How to preserve porcini mushrooms for a day: conditions and methods

• February 18, 2020
• Cooking
• Tatiana Rodina

Porcini mushrooms are popular gifts of nature, growing in almost all countries of the world. They are edible mushrooms. In Russia they have different names: boletus, beloviki, harvesters, wood grouse, mullein, pechury. They are the most desirable and sought after prey for mushroom pickers.

Porcini mushrooms should be looked for in deciduous and coniferous forests; they closely interact with the roots of trees and shrubs. Mushroom properties include helping other plants obtain beneficial minerals from the soil and trees delivering nutrients to their mycelium.

Dry pickling of porcini mushrooms

Before using the dry salting method, mushrooms should be cleared of debris. If there is too much of it, it is better to rinse them with boiling water. Then you should cool and dry.

The only ingredients you need are the mushrooms themselves and coarse rock salt. You can start salting:

1. Fresh peeled mushrooms should be sorted by size, large ones should be cut into several pieces.
2. You can salt mushrooms in large containers or in jars; first pour salt into them, evenly covering the bottom with it.
3. Then you can lay the product in dense layers 3-4 centimeters thick, alternating each mushroom layer with salt.
4. The salted mushrooms need to be covered with a wooden board or flat plate and a pressure placed on top (an ordinary jar of water will do). When the mushrooms settle down, you can add new ones.
5. The workpiece should be kept in a room at room temperature for the first few days. It should then be placed in a cool, dry and dark place.
6. The brine must be checked periodically; there should not be enough of it.
7. Thus, boletus mushrooms will be ready for consumption in 30-40 days.

Before serving, porcini mushrooms should be soaked for an hour in cold water and rinsed well.

White mushrooms in nutrition

Porcini mushroom perfectly complements various dishes: it is fried, added to soups, salted and pickled. The youngest are considered the most nutritious. Drying and freezing are often used as methods for storing porcini mushrooms - this is how they retain their properties for a long time.

The boletus has an inedible twin called the gall fungus; it is not poisonous, but its taste is very different from the original: unpleasant and bitter.

Storage temperature

• If a cut mushroom is left at temperatures above +4°C, the ripening processes will continue and it will deteriorate very quickly.
• The optimal storage temperature for this species is considered to be +2°C (not higher). And dried boletus mushrooms can be stored at room temperature. It is important that the room where they are located has a low level of humidity.
• Pickled porcini mushrooms are stored at a temperature of +5°C -+6°C. Salted ones can be kept in the same conditions.

General storage table

Recommendations

Basic recommendations to extend the shelf life of inventories:

1. Initially, you should prepare the raw materials. Check for insects and worms. To do this, immerse the workpieces in a container with salt water for several hours. If there are worms inside, a saline solution will help get rid of them.
2. After rinsing, dry the product by placing it on a paper towel.
3. Place the dried raw materials in appropriate containers that do not impede air circulation. It is better to avoid plastic bags due to the risk of mold formation.
4. There is no need to wash it before drying. Just carefully remove dirt with a cloth made from natural fabrics or a knife.
5. Choose the largest and strongest specimens - they will last longer and can be cut for convenience.
6. The storage place should be cool and dark (not higher than 20°C, avoid penetration of direct sunlight and temperature changes).
7. Aluminum cookware is not suitable for storing supplies, as it accelerates the oxidation process.
8. When freezing, label the package and note the date and time.
9. Periodically sort through dried items and throw away those that are unusable.
10. You should not place products with a strong odor next to the mushrooms; they can absorb it.

How to prepare mushrooms for storage

Fresh mushrooms are a quickly perishable natural material. Therefore, they must be processed without delay before storage. So how long can you store fresh mushrooms after picking? Experienced mushroom pickers advise doing this immediately upon arriving home, and if you don’t have time, then the morning of the next day. We begin processing and clean the fruiting bodies from soil, grass and moss that have adhered during growth.

We throw heavily damaged, rotten and worm-eaten ones into the trash. If the cap is wormy but the stem is not, then you can leave it. For ease of storage, we cut the fruiting bodies into pieces. If you plan to dry mushrooms for the winter, then under no circumstances wash it. Next, we put the collection in a container for temporary storage.

Drying: storing porcini mushrooms at home

Sometimes mushroom pickers manage to reap a huge harvest. They are happy in the forest, but when they bring the prey home, the question immediately arises: what to do with them? The storage of fresh porcini mushrooms should be approached responsibly.

Not everyone has the opportunity to place so many mushrooms in the refrigerator, there is simply not enough space for them, and it is not always possible to prepare pickles right away. There is a way to preserve porcini mushrooms for a day without refrigeration, but it is only suitable if it is cool outside. In this case, they can be taken out to the balcony or loggia for 12 hours. If the weather does not allow, you will have to start drying.

You can dry porcini mushrooms in the oven or special devices for drying vegetables. It is important to completely get rid of moisture so that they do not become moldy during storage. Dried mushrooms should be stored in a dry place that is well ventilated and free of unpleasant odors. They are placed in fabric bags, paper bags or open glass jars.

After drying, boletus mushrooms, observing all storage conditions, can be used for up to two years. And if you grind them into flour, the maximum shelf life will increase even more.

Drying porcini mushrooms using grandma's method

If the mushrooms were collected at the dacha, but there is no oven or special drying equipment at hand, you can use your grandmother’s methods. The main condition: the weather during the week should be hot and sunny.

The simplest option is to string mushroom slices or whole mushrooms on twine and hang them outdoors. They shouldn't touch each other. To protect against dust and flies, use gauze.

The second way is to place pre-cut porcini mushrooms on trays with paper or boards. So you can only dry them a little, and then use the oven.

Special preparation for the process of drying and drying mushrooms

Excellent methods for preparing porcini mushrooms are drying. As a result of this processing, they become even better. When drying, they shrink to 90% of their volume. But they come out with concentrated and rich taste. And another advantage is that after such preparations, you do not need to look for a large space for them.

For such actions, do not forget to process them immediately, observing the following conditions:

1. Only high-quality, undamaged mushrooms can be dried.
2. Never wash mushrooms before doing this because they will become soggy.
3. Clean them with a cotton cloth.
4. Remove the bottom portions of the legs.
5. Sort according to gauges and sizes.
6. Do not use metal utensils as the flesh will darken.
7. Cut large mushrooms into pieces 1.5 cm thick.

GOST requirements for different types of product

GOSTs regulate the storage conditions of fresh mushrooms. The standards stipulate the requirements for refrigerators and storage facilities, placement of products, and optimal modes. Control measures and additional storage methods are also indicated for certain product groups. Recommendations and rules for each name are indicated separately.

Fresh champignons

Champignons are stored in dry and clean refrigerators without foreign odors.

The conditions must comply with the sanitary standards and rules prescribed in the GOST 31916-2012 standard (ISO 7561:1984). Before operation, refrigerators are certified in accordance with GOST 28558; during storage, safety requirements must be observed:

• The packaging must be pre-disinfected.
• To maintain a stable temperature, air must circulate in the chamber. During the cooling period of the product, circulation is carried out continuously; when the temperature stabilizes, circulation is carried out periodically.
• Mushrooms are stored on racks, the distance to the floor is 25-30 cm, and from the walls in stacks of 30 cm. When forming stacks, the capacity of the chambers, containers, type of storage and the installed air cooling system are taken into account.
• Champignons cannot be stored for longer than 4-5 days at temperatures from 0 °C to 2 °C. If the temperature was about 5 °C, the period is reduced to 2-3 days.
• Mushrooms packed in trays hermetically sealed with plastic wrap last longer. To prevent the mushrooms from wilting and becoming covered in mucus, the humidity should be maintained at 90%.

Compliance with storage conditions is checked by inspecting the chamber for compliance with sanitary rules. The chambers are maintained in proper condition through regular sanitary and hygienic treatment. Additional products help maintain the quality of the mushrooms. For these purposes, a controlled gas environment (RGA) and a modified gas environment (MGA) are used.

During RGS, the carbon dioxide content in the chambers increases. With MGS, the gas composition in the package is regulated. The optimal atmosphere is achieved using selectively permeable membranes made of films with high gas permeability, perforated film materials.

Raw whites

Requirements for porcini mushrooms are regulated by GOST R 54643-2011. The product is classified as perishable and is subject to appropriate regulations. During transportation, ventilation of each individual package must be ensured. The following is not allowed:

• foreign odors;
• direct sunlight;
• dust.

The manufacturer sets the shelf life himself, but there are a number of recommendations:

• At temperatures from 0 °C to 5 °C, it is recommended to store fresh porcini mushrooms for no more than 48 hours from the moment of collection.
• Up to 10 °C – no more than 8 hours, up to 12 °C – no more than 6 hours, up to 20 °C – no more than 4 hours.
• Mushrooms are stored in dry and clean, refrigerated warehouses where insects are not allowed.
• Transport packaging must ensure the safety of the product and ensure its compliance with the standard throughout the entire established shelf life.
• The contents of each package must be uniform. The quality of the mushrooms and the correct packaging are checked by sampling from the batch.
• Externally, porcini mushrooms should be intact, not frostbitten, clean, firm, and without excessive moisture.

Oyster mushrooms

Requirements for the product are specified in GOST R 56636-2015. It is recommended to store oyster mushrooms at a humidity of 85%-90%. Shelf life depends on temperature:

• at temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, oyster mushrooms can be stored for no more than a day;
• at temperatures from 11°C to 20°C - no more than 4 hours;
• if the mushrooms are in the refrigerator at a temperature of 1°C to 6°C, the period is extended to 48 hours.

Mushrooms should be stored in dry and clean warehouses free of pests and foreign odors. Sunlight and heat are not allowed.

If the premises are heated, it is necessary to install a cooling system, and ventilation is also needed. The quality of mushrooms, correct packaging and compliance with standards are checked through sampling.

Why is it called that - “white mushroom”

The mushroom itself belongs to the family Boletaceae, a species of boletus, which is why it is often called boletus.

This name has an ancient history. Our distant ancestors, who lived centuries ago, often dried mushrooms rather than fried or stewed them. They noticed that when dried, this mushroom remains white, which is where its name most likely came from. But there is another version according to which the boletus got its name because its flesh is white and tastier than that of “black” mushrooms (for example: black milk mushroom - nigella and the like). Moreover, because the pulp of “black” mushrooms tends to darken when cut, and the white mushroom always has a white color.

Preparing for marinating

Preparing pickled mushrooms is quite simple, but there are special secrets that help give the preparation an even brighter taste. Many housewives use citric acid or vinegar. Such products help extend the shelf life of porcini mushrooms and add piquancy to them.

When preparing the product for seaming, it is important to follow the rules:

• Boletus mushrooms need to be cleared of debris, damaged areas cut off and sorted. If the mushroom is large, then it is cut into pieces.
• It doesn’t matter which recipe is chosen - before starting pickling, porcini mushrooms should be boiled for 20-30 minutes in salted water. You can tell when the mushrooms are ready when they begin to sink to the bottom of the pan.
• Then you need to put them in a colander and wait until all the water has drained.

If porcini mushrooms alone are not enough, they can be combined with boletuses, boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms and boletus mushrooms.

How long can porcini mushroom be stored?

If you do not plan to process the porcini mushrooms during the first hours, they should be put in a cool place, such as a refrigerator. It will fit perfectly. But in this way you can preserve porcini mushrooms for a day, no more, otherwise it will be dangerous to eat them.

If you plan to store boletus mushrooms for three days, then you need to prepare them first:

1. Wash fresh mushrooms and soak them in a salt solution for 6 to 24 hours.
2. Remove them from the water and carefully inspect them for damage; they will differ in color. If there are such areas, they should be trimmed.
3. Let the mushrooms dry and place them in a deep bowl, cover with a napkin or towel.
4. Place the porcini mushrooms in the refrigerator.

If the same preparation and storage conditions are followed, porcini mushrooms can be frozen and stored for several months.

Marinated porcini mushrooms

Many lovers of homemade preparations prefer to marinate porcini mushrooms. There are many recipes for pickling, but it is almost always recommended to serve them no earlier than a month later.

As for storage, a cool room with a temperature no higher than 7 degrees Celsius or a refrigerator is suitable for this. Mushrooms must be completely covered with marinade - this way they will retain their benefits and will not become moldy.

Marinated boletus mushrooms are an easy to prepare but delicious mushroom appetizer. There are a lot of pickling recipes, so every housewife can choose a dish to suit her own taste.

Preservation for the winter

Canning is one of the simplest and most popular ways to prepare food for the winter. Properly prepared for future use through preservation, mushrooms retain all their taste and nutritional properties. In this case, you should use fruiting bodies that were collected no more than one day ago and were stored for that day in a refrigerator.

Currently, several options for preserving boletus mushrooms are used, but the following recipe is the most popular:

• Boil a kilogram of peeled and prepared fruiting bodies in salted water for a quarter of an hour;
• prepare the marinade by adding 90 g of salt, 25 g of sugar and a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to 500 ml of water;
• pour the boiled mushrooms into the marinade and boil for another quarter of an hour;
• Place several peas of black and allspice, a bay leaf and mushrooms in prepared sterilized jars;
• pour boiling marinade and roll up the jars with lids.