October is considered the month of mushrooms, during this month in fact you start to find the delicious Porcini but also the Russole, the Cimballi and the Sanguinelli. Later in November also Pioppini, Finferi and Ovoli bianchi arrive.
For mushroom enthusiasts or those who live in favorable areas, this period is a good opportunity to find a good quantity and store them in the pantry for the following months.
Mushrooms are delicious but also very delicate to preserve and if we do not know how to do it the risk is that they deteriorate before we have consumed them. Let's see what methods are available to preserve them at their best and how to dry mushrooms using the dryer.
Methods of preserving mushrooms
As we have said, mushrooms are very perishable products and if you do not act quickly, after 2/3 at most the product will be spoiled . Considering that freezing is a method applicable only at an industrial level, the methods of preserving mushrooms are mainly 3: Drying them, naturally in oil or vinegar, or in sweet and sour sauce .
Among these, drying is certainly the best method of preservation . By drying mushrooms, in fact, it is possible to preserve both taste and aroma in an optimal way, in some cases it is even enhanced and then being able to use them without alterations for a long period of time, even up to 1 year.
How to dry mushrooms?
Drying is considered the most natural, effective and least invasive method of preservation , and even in the case of mushrooms it is undoubtedly the best solution. Drying can be done in the sun, in the oven or using special food dryers .
How to Dry Mushrooms with a Dehydrator
The dryer is in this case the most effective way to dry mushrooms , as it allows you to obtain a perfect and very homogeneous result, in much quicker times , at a low temperature therefore preserving them better and at much lower costs than the oven. Drying mushrooms with the dryer is very easy! The recommended temperature of use is 40/45 ° C to avoid cooking them and better preserve their flavor. It is possible to dry them both in slices and whole or simply cut in half. Obviously we must consider that a larger size corresponds to a longer drying time.
Disadvantages of sun or oven drying
With sun drying, however, it is not always possible to achieve good results, for example in the winter season it is much more difficult due to the limited number of hours in which we have sunlight, it requires much more space and much longer times, furthermore for large mushrooms it is not always possible to obtain good results. Drying in the oven is possible, but there are some contraindications compared to the dryer: Not all ovens can work at low temperatures with the risk of cooking the mushrooms alternating their flavor and aroma, certainly the costs are much higher than the dryer and furthermore the shelves of an oven have a more limited number and therefore it is necessary to carry out a greater number of drying cycles.
Procedure for drying mushrooms with the dryer
- Clean the mushrooms thoroughly (see tips for more info)
- Cut them into slices or pieces of the desired size
- Arrange the pieces on the racks
- Start the cycle by setting a maximum temperature of 45° and a duration of at least 14 hours.
- At the end of the cycle, check whether the mushrooms have actually dried correctly.
- If necessary, launch an integrative cycle considering that even if it is prolonged more than necessary the result will not be affected in any way.
- Store immediately in airtight containers to prevent moisture from being reabsorbed.
Tips for drying mushrooms with the dehydrator
As we all know, drying times depend a lot on the amount of humidity present in the food, so it is essential in this case to pay close attention during the cleaning phase . Mushrooms often have residues of soil and it is recommended to clean them using a brush to better enter everywhere and at most a cloth or a piece of damp paper, carefully avoiding washing them with running water or even worse, immersing them.
Mushrooms are also very delicate foods, so the choice of temperature is also very important . Our recommendation is not to exceed 45°C to avoid alterations or losses in terms of taste and aroma, but also organoleptic.
