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There may be several reasons why butternuts turned purple after cooking. To understand what the color change is talking about and whether something can be done, you need to understand the features of these mushrooms.
Why do butternut squash turn purple when cooked?
Every mushroom picker should know that this variety of mushrooms usually does not change color after heat treatment. In the process of boiling, it is not characterized by the appearance of blue, lilac, brown shades.
If the butter dish turns purple during cooking, this indicates an incorrectly chosen cooking method. Legs and caps darken from too long heat treatment. With prolonged heating together with water, the vegetable protein is destroyed, an unusual blue appears in the boiled mushroom raw material. Such a change may also depend on the area of growth, when the composition of the soil and illumination can affect the peculiarity of the course of chemical reactions during heat treatment.
Pickled butternuts turn purple when cooked due to numerous additives in the form of spices, garlic, onions, and peppers. To avoid this, you need to boil the product several times, while the first water must be drained. It is recommended to add vinegar and a pinch of citric acid to the marinade.
Other mushrooms are the first reason why boletus darkens during heat treatment
The main reason for the sudden change in color of mushrooms to dark or purple after cooking is the ingress of other species into the basket that are outwardly similar to boletus. Among the twins, goats (goats, or lattices) can be distinguished, which are easy to confuse when collecting. This is also an edible variety, which tastes almost the same as the “original”.
Other forest plants also have the ability to change color, including:
- The Moss
- Grabovik
False oilers turn black already at the cleaning stage. They differ from real representatives in a different structure of the cap: under it is not a sponge, but plates.
Violation of the rules of cooking – the second reason why the oil turned purple
The oil dish turns purple due to improper processing technology. In order for the product to retain its original appearance after boiling, you need to cook it following simple rules:
- large ripe fruits are cleaned of the film;
- legs and caps are brought to a boil in clean water;
- boil no more than 5 – 10 minutes;
- throw the mushroom mass into a colander;
- pour salted water, after boiling boil for 15 – 25 minutes, depending on the size of the fruit.
During the cooking process, a film may appear on the surface, which must be removed with a slotted spoon. The recommendation to change the water is due to the fact that, as decomposers, oils absorb radiation and heavy metals, but they are destroyed during the first boil.
Is it worth worrying if the butternuts turn purple during cooking?
Inexperienced mushroom pickers are alarmed by the fact that the collected prey changes its color to purple when cooking. This may well happen with edible specimens if you cook them for more than a quarter of an hour. Do not worry if the selected product has all the varietal characteristics. Purple oil obtained after cooking does not threaten human health and retains its usual taste.
What to do so that the oil does not turn black
It is especially unpleasant when the mushroom mass darkens in a jar after salting. The finished product does not look aesthetically pleasing, and the appearance of the dish does not cause appetite. Experienced foresters advise adding a little citric acid and vinegar to the marinade. Before serving the roast, sprinkle the dish with lemon juice. This will give a subtle sour taste and keep the oil looking great.
How to cook boletus so as not to darken
Cooking the product is recommended before any kind of further use:
- before frying;
- freezing;
- cutting for salads;
- for soup.
So that the oil does not darken during cooking, there are some tips for the hostess:
- Mushroom raw materials should be kept in boiling water for no more than 30 minutes.
- Before frying, the boiling time must be reduced to 15 minutes.
- It is important to defrost the frozen billet first, and then cook it in the same way as fresh mushrooms.
- Before freezing, the oil must be boiled a little, dried, and put into bags. It is permissible to harvest raw fruits.
- When preparing soup, the first water must be drained, and the next broth will be the basis of the dish. Boiling time should not exceed 30 minutes.
- When cooking, add 1 tsp. citric acid.
- In a slow cooker, it is recommended to stew butter for about 40 minutes.
There is no need to worry if the butter mushrooms turn purple after cooking: all the taste characteristics of the mushrooms will remain unchanged, and the dish will come out as appetizing as usual.
Conclusion
The phenomenon when butternuts turn purple after cooking occurs among this type of mushroom for a number of reasons, including violation of the rules of heat treatment, features of their places of growth, and other factors. If you are confident in the varietal characteristics, you should not be afraid in this case, since the change in color does not affect the taste and does not indicate the toxicity of the mushrooms. To avoid annoying blue, it is important to know the rules for cooking the product.
