Ryzhik is considered to be one of the most delicious mushrooms. They can be prepared in many ways, mixed with other ingredients, added to dishes. But if the mushrooms are bitter, this may affect the taste of the finished treat. Therefore, you need to find out why bitterness arises, how to get rid of it.

Are redheads bitter

A bitter taste is characteristic of many varieties of mushrooms. Ryzhik is no exception, as they can have an unpleasant aftertaste that affects taste. This is due to the composition, which includes substances that can give bitterness. In most cases, the unpleasant aftertaste is enhanced by heat treatment.

Why mushrooms are bitter: frozen, salted, boiled, fried

Why mushroom mushrooms are bitter

It is believed that the conditions where the mushrooms grew influence the taste. Their caps have a porous structure that absorbs substances contained in the air, water and soil.

Important! If raw mushrooms are very bitter when fresh, it is better not to use them for food. A sharp taste indicates that they were collected near highways, industrial enterprises, where toxic substances are contained in the air and soil.

Mild bitterness is considered the norm. Some culinary specialists regard this taste as a kind of zest that can emphasize the unique taste of mushrooms. But more often, when cooking, they strive so that they do not taste bitter. First of all, you need to understand why this happens, since the ways to eliminate bitterness depend on the cause.

Why mushrooms are bitter after freezing

Usually, freshly picked mushrooms are frozen. They can be bitter on their own – this is considered the norm if the unpleasant aftertaste is mild.

Why mushrooms are bitter: frozen, salted, boiled, fried

Causes of bitterness in a frozen product:

  • growth in contaminated soil;
  • growth in close proximity to coniferous trees;
  • freezing preparation.

It should also be taken into account that exposure to low temperatures also affects the structure of tissues and may affect the taste. Bitterness can be provoked by improper storage temperature, improper proximity to other frozen foods.

Why salty mushrooms are bitter

Salting is considered one of the best ways to preserve mushrooms for a long period of time. Situations when salted mushrooms are bitter are not uncommon.

Causes of bitterness in pickled mushrooms:

  • salting in aluminum, plastic, ceramic containers (it is strictly forbidden to freeze food in them);
  • incorrect preprocessing;
  • ingress of foreign components into the brine;
  • violation of cooking technology;
  • storage in the wrong conditions;
  • expiration date.

Another possible reason is excess salt in the marinade. Experienced chefs advise adding no more than 40-50 g of salt per 1 kg of mushrooms. Thanks to this, they are impregnated, stored for a long time and will not deteriorate.

Why mushrooms are bitter after frying

Fried mushrooms are always appropriate on the everyday and festive table. Only a bitter aftertaste can spoil the impression of the dish. If fried mushrooms are bitter, they may not have been cooked correctly. In addition, the taste indicates violations during storage and processing of mushrooms.

Important! Ryzhik cannot be kept fresh for a long time. They begin to quickly deteriorate and become moldy, which also leads to the fact that they are bitter.

Bitterness can be provoked by:

  • frying in low-quality oil;
  • adding incompatible spices, dressings;
  • temperature violation.

Proper preparation eliminates the possibility of bitterness. Therefore, you should strictly follow the recipe and add to the mushrooms only those components that go well with them.

Why boiled mushrooms are bitter

Boiled mushrooms are considered a simple and very tasty snack. As a rule, after cooking, they do not give a bitter taste, but there are exceptions.

The reasons are as follows:

  • improper cleaning;
  • poor quality of water for cooking;
  • adding spices;
  • violation of the cooking process.

The condition of fungi is adversely affected by climatic conditions. Hot dry weather contributes to the onset of rotting in the structure of the fruiting bodies, which causes an unpleasant aftertaste. Therefore, you should figure out what to do so that the mushrooms do not taste bitter after cooking.

How to remove bitterness from mushrooms

If the finished mushrooms turned out to be bitter, actions are taken to eliminate bitterness. However, it should be remembered that not in all cases, ready-made mushrooms can be rid of the taste.

The easiest way to remove bitterness from salted mushrooms. Such mushrooms are not subjected to heat treatment, so the likelihood of damage is reduced. They last longer than fresh ones, so the chance of rotting and mold is minimized.

If the mushrooms are bitter after salting, you need to transfer them to a colander, rinse thoroughly in plenty of water. It is recommended to make sure that all salt and spices are washed off. Then the mushrooms need to be boiled for 5 minutes, cooled and then salted again.

Why mushrooms are bitter: frozen, salted, boiled, fried

If mushrooms are bitter after frying, it is recommended to stew them slightly. To do this, use sour cream or tomato paste in small quantities. The dish is stewed under a lid over low heat for 20-30 minutes. After that, the bitterness should pass.

Important! To remove bitterness, you can add garlic or chopped herbs to the dish. They interrupt the bitter taste and improve the taste of mushrooms. It is impossible to soak a fried dish in water, as re-cooking will become impossible.

What to do so that the mushrooms are not bitter

The main way to prevent the appearance of bitterness is competent preparation for cooking. It is recommended to sort through all the mushrooms, remove those that begin to deteriorate, are damaged. Then they are washed in water, the remnants of soil, grass, and small litter are removed. Care is required during this procedure, as they are sensitive to mechanical stress and can be damaged. Next, so that the dish does not taste bitter, you should boil the mushrooms.

Stages of preparation:

  1. Place in a pot with water.
  2. Bring to a boil and remove the resulting foam.
  3. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
  4. Cook for 7-10 minutes.
  5. Remove the pan from the stove, drain the water and let it drain.
Important! To surely prevent the appearance of bitterness, boil, periodically changing the water to fresh. This removes liquid with substances that cause an unpleasant aftertaste, and they do not penetrate back into the mushrooms.

Correctly salt mushrooms so that they do not taste bitter, you need according to the following recipe:

  1. The cleaned, washed mushrooms are dried on a towel.
  2. 100 g of salt, 30 peppercorns, 4 cloves of garlic are placed at the bottom of the container.
  3. Spread 2 kg of mushrooms on top of the spices, sprinkle with salt on top.
  4. The container is covered with gauze, left at a temperature of up to 20 degrees.
  5. Salting lasts 2 weeks, after which the finished product is laid out in jars.

Why mushrooms are bitter: frozen, salted, boiled, fried

This is a cold pickling method, which is very popular. The pickle prepared by the presented method is stored for about two years. You can use a hot pickling recipe that provides for pre-heat treatment

Salted mushrooms//Simple recipe

Conclusion

If mushrooms are bitter, it is recommended to use the methods described to eliminate bitterness. An unpleasant aftertaste can greatly affect the taste of the finished dish, and in some cases ruin it. So that the mushrooms do not taste bitter, they must be properly processed before the main cooking process. It is important to follow the recipe and add only compatible ingredients to mushrooms.

Leave a Reply