Is it possible to dry white mushroom. How to understand that dried mushrooms are ready? Microwave Drying Technique

A detailed article on how to properly dry mushrooms.

One of better ways long-term preservation of taste and nutritional qualities mushrooms is their drying, which is usually subjected to tubular mushrooms. In some mushrooms, the caps and parts of the legs are dried, in others - only the caps. It is best to dry porcini mushrooms. But now, in addition to porcini mushrooms, they also dry boletus, boletus, boletus, goats and mossiness mushrooms. Lamellar ones are usually not dried, since many of them contain a bitter milky juice and retain bitterness when dry. In addition, dry agaric mushrooms it is difficult and even impossible to distinguish from each other, and most importantly - from poisonous ones. That is why the sanitary supervision authorities prohibit the sale of such mushrooms in shops and collective farm markets. However, at home, for their own needs and harvesting for the future, the population dries mushrooms and chanterelles. Morels and stitches are also dried, but the oven cannot be used for this, as they burn easily. Morels and lines can be eaten only after two months of storage.

Do not dry old mushrooms: they may contain toxins.

It is very important to determine the end point of mushroom drying. Under-dried mushrooms can quickly become moldy, over-dried mushrooms break easily, are excessively hard, do not soak in water and do not even boil soft, they are tasteless. Well-dried mushrooms are slightly bent, relatively easy to break, but do not crumble. People say: "Dry mushrooms for the future, but do not overdry."

Dried mushrooms are very hygroscopic, they absorb moisture from the surrounding air, easily become damp and moldy. In addition, they quickly absorb foreign odors. That's why they should be stored in dry, well-ventilated areas at a temperature of 10-15 ° C and best in canvas bags or in food bags from thick paper.

It is often recommended to store them in tightly closed glass or metal jars, but in these cases, “living creatures” sometimes start up in the mushrooms. Before cooking dried mushrooms it is good to hold for several hours in salted milk - they will become as fresh. Dried chanterelles are better boiled soft, if you add a little baking soda to the water.

Depending on the type, size and commercial qualities, dried mushrooms are divided into 3 main varieties:
1) white sliced ​​​​(preserving aroma and nutritional qualities);
2) legs of white mushrooms;
3) a mixture of mushrooms (boletus, boletus, mossiness mushrooms, goats), bearing the name "Dried black mushrooms" in the trade.

Preparing mushrooms for drying

Only strong, undamaged mushrooms are suitable for drying. They are thoroughly cleaned of needles, leaves, earth and various litter, wiped with a dry cloth. They should not be washed or moistened - this complicates drying and reduces the quality of products (drying, the mushrooms darken and lose their aroma).

Peeled mushrooms are sorted, sorted by size and quality. Then, in boletus, boletus, goatlings, oil, mossiness mushrooms, the leg is cut flush with the hat, and in porcini mushrooms, only the lower part of the leg. In this case, it is recommended to use bone or horn knives, since metal mushrooms turn black. White fresh mushrooms cut (together a hat with a leg) along sharp knife into pieces with a thickness of not more than 10-15 mm. The slices are laid out in one row on sieves and dried in a room protected from rain, then dried in an oven or dryer.

Sometimes the legs of porcini mushrooms are dried separately from the caps. Having cleared of litter, they are cut lengthwise into plates with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm.

At large blanks the legs are passed through a mushroom cutting machine. Dry them in the same way as hats with legs.

About one tenth (by weight) of dry caps of porcini mushrooms, cut into thin plates, is added to the dried legs for taste. To speed up drying, the caps of large black mushrooms are cut in half or into four parts.

Drying methods

There are many ways to dry mushrooms: in dryers, Russian ovens, ovens, in the sun, etc. But not all of them are acceptable. In rural areas, for example, porcini and other mushrooms are often dried in Russian ovens on a bare floor. As a result, poor-quality products are obtained from excellent raw materials. Mushrooms become contaminated, covered with ash, dry out unevenly, become unflavored and tasteless. In other cases, mushrooms are strung on a twig (willow, sometimes birch, aspen, juniper or other) and placed edgewise in the oven on a hearth to dry. The lower edges of the mushrooms, touching the hearth, burn, dry out and get dirty in the ashes. It is clear that such methods of drying mushrooms should not be used. Exit dried mushrooms makes up 10-12% of the fresh weight.

Drying in a Russian oven
So that when drying in a Russian oven, the mushrooms do not burn and do not get dirty, after heating it, they clean it from coals and ash with a wet washcloth. After some time, a thin layer of rye straw is laid on the floor and mushrooms are placed on it with their hats down. You can use for drying and iron baking sheets (sheets). They are also covered with a layer of straw, on top of which the mushrooms are placed with their hats down so that they do not touch. Without straw bedding, mushrooms burn and acquire an unpleasant aftertaste. Devices are also used for drying mushrooms in the oven. For example, mushrooms are strung through the middle of the cap on thin tinned wire or from of stainless steel knitting needles (ramrods) stuck into wooden planks, which are then placed in the oven on edge, in the form of gable roofs.

Mushrooms on knitting needles are dried without touching the hearth. The oven temperature must be maintained between 40 and 60°C. The heat covers the mushrooms on the spokes from all sides evenly.

On the first day, the mushrooms are only dried, on the second (at the same temperature) they are dried. At the same time, they do not burn, do not become dirty, do not dry out, they only slightly lose their smell.

There is another way. Thin wooden knitting needles are made from 20 to 30 cm long. Large mushrooms are strung on long knitting needles, small ones on short ones. The lower ends of the needles are stuck into a box with dry sand and put in the oven.

Small mushrooms dry faster, large ones slower; accordingly, the former are taken out of the oven earlier, the latter later. At the same time, the mushrooms remain clean and dry evenly.

Drying in the oven
Thick paper is laid on metal baking sheets, clean twigs or sticks chopped from wood are placed on it in not very dense rows, and on top - mushrooms in one layer, with caps down.

Drying is carried out at the same temperature as in the Russian oven. The oven door is kept ajar.

Drying over a hot stove
At home, you can also dry mushrooms over a hot stove, at the hot wall of a Russian or Dutch oven, strung on threads or twine.

Drying in rotary dryers
Mushrooms are poured onto galvanized nets, which are placed in a drying chamber and rotated on a carousel. First, the mushrooms are dried at a temperature of 37 to 50 ° C, then it is raised to 60-80 ° C and finally dried. The duration of drying in special dryers is 4-6 hours.

Drying in the sun
On hot, cloudless days, mushrooms can be dried in the sun. To do this, piercing the mushrooms with a needle through the middle of the legs and caps, string them (first large, then smaller ones) in 50 or more pieces on strong threads, after which they hang them on stands in the sun at some distance from each other and stand until completely dried. For drying in the sun, you can also use specially made coasters with metal rods (ramrods), stringing mushrooms on them. After placing the mushrooms in a sunny place, they are covered with gauze to protect them from dust and flies. Sufficiently sun-dried mushrooms are cleaned in a dry room. The same is done with the onset of cloudy weather, an increase in air humidity. Mushrooms are dried in a Russian oven, oven or over a hot stove. This, as a rule, is necessary in the conditions of the northwestern and even central regions of our country, since it is not always possible to dry mushrooms well in the sun here. Stitches and morels (morel cap) are dried only in the air-solar method. When dried in ovens, they burn, and during storage they quickly become moldy, as a result of which they lose their nutritional qualities. These mushrooms, cleaned of forest debris, are wiped with a damp cloth to remove sand and earth. Then they are strung on threads or laid out on sieves and placed under a canopy in a well-ventilated place for drying. After some time, dried mushrooms are transferred to the sun. Dried stitches and morels should be intact, free of impurities, not overgrown, well dried, with a moisture content of no more than 14%. The best dried mushrooms are obtained when they are heat treatment goes through two stages. First, the prepared mushrooms are exposed to a relatively low temperature - within 30-50 ° C - for 1-3 hours. At the same time, they are dried due to the evaporation of a significant part of the surface moisture. Then drying is continued at a higher temperature - 70-80 ° C, which should not be exceeded, since the quality of the product deteriorates, and porcini mushrooms, in addition, turn black.

Mushrooms are usually dried at a temperature of 50-60 ° C, that is, in a light heat.

During drying, a constant supply of fresh air to the mushrooms and the removal of the moisture they release must be ensured, for which the pipe and damper of the Russian stove, the door oven keep open. The use of various devices in this case (sieves, boards or a box of sand with vertically standing knitting needles, etc.) allows not only to avoid pollution, but also to improve the conditions for drying mushrooms, since heated air flows around them from all sides.

By the way

If dried mushrooms crumble during storage, do not throw away the crumbs. Pound them into powder and store in a well-sealed glass jar in a dry cool place. This powder can be used to make mushroom sauces and broths.

Autumn is the season for picking and drying mushrooms. It is not only a great pastime fresh air but also rest. In the midst of the mushroom season, you can pick up a huge basket of mushrooms. Great solution for their storage are blanks in banks. But sometimes, in winter time want to taste fragrant mushroom soup, which will remind you of the time spent in the forest. Pickles are not suitable for this. You need to dry the mushrooms, but you should know the right technology this process.

Experienced housewives always save food rather than throwing them away. If fresh mushrooms remain after cooking, then they can be dried in slices or whole. Dried blanks can be used to prepare various dishes.

Knowing the correct drying will allow you to understand how to properly dry mushrooms at home. Taking into account the characteristics of a particular type and methods of preparation, it is possible to calculate the time, that need to be spent on this process.

What types can be dried at home:

• Tubular - this is the best type for drying (butter, porcini mushrooms and others). After processing, all edible varieties will remain fragrant and tasty. Under the caps they have a spongy layer of small tubules.
• Marsupials (white truffles, morels). They have an unexpressed shape and spores that are located in bags. White truffle is a very expensive delicacy and is rarely used for drying. Morels dry for a couple of months outdoors. During this time, toxic substances will evaporate. Drinking before this time can be harmful to health.
• Lamellar (champignons, champignons, oyster mushrooms, mushrooms and others). Under the cap they have plates that are located in the radial direction. It is not recommended to choose volnushki, milk mushrooms or russula for drying, as they contain a lot of bitterness in the milky juice.
• Chanterelles (often confused with lamellar). They are characterized by the presence of folds of pulp, similar to plates. dried product has a bitter taste.
• Trutoviki - differ in branching (sheep and other varieties).

In addition to proper drying, you also need to select raw materials for harvesting. It is important not to miss the period when dried mushrooms are ready. Not finished product spoils very quickly, and overdried does not lend itself cooking. During drying, mushrooms lose 90% of their weight, so about 100 g of the finished product comes out of a kilogram of raw materials.

An important step is the preparation for this procedure. Mushrooms need to be carefully sorted out, cleaned. You should choose strong specimens without damage. Next, you need to clean them from dirt, wipe with a sponge, but do not wash with water so that the raw materials do not lose their aroma and taste. Then sort everything by size, cut off the lower part of the leg, separate the caps and cut into slices (1-1.5 cm) or pieces.

• In the sun. For drying in the fresh air, you need to choose sunny hot days. Raw materials are laid out on a tray, covered with gauze to avoid flies and dust. When the weather changes, the tray must be brought into the room. This method is suitable for drying whole specimens and allows you to dry them before processing in the oven. The duration of the process is from 2 days to a week. So that the mushrooms do not lose their natural color, they are removed from the sun after 48 hours.
• In the oven. To dry porcini mushrooms in the oven, you need to sort them out, clean them of dirt, cut off the lower part of the stem and cap, and wipe them with a sponge. then cut into thin plates. Drying in the oven is most convenient on a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet. Open the oven door to allow the moisture to evaporate faster. The temperature should be 40-60 degrees. Drying time up to 48 hours. To check the readiness, a piece of the mushroom is bent. It should bend a little and break easily.
• In an electric dryer. With such a device, you can easily dry porcini mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, champignons for the winter. For uniform drying, it is necessary to spread the prepared raw materials on special lattices of the device. First, dry at 40-50 degrees, then raise the temperature to 80 degrees. Drying takes 4-6 hours depending on the type of raw material.
• In the microwave. If there is no electric dryer, and it is not possible to decompose the raw materials in the air, then a microwave can be used. Drying mushrooms in this way has its own characteristics. First you need to cut the mushrooms into 5 mm slices, put them on a plate, turn on the timer for twenty minutes. Then open the door for ten minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate. After that, the session is repeated 4-5 times.
• On a thread or line. This method is old method harvesting mushrooms for the winter. Whole or sliced ​​mushrooms are used. The prepared raw material is strung on a needle with canvas or nylon thread. You can dry it in any ventilated and protected from dust and rain rooms. From insects, you can cover with gauze.
• In the oven. When drying porcini mushrooms in a Russian oven, burning should be avoided. To prevent this from happening, and also so that the raw materials do not get dirty and get rid of bad taste, after heating the stove, it is necessary to clean it of ash and coal with a wet washcloth. After some time, lay it under a thin layer of rye straw, put mushrooms on it with hats down.
• Iron trays are also used for drying. They also need to be covered with a layer of straw, and on top of it lay the mushrooms with their hats down so that they do not touch each other. Dry at a temperature of 40-60 degrees.

To dry raw materials in a Russian oven, it must be cut along the leg, and the hat in half.

There is another way to dry in the oven. You can string mushrooms through the middle of the cap on thin wire knitting needles. They need to be stuck into wooden planks, which are placed in the oven with an edge (in the form of a gable roof). So the mushrooms are dried without touching the hearth. The heat covers the raw materials on the knitting needles evenly from all sides. On the first day, the raw materials are only dried, and on the second, they are dried.

Champignons are the most popular type of mushrooms, which are sold all year round in fresh and frozen form, and therefore they are rarely dried.

The cleaned raw materials must be sorted by size, cut into pieces. Next, string on a thread so that the pieces do not touch. These "beads" must be hung indoors. Dry for a couple of days until ready.

Before drying oil, it is necessary to remove the skin, it is not eaten. You can dry the oil by any method..

It must be remembered that mushrooms absorb odors very easily, so you should not store them with odorous substances. Following the instructions, you can easily dry the mushrooms and enjoy them. great taste and aroma in the winter season.

Attention, only TODAY!

Experienced housewives do not throw away food, but keep everything for future use. For example, if there is a little left after cooking fresh mushrooms, they can be dried whole or in slices. You can use this product in dried form for soups, roasts or tasty meat.

How to dry mushrooms at home

Fragrant dried mushrooms unusual component for numerous first and second courses. They contain a lot of useful trace elements for the body. Modern housewives know many ways of harvesting this product for the future. Drying mushrooms at home can be done using special equipment or in the sun. To calculate the time for the procedure, it is important to take into account the characteristics of a particular type and method of preparation.

What mushrooms can be dried at home:

1. Tubular. This type is optimal for drying. Forest boletus, boletus, boletus, polish mushroom and other edible varieties after such processing remain fragrant and very tasty. Under the caps, this species has a spongy layer of small tubules.
2. marsupials. This variety includes white truffles and morels. They differ in their unexpressed shape and spores located in bags. White truffle is an expensive delicacy that is rarely used for drying. Morels are dried in the open air for several months. This time is needed for the evaporation of toxic substances. If you use the product earlier, it can be harmful to health.
3. Lamellar - another popular type. This variety includes champignons, mushrooms, pods, oyster mushrooms and others. Under the cap, agaric mushrooms have characteristic plates located in the radial direction. It is not recommended to choose milk mushrooms, waves or russula for drying because of great content bitterness in milky juice.
4. Chanterelles. Many people confuse this species with lamellar ones. Chanterelles are characterized by folds of pulp, similar to plates. The dried product has a bitter taste.
5. Polypores. This species is branched, it includes sheep and other varieties.

It is important not only to properly dry mushrooms or champignons, but also to select raw materials for harvesting. Some people think that only tubular ones are suitable for this. However, lamellar ones are also sometimes used for drying, for example, mushrooms are very common in Russia and are suitable for harvesting for the winter. In addition, it is important not to miss the moment when dried chanterelles or boletus are ready. An overdried product cannot be cooked, and an unprepared product quickly deteriorates. During the drying process, mushrooms lose 90% of their weight, so about 100 g of dry mushrooms or champignons come out of 1 kg of raw materials.

Another milestone is preparation for the procedure. The more carefully sorted and cleaned mushrooms or oyster mushrooms before drying, the tastier and more aromatic they will be after processing. Choose strong, dense specimens without damage. Be sure to clean the raw materials from contamination, wipe with a sponge, but do not wash with water so that the product does not lose its aroma and taste. In addition, you need to sort everything by size. For champignons and mushrooms, cut off the lower part of the leg. Boletus, boletus are separated from the hat. Mushrooms are cut into plates of 1-1.5 cm or slices.

In the oven

Considering ways to dry mushrooms, paying attention to the oven is for those who do not have special equipment. Raw materials are prepared, cleaned, the legs are separated from the caps, cut. It is more convenient to dry mushrooms in the oven on a wire rack, which is placed on top of the baking sheet. The oven door is opened so that the moisture evaporates faster. The temperature is set at 40-60 degrees. Drying time up to 48 hours. Readiness is simply checked: a piece is bent, it should bend a little and break easily.

in the sun

Another option for harvesting is drying in the fresh air. To do this, choose sunny hot days. In case of sudden changes in the weather, the decomposed raw materials on the tray must be brought into the room. It is important to cover the product from dust and flies with gauze. This option is suitable for how to dry the mushrooms completely, and how to dry them before processing in the oven. The procedure takes from two to seven days. Sliced, sun-dried mushrooms are removed after 48 hours so that they do not lose their natural color. Morels need to dry for at least 2 months.

In an electric dryer

Some housewives have in their arsenal such a convenient device as drying for mushrooms and vegetables. With its help, it is very easy to dry oyster mushrooms, mushrooms or champignons for the winter. How to cook delicious and fragrant dry mushrooms correctly so that they dry evenly? It is necessary to clean the raw materials, sort them out, cut them and arrange them on special grills of the device. Everything needs to be dried at 40-50 degrees, after which the temperature is increased to 80 ° C. In time, drying mushrooms in an electric dryer takes 4-6 hours, depending on the type of raw material.

in the microwave

If there is no special equipment for drying products, and it is not possible to decompose raw materials in air, a microwave oven can be used. Drying mushrooms in the microwave has its own characteristics. First, the raw materials are cut into thin slices of 5 mm each, laid out on a plate, and a timer is turned on for 20 minutes. After that, the door is opened for 10 minutes to evaporate excess liquid. Repeat the session 4-5 times.

On a string

One of the most ancient methods of harvesting boletus or boletus for the winter is drying on a fishing line or thread. For this method, you can use whole mushrooms or sliced. The prepared raw materials must be strung on a needle with a canvas thread (or nylon). You can dry mushrooms on a thread in any room with good air circulation, but protected from rain and dust. You can cover the product with insect gauze.

Mushroom Drying Recipes

There are many methods for preparing dried mushrooms, which can be added to soups and hot dishes in winter. Of great importance when choosing a method and mode of drying is the type of raw material. For example, morels should be dried in the fresh air for at least 60 days, and mushrooms are dried for 4 hours. How to cook the workpiece correctly, taking into account a specific variety, can be found in the recipes below with photos.

White mushrooms

The smell of dried boletus will not leave anyone indifferent, therefore this variety especially popular with housewives for winter preparations. To get a quality finished product, you need to properly prepare the raw materials. You can dry porcini mushrooms with any accessible way: in the oven, on a thread, using a microwave oven. Ready dried mushrooms should barely bend, have a slightly springy structure. Below is an instruction on how to dry raw materials in the oven with a photo.

Cooking method:

1. Mushrooms are sorted out, cleaned of dirt, cut off the lower part of the leg, wipe the hats with a sponge.
2. Cut everything into thin slices.
3. Lay out in one layer on a special grill.
4. Set the rack over the baking sheet, turn on the oven.
5. Dry the raw materials with the door open at a temperature of not more than 75 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Champignon

One of the most popular species mushrooms are champignons. They are sold fresh and frozen. all year round so they are rarely dried. However, some housewives prepare some dried champignons for the winter, because the product is convenient to store and can be used for cooking at any time. different dishes. There are several ways to dry mushrooms. Below is step-by-step instruction with a photo of how to prepare raw materials with a thread in the fresh air.

Cooking method:

1. Peeled mushrooms are sorted by size or cut into pieces.
2. String raw materials on a thread so that the pieces do not touch.
3. The resulting "beads" are hung in a room closed from water, dust, UV rays.
4. Dry for several days until ready.

oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms contain flavoring, aromatic substances, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, thiamine, vitamins A, D, valuable folic acid. All substances are preserved after drying, so many harvest this type of mushroom for future use. It is recommended to dry oyster mushrooms at home using a special dryer. However, if it does not exist, then suitable oven, but this option is longer. In order for oyster mushrooms to retain their aroma, taste and useful material you should stick to the recipe below.

Cooking method:

1. After harvesting, oyster mushrooms are sorted out, cleaned of dirt.
2. Cut the raw material into slices or slices.
3. A metal or wooden grid is placed on a baking sheet.
4. Spread the raw materials on the grate.
5. Dry at a temperature of 45-50 degrees, with the door ajar for about 8 hours.
6. Spread on a tray in a well-ventilated room for 24 hours.
7. Aired, dried raw materials are laid out on a wire rack, which is installed on top of the baking sheet.
8. Dry at 70-75 degrees for 6 hours (if there is not enough time, increase the processing).

Aspen mushrooms

If the trip to the forest was successful, and you collected a lot of boletus, then the extra mushrooms can be dried. This version of the preparation is not inferior to marinated in taste and benefits. However, in order for the finished product to turn out to be of high quality and well stored, it is worth following the instructions. The plan of action depends on how the hostess decides to dry the boletus. It is important to sort the mushrooms by size and pre-clean from dust and dirt. In addition, the tubular ones separate the cap from the stem before drying. Below is step by step recipe for the microwave.

Cooking method:

1. Fresh, clean boletus cut into pieces of the same size.
2. Lay out the raw materials in one layer on a flat plate, put in the microwave.
3. Choose a power of 100-180 W, dry for 20 minutes.
4. They take out a plate, drain the liquid from the boletus.
5. Air the raw materials for 5 minutes, re-put in the microwave for 20 minutes. The cycle is repeated until the dried boletus is ready.

Oilers

Russian forests are rich in oils, so many housewives do not know what to do with them during the mushroom picking season. It should be noted that this type is different good taste, contains many essential oils, high-grade protein, amino acids, vitamin B and D. Dried butternuts contribute to rapid recovery after illness. It is important to remove the skin from the mushrooms before the procedure, which is not eaten. You can dry butterflies in any way, depending on the equipment available. Below is a recipe for an electric dryer.

Cooking method:

1. Freshly harvested butternuts are sorted, cleaned, and the film must be removed from the caps.
2. Cut into slices 5 mm thick.
3. Lay out on a special grill in one layer.
4. Dry for 4-5 hours until the product is ready.

Video

White mushrooms, or mushrooms, are very attractive in appearance. They have a thick fleshy leg and a large hat, and the taste of the pulp is extremely pleasant, not only in fried or pickled, but also in dried form. It is drying that is considered the most in a simple way preservation of the crop throughout the winter, especially since this process does not require significant labor costs, and dried mushrooms can become great addition to any meal.

If you plan to dry mushrooms for the winter, you should familiarize yourself with the details of this process and drying methods in advance, because the quality of the harvest will depend on this. Helpful Hints about how to dry porcini mushrooms at home correctly, you will find in our today's article.

How to dry porcini mushrooms at home

All fresh fruiting bodies contain a lot of water in the pulp, so they are not intended for long-term storage raw. After a few days, they fade, lose their density and taste. Therefore, immediately after harvesting, care must be taken to preserve mushrooms throughout the winter.

Note: There are many harvesting methods, and mushrooms are considered universal at all, since they do not lose their palatability after salting, marinating, freezing or drying. The last method is considered the easiest, since you do not have to spend a lot of time and effort on the workpiece.

The main purpose of drying is to remove from their pulp most moisture naturally. So you get a quality blank that can be stored in a dry glass jar with a lid for several months, and in some cases even years. In the process of drying and removing moisture, microorganisms die in the pulp, which simply cannot live and multiply in such a dry environment.

Despite the fact that drying mushrooms is considered the easiest way to harvest them, you need to properly prepare for this process. Only under certain conditions, the preparation will turn out to be truly tasty, healthy and fragrant.

How to prepare mushrooms for drying

Key role in quality drying boletus plays them proper preparation. It is desirable to send them for processing as soon as possible, since during storage the pulp loses its density, taste and aroma (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Preparation of fruiting bodies

Since all mushrooms, especially tubular ones, which include boletus, quickly absorb moisture, they cannot be washed before drying. It is enough just to remove the remnants of soil, leaves and other debris from their surface. Heavily soiled specimens can be lightly wiped with a dry cloth or scraped reverse side knife. It is also desirable to cut off the lower part of the leg, on which particles of earth may remain. This is where the preparation ends. It remains only to choose suitable way drying mushrooms at home.

How to cut mushrooms for drying

Usually mushrooms are dried whole, laying them out with hats down or hanging them on a thread. But in some cases, in order to save time, especially large specimens are cut into pieces (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Slicing methods

Cutting mushrooms for drying is practiced only if they are processed with warm air from an oven or oven. It is technologically correct to cut large specimens along, dividing both the leg and the hat in half. In the future, such prepared mushrooms can be placed on a baking sheet or strung on long metal or wooden knitting needles. In this case, the fruiting bodies are evenly dried and do not burn. Small ones can not be cut, since there is a high risk of overdrying them in hot oven. But cutting large specimens will help make them more uniform, simplify the drying process and make it better.

How to dry porcini mushrooms at home

Not everyone has the opportunity to dry porcini mushrooms in real oven, although this method is considered the best, since the finished blanks retain their color, taste and aroma. But residents of cities should not be upset: they can be dried qualitatively in other ways, and the finished mushrooms will turn out to be no worse than those that were treated with warm air in the oven.

In general, drying methods are divided into two types. The first involves preparing mushrooms in the fresh air: for example, in the sun or on a thread suspended in the attic. The second type involves the use of various equipment and other benefits of civilization: ovens, microwave ovens or special electric dryers. To make it easier for you to choose the appropriate method, we will consider each of them in more detail.

Dry mushrooms on a thread

Stringing mushrooms on a string for the purpose of drying is considered one of the oldest harvesting methods. The thread can be hung near the stove or stove, or in any other place where mushrooms will be blown with warm air (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Thread drying

First of all, you need to properly prepare the crop. Mushrooms are cleaned of debris and part of the earth, cut off the lower part of the leg. Small mushrooms are strung on a thread as a whole, and large specimens are cut along the stem into two parts. A thread or twine is threaded through the central part of the leg so that the fungus does not fall off the thread during the drying process. In the future, such a blank can be hung in a warm, well-ventilated area. You can speed up the drying process if the mushrooms are located near a warm battery, stove or stove.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the sun

In general, it is not customary to dry mushrooms in the bright sun, because in this case their flesh will lose moisture too quickly, the workpiece will turn out dry and begin to crumble during storage.

Note: If you still prefer to dry the mushrooms naturally, you can lay them out on a baking sheet or thread them, and then transfer them to a warm room with good ventilation and moderate lighting. It is important that the fruiting bodies do not touch each other, so the mushrooms are laid out in one layer, with their hats down.

If you use a metal baking sheet, it is advisable to cover it with straw or dry leaves and only after that lay out the fruiting bodies. If this is not done, the workpiece will have a pronounced metallic taste.

The sun-drying method is extremely popular with those who go into the forest for a few days and cannot process the harvest in any other way (Figure 4). To do this, you will need wooden knitting needles (ramrods) on which mushrooms are strung. It is advisable to use wooden sticks, since fruiting bodies may darken upon contact with metal. Small specimens are strung on a ramrod as a whole, and large ones can either be cut in half, or the hat can be separated from the stem. Regardless of the size of the fruiting bodies, they must be strung in such a way that they do not touch each other.

Figure 4. Sun drying options

Next, the ramrod is inserted into the stand so that the spokes are vertical. For example, for this purpose, you can use a box or other container with sand or earth. Prepared ramrods are transferred to the windward side and left for 2-3 days in the sun. From above, it is better to cover mushrooms with a loose cloth or gauze so that flies and other insects do not land on them. It should be borne in mind that when using this method, it will not be possible to completely dry the mushrooms and they will have to be dried in an oven or oven.

In electric and gas oven

Drying principle in electric oven about the same as in a wood-burning stove. Mushrooms should preferably be laid out not on a wire rack, but on baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Then they will not absorb an unpleasant metallic smell and taste (Figure 5).

In general, drying mushrooms in the oven looks like this:

1. Prepared mushrooms are laid out on a baking sheet with hats down. Large specimens are cut lengthwise or the cap is separated from the stem.
2. The baking sheet is placed in the oven and the temperature is turned on at 50-55 degrees. Under such conditions, the fruiting bodies should languish for several hours.
3. Next, mushrooms are taken out of the oven, allowed to cool slightly and put back in the oven, but the temperature is turned on at +70 degrees.

Figure 5. Oven drying process

It is important that there is enough air inside the oven during the process. If there are no ventilation holes inside, the door should be kept slightly ajar so that warm air evenly blows all the fruiting bodies.

Such drying allows you to evenly remove moisture from the fruiting bodies, but dry the mushrooms. Otherwise, as with too hot air, the mushrooms will become too brittle and crumble during storage.

in the microwave

A small amount of mushrooms can also be dried in a conventional microwave. To do this, prepared mushrooms are laid out on a plate and placed in the oven. The power of the microwave should be at the level of 100-200 watts. The drying time in this case is only 18 minutes.

Figure 6 Microwave Drying

Next, you need to get them, let them cool completely and repeat the procedure two or three times. The number of approaches depends on the size of fruiting bodies: small ones lose moisture much faster than large ones (Figure 6). If you still notice that the mushrooms are not completely dry, you can cook them in the sun or in the oven.

In an electric dryer

Excellent copy household appliances is considered an electric dryer in which you can dry vegetables, fruits, spices and healing herbs as well as mushrooms. However, it should be borne in mind that the duration of cooking whole mushrooms in such a device will be very long, so it is better to immediately cut large specimens into small pieces.

Figure 7. Laying fruiting bodies in an electric dryer

To make a blank, the fruiting bodies are laid out on the dryer grate so that they do not touch each other and the temperature is set to +55 degrees. Under such conditions, mushrooms should be treated with warm air for 6-9 hours, but the duration directly depends on the power of the equipment and its model (Figure 7).

In general, we can say that the electric dryer is the best modern way harvesting mushrooms for the winter. The camera of this device creates maximum suitable conditions for processing fruiting bodies with warm air, and a constant supply of oxygen leads to uniform evaporation of moisture. As a result, finished dried mushrooms retain their unique taste and aroma.

How to store dried porcini mushrooms

It is important not only to properly prepare and dry the mushrooms, but also to keep them until the new “silent hunting” season. Despite the fact that pathogens do not multiply in the pulp deprived of moisture, under certain conditions they can still deteriorate.

First, they should be stored only in clean and dry glass jars With tight lid(Figure 8). If desired, for the same purpose, you can use plastic containers. However, care must be taken that such a container does not have a characteristic bad smell. The fact is that dried mushrooms absorb odors well, and the aroma of plastic can ruin the workpiece.

Figure 8. Options for storing finished blanks

Secondly, moisture must not be allowed to enter the container. Otherwise, fungi will begin to develop inside the jar or container, and the workpiece will acquire a persistent moldy smell. You can’t eat such a product, so wash and dry the container in which you will put the dried mushrooms in advance.

In addition, there are often cases when, during the drying process, fruiting bodies lose too much moisture and become brittle and brittle. Naturally, it will not work to save them entirely, as they will begin to crumble quickly. But this does not mean at all that the workpiece is completely spoiled. You can always cook from it mushroom powder, which can also be a great addition to your favorite dishes. To do this, mushrooms are placed in a blender or coffee grinder and ground to uniform consistency. If large pieces are found in the powder, you can grind again, and to add spice and piquancy to the workpiece, you can add salt and black peppercorns to it. Store this powder in the same dry glass jar with a tight lid.

If you have never dried porcini mushrooms at home, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video, which shows all the details of this process.

Mushrooms - as the people call porcini mushrooms - are considered the most delicious. Yes, and their appearance is quite presentable: a plump leg, a fleshy hat. Porcini mushrooms are also loved for the fact that they do not change color, remaining light even when dried.

But you need to be able to dry White mushroom Right.

Preparation of porcini mushrooms for drying

Mushrooms that are harvested for drying can (and preferably) be processed while still in the forest. After all, these mushrooms are not washed. Since they instantly absorb water, like a sponge, and it will simply be impossible to dry them later. This is especially true for tubular fungi.

Therefore, having cut off the mushroom, they immediately inspect it for damage and worms. Then cut off the lower part of the leg and clean it from dirt and sand. It is not recommended to collect heavily large mushrooms, which can contain many toxic substances. And since the mushrooms are not washed, these same toxins will remain in them.

Adhering needles, moss are removed from the hat.

The whole mushroom is thoroughly wiped with a slightly damp towel.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the sun

Mushroom pickers, who, when harvesting mushrooms, are in the forest without a break for several days, start drying right on the spot.

For this, it is desirable to have special stands. Each of the mushroom pickers comes up with their own design, but the main thing is that the stands have holes for knitting needles or ramrods, which can be placed both horizontally and vertically.

It is better to use a ramrod made of stainless steel or wooden, because the fungus may darken from contact with iron.

If the mushrooms are large, then they are dried, separating the legs from the caps. They are strung on a ramrod, pierced in the middle, and distributed in such a way that the mushrooms do not touch each other.

Stands with strung porcini mushrooms are exposed to the sun from the windward side. So that the mushrooms do not turn out to be infested by flies, they must be covered with gauze or cloth, which passes well and Sun rays, and air.

Thus, the mushrooms are dried for two to three days. But then they will definitely need to be dried in an oven or oven.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the oven

In some houses, especially in villages, stoves still remain. And so mushrooms can be dried in them.

Cut the mushrooms before drying. Mushrooms of medium size are cut lengthwise into two halves so that each half consists of a stem and a cap.

If the mushrooms are large, they are divided into a leg and a hat. The legs are cut across into circles, and the hats into slices.

You can also dry porcini mushrooms in the form mushroom noodles. Mushrooms are cut along the entire mushroom into thin plates. This method is good because mushrooms dry faster and are better stored.

Small porcini mushrooms are dried whole.

To do this, cover the baking sheet with straw. This must be done without fail so that the mushrooms on the bare baking sheet do not burn and turn black. Mushrooms are placed on straw: whole mushrooms are laid out with hats down, and chopped mushrooms in one layer.

The baking sheet is placed in the oven after cooking dinner, when the oven is well heated, but there is no longer a strong heat.

The temperature at the beginning of drying should be no higher than 50 °. When the mushrooms become easy to bend, the temperature is raised to 70 °. When the mushrooms outward signs) will be practically dried, the temperature is again lowered to 50 ° and the mushrooms are dried.

During drying, the damper must not be completely closed, because fresh air must enter the oven. Otherwise, the mushrooms will rot and not dry out.

Qualitatively dried mushrooms should be without ash, coal, not burnt.

They should not release moisture when pressed. Such mushrooms bend slightly, but do not break or crumble.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the oven

The baking sheets are lined with parchment. Spread mushrooms on them in one layer. Whole mushrooms are placed caps down.

The baking sheet is placed in the oven and dried at a temperature of 50-55 ° for several hours. It is best to dry not in one go, but in two steps. That is, when the mushrooms are already a little dry, they need to be taken out, allowed to cool, and then put back in the oven, increasing the temperature to 70 °. At the end of drying, the temperature should again be slightly lowered.

If there are no holes in the walls of the oven for air circulation, then its door is kept ajar.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in a drying cabinet

The drying cabinet is installed above the stove. It has no bottom, and holes are made at the top.

Mushrooms are placed in special metal sieves, which are installed in the dryer one above the other. Since the mushrooms in the sieves dry out unevenly, the sieves are periodically interchanged, that is, the lower sieve is placed on top, and the upper sieve is placed down.

Despite this inconvenience, mushrooms dry out much faster in a drying cabinet.

Mushrooms dry very well in an electric dryer. It takes up little space and is easy to use. Mushrooms are cut into slices, laid out on dryer trays and dried at a temperature of 60 ° for several hours. Drying time - from two to six hours - depends on the thickness of the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bmushrooms.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the microwave

Prepared porcini mushrooms are laid out on a special plate and placed in the microwave. The power of the furnace should be in the range of 100-200 watts. Turn on the oven for 18 minutes. Then the plate is taken out, the mushrooms are allowed to cool and ventilated in the fresh air, after which they are again placed in the microwave. This procedure is repeated until the mushrooms are completely dry.

If the mushrooms are not dried enough, they must be dried in the sun, in the oven or stove.

Dry mushrooms are stored in cloth or gauze bags. Or they string dried mushrooms on a fishing line and store them hanging in a dry, well-ventilated area, away from other products, especially with a pungent odor.

During storage of dry mushrooms, their condition is monitored. If the mushrooms become wet to the touch, then they must be laid out again on baking sheets and dried in any convenient way.

How to make mushroom powder from dried porcini mushrooms

Mushroom powder can be prepared from dried mushrooms.

To do this, the mushrooms are broken into small pieces and then ground in a coffee grinder. After that, the powder is sieved through a sieve. The remaining large pieces are ground a second time.

Store mushroom powder in well-closed glass jars in a dry place.

IN ideal conditions dry porcini mushrooms can be stored for several years.