How to store champignons in the refrigerator, freezer, indoors

Champignons are very popular mushrooms and are easy to find in grocery stores. They have a pleasant taste and beneficial properties and are often used to prepare homemade dishes. Champignons are classified as safe mushrooms. They can be consumed even raw, without heat treatment.

In this article we will talk about how to properly store store-bought champignons so that they stay fresh longer.

Shelf life of champignons

Rice. 1 - Storing champignons in different types

According to the standards of the SES (sanitary and epidemiological service), the shelf life of salted, defrosted, cut, boiled or canned mushrooms differs. Store-bought champignons are stored in the refrigerator for 7 days in packaging and 3-4 days without it. If they are in water, the period is reduced to a couple of days, in a vacuum it is extended to 10 days. Mushrooms in a jar intended for salad or cream soup should be used within 24 hours after opening. Otherwise, open products, especially mayonnaise, quickly begin to deteriorate.

After opening the package, it is advisable to consume the mushrooms immediately. Marinated champignons are stored for 2-3 months at room temperature and a year in the refrigerator. Dried champignons will last 8-12 months, frozen fresh ones - 40 days, fried and boiled after freezing can last six months.

In a refrigerator

The shelf life of prepared mushrooms depends on the type of storage. It would be correct not to use any container, especially polyethylene - otherwise, the champignons will darken and become slimy. It is better to store it in paper - the shelf life in this case is 3-4 days.

In the freezer

Frozen raw mushrooms last even longer. You can freeze processed or fresh champignons, which need to be cooked and cleaned in advance. The shelf life in this case will be 3-4 months for unprocessed products and a year for processed ones.

At room temperature

In such conditions, mushrooms are stored for no longer than a couple of days. Otherwise, they will quickly darken, become rancid and lose all their beneficial properties. To extend the shelf life of champignons and preserve their taste, it is not recommended to wash them.

How to choose and prepare raw mushrooms

There are several types of champignons. Everything can be frozen. We give preference to small and light mushrooms with pink plates under the cap. Large field specimens are valued the least. There are dark plates under the cap, which often require trimming; this requires additional time and effort, and increases losses.

Good champignon:

• diameter up to 5 cm;
• closed cap;
• White color;
• no stains, dents.

Bad champignon:

• large size;
• inverted, open cap;
• wrinkled skin;
• dark plates.

Which champignons do you like best?

FrozenCanned

There are brown or golden varieties. They can also be frozen. We choose the densest, highest quality mushrooms.

Preparation instructions:

1. Sorting. It is better to freeze small specimens whole; set aside large champignons separately for slicing.
2. Washing. It is better to wash under running water. Do not soak; the product will absorb a lot of moisture.
3. Removing damage. We cut off random stains, dents, and renew the leg.
4. Drying. Simply place on paper towels. It is not necessary to dry it before cooking.
5. Slicing. Produced as needed. Small champignons are often left whole. It is allowed to freeze thin plates - slices. Large mushrooms are cut into arbitrary pieces.

Champignons can be frozen whole, in pieces, raw, boiled, or fried. We recommend using small fresh mushrooms. Shelf life up to 12 months.

Refrigerator storage methods

Rice. 2 - Storing champignons in the refrigerator

How long can freshly picked live champignons be stored at home? No more than 3-4 days in the refrigerator at 5-7 degrees Celsius. You can keep marinated canned mushrooms at home longer - in a rolled up jar for up to a year, after opening - for a day. To prevent fresh food from browning and spoiling, keep it away from light and moisture. Washed mushrooms can be stored for less than a week. After purchasing, do not keep the product in the bag for a long time - this reduces the number of days that it can withstand without refrigeration. To increase the shelf life of raw mushrooms, you can fry them. If you plan to sell collected mushrooms, prepare them for sale fresh - fried champignons are not suitable for sale.

In a bag or polyethylene

Place clean dry mushrooms in a package. Place in the refrigerator - in the fruit and vegetable drawer. Open the bag every day and ventilate it to prevent condensation from accumulating.

Packaged

Place the mushrooms on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, straight from the wrapper from the store. If it is paper, the shelf life will be 3-4 days, if it is polyethylene - 1-2 days. After marinating, keep the product in a glass.

Should champignons be defrosted before heat treatment?

Defrosting is required before preparing the filling for pies and pies. If the food is not thawed, there will be too much moisture. The same will happen with casseroles, the meat will flow like a king. Champignons need to be restored to freshness before stuffing.

Proper defrosting occurs at low temperatures. The frozen product is left on the refrigerator shelf. Immersion in cold water is allowed, but only when packaged.

Why you don't need to defrost:

• pizza, if slices are prepared;
• cream, regular soups;
• hot sauces, gravies;

• stews, other stews;
• side dishes with cereals.

When using freezing, it is important to consider the increased moisture content. The amount of liquid when cooking cereals is reduced. Do not add excess water when stewing vegetables or cooking pots in the oven. You can simply ruin the dish.

Freezer storage methods

Unpeeled mushrooms last much longer in the freezer. In their raw form, they can withstand 3-4 months in the freezer. Fried or boiled champignons can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.

How to properly freeze champignons?

When freezing for the winter, first check the mushrooms for quality - they should not have darkened areas, damage or dampness. Clean them thoroughly, cut them or leave them whole and freeze them. To extend shelf life and freshness, fry or boil mushrooms, then cool and place in the freezer.

Open

Place the prepared mushrooms on trays or cardboard stands and place them in the freezer so that they do not wrinkle or come into contact with the walls. After freezing, they are stored in a bag.

Rice. 3 – Freezing whole mushrooms

Vacuum packed

When preparing mushrooms, use a vacuum sealer to remove all air from the storage space. Freeze the mushrooms in vacuum packaging.

In a paper bag

Prepare the champignons thoroughly, fold them in paper so that the caps do not wrinkle. Place in the freezer at 18 degrees for a day.

In a bag made of natural fabric

Wash and cut the mushrooms if necessary or leave them whole. Place in a canvas or linen bag and freeze using the usual method.

In cellophane or cling film

Place the product in one of the following types of packaging, freeze whole or sliced. After freezing, shake out any remaining ice and store in the freezer.

In plastic, metal or glass containers

Place sliced ​​or whole mushrooms on plastic, glass or metal trays or plates in a single layer. Freeze and then layer the champignons in several layers.

How to defrost champignons correctly?

So that when thawing, the mushrooms do not darken, do not swell from moisture and retain a maximum of useful components, so that their taste, color and aroma are revealed, they must be properly processed. Remove the product from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Once thawed, move to room temperature and wait until completely defrosted. If you plan to prepare a dish from them, you don’t have to wait for them to thaw, but put them on the stove or in the oven straight from the freezer.

Rice. 4 - Proper defrosting of mushrooms

Can it be used raw if time is up?

After the expiration date, champignons cannot be used for food . Even if the product still retains its presentation, toxic compounds already appear in it, and it can cause poisoning of the body. You need to approach the selection and purchase of mushroom products consciously and buy a product whose quality there is no doubt about.

It is better to purchase champignons in established stores. In case of disputes, you can request a certificate for the product, which will indicate the date of collection and delivery. Eating mushrooms purchased on the street or in other unofficial places without appropriate documentation can be dangerous to life and health.

Storage methods in the cellar

In a closet or basement in winter or summer, you can keep purchased, meadow, greenhouse, field or forest, peeled, washed mushrooms of the new harvest, whole, fried or boiled. To preserve mushrooms, plastic, metal, tin, glass packaging (trays, boxes, plates) or ordinary plastic bags are used. If using the latter, ventilate them regularly so that condensation does not accumulate and the food does not have time to turn black. The shelf life of mushrooms can be increased by marinade - it perfectly preserves the product in the cellar in canned form.

What it is?

• The expiration date is the period of time after which champignons cannot be used for their intended purpose, even if all storage conditions are met. This time period is calculated from the date of manufacture.
• Shelf life is the period during which the product contains all the declared properties under specific conditions. During the storage period, champignons do not lose all the requirements for their appearance prescribed in GOST R 56827-2015; after this time, the product may lose its presentation and other qualities.

For example, at the end of their storage period, champignons may change their smell or change color. The manufacturer is obliged to establish all terms and designate storage conditions in accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 16, 1997 N 720.

Cooking rules

Frozen mushrooms can be part of almost any dish. However, there are certain rules for their preparation:

1. You cannot fry frozen mushrooms in a hot frying pan, otherwise there is a risk of getting a golden brown crust on top, but the champignons will be raw inside. To prevent this from happening, fry the workpiece over moderate heat and cover the container with a lid.
2. Frozen mushrooms (especially if they were frozen fresh) provide a lot of liquid, which is not needed in all dishes. For example, mushroom liquid is completely unnecessary in pies. To avoid this, be sure to drain the mushrooms in a colander after defrosting.
3. If you decide to make pickled champignons from frozen ones, then you don’t have to defrost the mushrooms before pickling, as they will still cook.

Freezing champignons at home is a fairly simple process that requires a minimum of time and effort. But subsequently, such mushrooms significantly reduce the cooking time, especially if they are pre-fried or boiled. And also they do not need to be cleaned, because the entire preparatory process has already been completed. Most often, risotto, soups, zrazy, pates, and roasts are made with mushrooms. And pre-fried and frozen champignons will perfectly complement fried potatoes. Bon appetit!

How to defrost champignons

When using frozen food, it is important to defrost it properly. This process must occur gradually . At the first stage, semi-finished mushroom products are moved from the freezer to the refrigerator shelf until thawing begins, and only then can they be transferred to the table.

After this, you can start cooking the mushrooms. It is better not to allow the product to completely defrost, as the preparations will lose their aesthetic appearance - they will darken and become unappetizing.

Did you know? Champignons are one of the first mushrooms not grown in a natural environment.
Frozen champignons are a good option for preparing a tasty and unusual dish for unexpected guests. After all, in every home there are classic companions of this product - potatoes, onions and cheese. In addition, having champignons on hand, you can always please your household with a delicious soup or mushroom pie.

Tips from the forums

1. Use special freezer bags . In them, food never freezes to the material and easily spills out. Another important plus is that they immediately have tags on which you write the date of preparation.

virtual:

And it’s best to freeze in “freezing” bags - they don’t stick to the food, and if you freeze it in the freezer, you can see what’s in the bag - don’t think: chicken or meat...

Source forum.say7.info

2. Do not cook champignons before freezing . Raw mushrooms taste much better when cooked.

05q8cy2cg784:

I wash it, cut it into slices, put it in plastic bags (one bag for one meal) and put it in the freezer. Then it’s very convenient - take it out and cook.

Source galya.ru

3. Never defrost mushrooms in advance . After taking them out of the freezer, immediately plunge them into boiling water or place them on pizza and bake. If you are making fried mushrooms, place them in a heated frying pan. This way the taste and aroma are best preserved.

Lana San:

Don’t even doubt it, after freezing the mushrooms will look as if you just picked them. I have already explained in the comments that there is only one rule to follow. Never defrost frozen mushrooms in advance; put them directly into water after removing them from the freezer.

Source amvid.net

Freezing technology

How long to store in the freezer

Depending on the method of freezing mushrooms, their storage period also differs. So, raw champignons last the longest in the refrigerator. Their freezing period is one year.

Fried champignons are the least susceptible to storage; they can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 4 months. Boiled preparations can be stored frozen for six months. In this case, the storage temperature should be -18…-16°C.

We recommend that you read our electronic magazine about growing mushrooms at home.