, boiled for 10 minutes so that the spores die and are processed according to the method described above. If the product is stored in a small container, it can be used for frying or cooking first courses. Pre-fruiting bodies are washed in cold, then in hot water, left for 1 hour for soaking and used.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to pickle mushrooms so that they do not darken if you follow the recommendations for processing. Do not leave the crop for a long time in the air. After cutting off the damaged areas and the remains of the mycelium, the product is immediately salted so that the milky juice does not turn blue and spoil the color of the brine. It is allowed to store the workpiece at a temperature not higher than +10^°C in a dark room. The product will retain its taste and nutritional value for a long time, and will become a useful addition.