How to dry champignons at home?

If on a “silent” hunt you have gathered a large crop of champignons, and you don’t feel like cooking them, drying is the ideal storage method. Absolutely all useful elements, wonderful aroma and taste will be preserved, and the places take up quite a bit (with 10 kg of raw materials 1 kg of dried champignons is obtained). But it is very important to properly dry the mushrooms so that they do not deteriorate. They will be slightly moist - covered with mold, overdry - they will lose their taste and aroma. So, how to dry champignons at home? This is the issue we will cover today.

to contents ↑

Preparing mushrooms for drying

Of course, before drying, it is necessary to prepare the mushrooms:

1. Carefully remove the earth, leaves, needles from the mushrooms. But in no case do not wash the champignons - they will darken, lose their wonderful aroma and will dry longer.
2. After the mushrooms are already peeled, it is necessary to cut off the lower part of the leg of champignons and cut them. For convenience, it is recommended to cut them into thin slices of 10-15 mm. Very small mushrooms, of course, can simply be left, they will completely dry well.
3. You can also chop the mushrooms very finely, make the so-called “noodles”. It is very convenient to dry in the oven, and then add it to soups and salads. But then you are likely to lose the unique structure of the fungus, so decide for yourself which is more convenient.

to contents ↑

Drying Methods

And now we have come to the question of how to dry champignons. There are many ways, we will describe the most common. Choose which one is right for you.

Drying in the sun

Already cut mushrooms string on a dense thread or a special skewer for drying mushrooms.

Important! Do not forget to cover the mushrooms with gauze so that dust and various small insects do not settle on them.

It remains only to hang their garlands on the balcony of the apartment, on the veranda of a private house or in any other well-ventilated room. It is very important that the weather is hot and dry. And if all is well, in a couple of days the champignons will be ready for wintering.

Important! A distinctive feature of well-dried mushrooms is a peculiar springiness during folding. But if you feel that the mushrooms are wet, leave them for a few more hours so that they do not deteriorate after a week.

Drying in a Russian oven

This attribute is already far from all private homes, not to mention apartments. But what nostalgia, to feel the aroma of mushrooms from a real Russian stove. Previously, they knew only one way how to dry champignons at home - it was with the help of such a miracle device.

Processing rules to get a good result:

1. So that the mushrooms are not contaminated by ash and ash, you must first lay them on a baking sheet or prick them on knitting needles. Only then can you go directly to drying.
2. Remove all the ash from the oven, and only then put your baking tray with mushrooms there, substituting the bricks under it in advance.
3. It is very important to observe the temperature regime inside the furnace. It is necessary to constantly maintain the temperature at the level of 60-70 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is higher, the mushrooms will burn, and if lower, they will dry for a very long time.
4. In order for the mushrooms to dry well, it is necessary to ensure constant air circulation. To do this, just open the oven door. At the very beginning of drying, it should be open by about ⅔, and by the end you can close it slowly, because the main moisture will already go away.
5. Do not forget to check your mushrooms from time to time and remove the ones that are already ready, because due to different sizes the drying will go unevenly.
   

Oven drying

The easiest and most convenient way to dry mushrooms at home. It looks like drying in a Russian oven, only a little lightened:

1. It is also necessary to arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet and place them in a wire rack preheated to 60-70 degrees Celsius.
2. Do not close the door completely.
3. Moisture will actively evaporate from champignons, and it needs to be given a way out for effective drying.

Drying in an electric dryer

This wonderful device is designed for drying not only mushrooms, but also various fruits and vegetables. That is why he gained such popularity. If you have this kitchen assistant, the question of how to dry champignons will never arise.

Just follow the instructions in the passport for household appliances, and everything will work out.

Important! Usually you need to hang mushrooms on special hooks and just wait, because an electric dryer is needed to do everything for you.

to contents ↑

Storage of dried champignons

After you dry the mushrooms, it is very important to store them correctly so that time is not wasted:

1. It is recommended to store dried mushrooms in a bag of gauze in a suspended state.
2. It should be remembered that if the air humidity in the room is more than 70%, the mushrooms begin to absorb moisture, and then - mold, which is extremely undesirable.
3. Also, do not store mushrooms next to fruits and vegetables with a bright aroma, because champignons tend to absorb odors.

Important! If you have dried mushrooms, do not despair. You can make a powder out of them, which is convenient to add to sauces and seasonings. The characteristic mushroom aroma will wonderfully complement any dish.

 

to contents ↑

Stock footage

Now you know that the process of drying and storing such a product is very simple. It was only necessary to clarify the correct modes of use of various household appliances and the duration, especially the processing in natural conditions of natural heat. We hope that all your household members and guests of your home will appreciate your preparations, and you will gain a reputation as a very good housewife!