Is it possible to freeze unboiled mushrooms? How to freeze mushrooms for the winter - the rules you need to know. How to properly freeze mushrooms. Salted or pickled

It is known that according to their structure, mushrooms are divided into marsupial, tubular and lamellar. The first group is the smallest, and it includes the rarest mushrooms - truffles, along with morels. But the other two groups are very rich in the species they contain. The difference between them is in the structure of the underside of the cap, where the spore chambers are located. In tubular mushrooms, they, accordingly, have the appearance of a porous surface, which is why such mushrooms are also called spongy.

In lamellar species, the lower part of the cap is folded, consisting of many thin plates, between which the spores are located. Why do we need these classifications? It's simple - only spongy mushrooms, for example porcini mushrooms, can be frozen raw. The fact is that the porous surface of the cap, which is the main edible part, absorbs water well during cooking and does not release it well. Therefore, if you first put boletus or boletus, as well as porcini mushrooms, in boiling water, then you will have to squeeze them out so that they do not become watery, and this will not have the best effect on the quality of the product.

But the lamellar species should just be boiled, and honey mushrooms should be boiled for at least half an hour, otherwise you will experience an upset stomach after defrosting and preparing a hot dish from them. Other mushrooms also need to be cooked for at least 10 minutes. All types of marsupial mushrooms should be boiled before freezing, and then squeezed, and then rinsed in running water to get rid of harmful helwellic acid.

Video: Freezing mushrooms

Rules for preparing mushrooms

Having collected mushrooms in the forest, without delay, sort them out and throw away the wormy ones, as well as previously unnoticed spoiled ones, since they are in any case unfit for consumption and should not be frozen. Next, you need to choose the youngest, the oldest and flaccid ones are not suitable for fresh storage; it is better to immediately boil and fry them. All mushrooms you select should be firm and firm to the touch.

Under no circumstances should you go through a large collection, if there are a lot of gifts of nature, immediately put most of them in the refrigerator and work with small portions - cut mushrooms quickly lose their freshness. If everything does not fit in the refrigerator, put it in a cool cellar for a while. Those types of mushrooms that are undesirable to cook before freezing (tubular) should be rinsed in running water and cleaned of dirt and debris.

But try to avoid prolonged contact with moisture, otherwise it will be quickly absorbed by the spongy surface, which is why the product will be watery after defrosting. Small mushrooms can be frozen whole, but large ones are better cut into slices, which, however, should not be too thin. Those mushrooms that are pre-boiled should become quite soft, but if the legs are still too hard, it is better to cut them off and make broth from them.

Video: Cooking porcini mushrooms

Freezing methods, as well as defrosting secrets

Let's start with harvesting fresh forest products (or purchasing from the market). To begin with, as already mentioned, the mushrooms need to be cleared of debris and washed, but not kept in water for long. We put our preparations in the freezer (small white ones can be whole, others are better in sliced ​​form) without a bag or container, but simply laid out in an even layer along the bottom, on a small tray or dish.

And only after an hour and a half, when the porous surface of the cap has hardened, you need to transfer everything into a container or plastic bag; it is advisable to squeeze the air out of the latter before closing.

Those mushrooms that you previously boiled are first removed into a colander or onto a sieve so that the water completely drains from them. By the way, heat treatment of tubular species is also allowed, in particular porcini mushrooms, but, as mentioned earlier, the moisture must be slightly squeezed out of them. And if after mushrooms the broth is drained, then the broth after the white mushrooms can be used for soup - it contains all the beneficial substances characteristic of boletus mushrooms. No need for boiling. When the pieces have cooled, carefully transfer them into containers or bags and place them in the freezer. And finally, the most interesting thing. If the first 2 methods involved the preparation of almost semi-finished products, now let’s move on to an almost finished product (which, however, still requires bringing it to full readiness). So, place lightly boiled mushrooms in a frying pan with heated vegetable oil and lightly fry until they become slightly hard. During the process, they may brown or darken slightly - this is quite normal for ours, especially if they are white. Next, cool and transfer to containers. You can first hold it in a colander to drain the oil, especially if you fried it with olive oil, since it solidifies into flakes in the refrigerator.

As for defrosting mushrooms, it should proceed the same for any method of preparation by cooling. First of all, remember that under no circumstances should you defrost quickly, otherwise the mushrooms will become soft and watery. Transfer the container (if you want to use the entire portion) or part of its contents from the freezer to any other compartment of the refrigerator where the temperature is maintained at a higher temperature. It is advisable to keep the workpiece there for about 8-10 hours (for example, at night) and only then defrost it for another hour at room temperature. Under no circumstances should mushrooms be frozen a second time, so if you are not going to use the entire portion, take exactly the right amount.

Fresh mushrooms do not last long, only a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Not everyone likes to pickle them for the winter, so why not freeze the mushrooms for the winter? The “quiet hunting” season can be perfectly completed with a simple and healthy preparation of fresh honey mushrooms, champignons, oyster mushrooms and other mushrooms.

What mushrooms are frozen

Both hand-picked and store-bought mushrooms, both wild and grown on mushroom farms, are well stored in the freezer. In any case, try to have time to freeze fresh samples within the first day after collection.

For chanterelles, boletus, boletus and other mushrooms, the principles of freezing are almost the same. It is worth distinguishing them by their shape:

1. Tubular ones with a porous cap (boletus, etc.) are frozen raw.
2. It is better to boil honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and other lamellar species before freezing.
3. Marsupials, such as truffles, must be cooked and squeezed thoroughly before being sent to the freezer.

note
To store the product, the temperature in the chamber should not be higher than the standard -18 degrees. Below is possible if the device allows it. You also need to make sure that the device does not turn off even for several hours.

Blast freezing would be optimal - for this, set the temperature in the freezer to the lowest possible temperature for 2-3 hours, keep the mushrooms there, and then return to standard settings. With this method, the maximum vitamins are preserved, the products remain tasty and aromatic, very similar to fresh ones.

Preparing for freezing: all stages

All collected or purchased mushrooms are carefully sorted. Only whole, healthy and moderately large samples are selected for freezing.

How to clean:

1. Use a special stiff brush or knife to remove small debris.
2. Cut off the bottom of the leg.
3. Remove the skirts from mushrooms.
4. Remove the films from the butter caps.

How to wash:

1. If the mushrooms are too dirty, rinse them.
2. And then dry thoroughly. Dry all parts with a paper towel to ensure no drips remain.

If you can avoid washing mushrooms, don’t! They become saturated with moisture and, after defrosting, lose a lot of flavor.

It is also impossible to soak the product for a long time; it is already watery and releases a lot of juice when cooked. After defrosting, this property worsens. That is why samples that are too wet are lightly boiled and squeezed.

Advice
Mushrooms with minor damage from worms can be soaked in salt water for 20 minutes. The insects will float up.

How to boil before freezing:

1. Cut everything into small convenient pieces, as if into a dish. Anyway, after defrosting, the product will be used in soup, pizza, etc. By the way, after defrosting, mushrooms are more difficult to cut, as they lose their shape and release a lot of moisture.
2. Boil water in a saucepan.
3. Place everything in boiling water and boil for 5-10 minutes. There is no need to cook longer to prevent the pieces from becoming rubbery.
4. Place the finished mushrooms in a colander and shake, letting the water drain.
5. The product must be freed from moisture as much as possible (you can even gently squeeze it out).
6. Once the pieces have cooled completely, you can start freezing.

Mushrooms can not only be boiled, but also fried:

1. Cut the product into small pieces.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan.
3. Place the pieces in the oil and fry for 20 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula.
4. Drain off excess juice.
5. Cool the mushrooms and place everything in the freezer in small portions.

Important
There is no need to add salt when cooking or frying! Salt promotes the release of moisture.

Other pre-heat treatment methods:

1. Double boiler: Place the product on a wire rack and keep it over steam for at least 5 minutes.
2. Blanching: Add a little salt to a pan of boiling water, put the mushrooms in there, wait for 2-3 minutes, then transfer everything into ice water.
3. Oven: bake fresh mushrooms on a baking sheet with foil for about 20 minutes to get the most flavorful semi-finished product.

Freezing: rules

Freezing raw mushrooms:

1. White and other large species are best cut into slices; smaller ones can be frozen whole. It is very convenient to separate mushrooms into caps and stems.
2. First, freeze the slices in separate pieces so that they do not stick together during storage. Place everything in an even layer on a tray or flat dish. Just cover the container with cling film, otherwise the mushrooms will stick to the bottom. Now put it in the freezer and wait a few hours for everything to freeze thoroughly.
3. When the mushrooms are firm, transfer them to containers or freezer bags. Package the product so that one serving is enough for one use. This will be convenient and quick, and you won’t have to defrost the workpiece again.
4. Do not re-freeze!

How to properly freeze mushrooms after boiling:

1. The process for packing boiled pieces is exactly the same as for fresh ones. Prepare convenient small containers and distribute the pieces in portions. It is convenient to freeze 100-300 g, depending on the dish in which these mushrooms will be useful later.
2. Boiled mushrooms take up less space.
3. It's a good idea to freeze the product in a container directly in the mushroom broth, so the pieces are less likely to lose shape and taste after thawing.

Shelf life and defrosting, how to use the product

The shelf life of frozen mushrooms is 5-7, maximum 12 months. Try to eat them before spring to get more benefits. The longer foods are stored, the less tasty and nutritious they become.

The way the mushrooms are thawed also plays a role in the final result. In the case of mushrooms, the temperature increases gradually:

1. First, move the bag or container to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. There it should stand for 7-10 hours. Very convenient to defrost overnight.
2. After this, one hour at room temperature is enough for the mushrooms to become suitable for further cooking.

Thawed mushrooms, which have previously been boiled, fried or baked, are added to soups, fried potatoes, cereals for a hearty side dish, in pies fillings, etc. It is recommended to cook raw mushrooms separately from the dish. Methods of cooking/stewing, etc. are the same as in the case of fresh food.

The taste of defrosting, of course, cannot be compared with fresh food, but it is much better than what stores offer in winter. After thawing, eat the gifts of the forest immediately: they spoil very quickly.

Frozen mushrooms will delight you with their delicate aroma and bright taste all year long. Knowing how to freeze mushrooms for the winter, you will always have a healthy natural product on hand without chemical additives. You will learn all the details of the process from this article.

How to properly prepare mushrooms for freezing

You need to freeze clean and strong mushrooms. The ideal choice would be white mushrooms, honey mushrooms, boletuses, boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms and champignons. They do not need to be soaked to remove the bitter milky juice. You also need to consider:

• It is better to freeze mushrooms with whole caps and stems;
• They need to be prepared for freezing immediately on the day of collection;
• After washing, the mushrooms must be dried so that a lot of ice does not form during freezing;
• Plastic containers or plastic bags are suitable for freezing.

When frozen, mushrooms will retain maximum nutrients and vitamins. This method of preparing them will not take much time and effort.

How to freeze mushrooms: basic methods

There are several popular freezing methods:

• To prepare raw mushrooms, they need to be laid out on a tray at a short distance from each other and placed in the freezer for 10-12 hours. Then they need to be distributed into bags or containers for easy storage;
• You can prepare boiled mushrooms. In this case, after defrosting, you will not need to spend a lot of time preparing them. Boil the mushrooms for 30-40 minutes, then let them cool completely and package the product in bags;
• It is recommended to pre-soak and fry chanterelles. They need to be soaked in salt water at the rate of 1 tbsp per 1 liter of water. l. salt. This will help rid the chanterelles of bitterness. It is better to fry them in vegetable oil without salt, all the liquid should boil away. After this, the mushrooms need to be cooled well and stored in the freezer;
• The original method is freezing in broth. The mushrooms must first be well boiled and allowed to cool completely. Place a plastic bag in a small container, the edges of which should cover the sides of the container. Pour the broth with mushrooms into the bag and put it in the freezer for 4-5 hours. When the liquid is completely frozen, carefully separate the bag from the container and put it back in the freezer. This freezing option is perfect for making mushroom soup.

Such frozen foods should be stored at a temperature no higher than –18ºС for no more than one year. After defrosting, mushrooms must be cooked immediately; they should not be left in the refrigerator for a long time.

All the same mushrooms that you collect in summer and autumn are suitable for storing for the winter: from chanterelles to porcini mushrooms, the main thing is that they are edible.

Attention! The best way to defrost raw mushrooms is to place them in the refrigerator. Then they will be just like fresh, just out of the forest.

Rule No. 3: freeze boiled or stewed mushrooms

If you are afraid to freeze fresh mushrooms and want to play it safe, then boil them before freezing. Not long at all - up to 5 minutes. Most often, honey mushrooms intended for frying are frozen in this way. This method is also suitable for broken, out-of-shape, but fresh and tasty mushrooms.

To prepare the mushrooms, drop them, peeled and cut into pieces, into boiling water for 5 minutes. Then let it cool, drain in a colander and place in food bags or containers.

Calculate the number of mushrooms in the bag so that you can use one bag to prepare one dish. As a rule, half of the packages are small - from 300 g to half a kilogram, and half - with a larger weight, from 500 g to 1 kg.

Can also be frozen. To do this, clean, prepared mushrooms are fried in a small amount of vegetable oil for 20 minutes until all excess moisture has evaporated. Completely cooled mushrooms are placed in bags and frozen.

The “silent hunting” season should not pass by our freezer. Because - alas, in winter we are unlikely to find fresh boletus, chanterelles and boletus in supermarkets. We will buy factory-frozen or eternal mushrooms, like the Egyptian pyramids, champignons and oyster mushrooms.

But! If we make a little fuss and overcome our own laziness for a while, then... then we’ll put the mushroom reserves in the freezer and freeze them according to the rules in the winter

Rule No. 1: clean, fresh, young

Our mushrooms, no matter how we freeze them, must be fresh, clean and, if possible, not broken. A lot depends on this - both the appearance of the product after defrosting and the quality. Consequently, mushrooms need to be collected, bought, bartered, begged for - fresh. Maximum - yesterday's assembly.

Attention! When peeling mushrooms, do not get them too wet. The mushroom easily absorbs water, which will become ice in the freezer. Why do we need water in mushrooms?

Rule No. 2: freeze fresh mushrooms

The easiest way to freeze mushrooms is whole and fresh. After cleaning, they are placed in the freezer on a flat surface, and after a few hours they can be poured into a prepared bag or container. Ideal mushrooms for freezing in this way would be boletus, honey mushrooms, forest champignons, boletus, aspen, and chanterelles.

We need the fungus to be strong, then even after defrosting they will keep their shape and decorate any dish.

Attention! The best way to defrost raw mushrooms is to place them in the refrigerator. Then they will be just like fresh, just out of the forest.

Rule No. 3: freeze boiled or stewed mushrooms

If you are afraid of fresh mushrooms and want to be on the safe side, boil them before freezing. Not long at all - up to 5 minutes. Most often, honey mushrooms intended for frying are frozen in this way. This method is also suitable for broken mushrooms that have lost their “glamorous” appearance, but are fresh and tasty.

In this way, I prepare semi-finished products for the winter for fillings in pies, pies, kulebyaki and other winter delights (stuffed chicken, for example).

To prepare the mushrooms, drop them, peeled and cut into pieces, into boiling water for 5 minutes. Then let cool, drain in a colander and place in food bags or containers.

Calculate the number of mushrooms in the bag so that you can use one bag to prepare one dish. As a rule, I get half of the small packages - from 300 g to half a kilogram, and half - with a larger weight, from 500 g to 1 kg.

You can also freeze fried mushrooms. To do this, clean, prepared mushrooms are fried in a small amount of vegetable oil for 20 minutes until all excess moisture has evaporated. Completely cooled mushrooms are placed in bags and frozen.

By the way, so that the mushrooms do not lose their sweet taste and aroma during frying, the mushrooms can be fried on a baking sheet in the oven. For such frying, you don’t even need sunflower oil, and the mushrooms themselves are cooked in their own juice.

Rule #4: Maintain Temperature

Frozen mushrooms for the winter can be stored at a temperature of -18°C for up to a year. After completely defrosting the mushrooms, use them immediately, and under no circumstances leave them in the refrigerator for “later.”

Editor's Pie

If there are mushrooms at home, it doesn’t matter - fresh or frozen, then after 40 minutes my family and friends are already groaning over the baking sheet, choosing the most delicious piece for themselves. The dough in this pie is called “filled” and takes no longer to cook than scrambled eggs.

You will need for the test: 2 eggs, 0.5. Art. sugar, 1 cup sour cream, 1.5 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon soda, a pinch of salt.

You will need for the filling: 500 gr. frozen mushrooms in pieces, 1 large onion, 200 gr. chicken liver, oil for frying, salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the chicken liver and grind through a meat grinder (I do this in advance if possible). Thaw the mushrooms, chop into very small pieces and fry with onions. Combine with liver, pepper and lightly salt.

We combine the ingredients for the dough, mix thoroughly and pour into a greased form or baking sheet with high sides (I have a glass one), lay out the filling - some of it will go down, some will remain on top.

Bake over medium heat for 30-40 minutes. The sour cream dough is very good. The slight sweetness of the dough and the saltiness of the mushrooms give an unusual taste!

Housewives have been harvesting mushrooms for the winter for a long time. At first, this took the form of drying, salting and pickling, but recently a method that came from industrial mushroom growing, such as freezing, was added to them.

Its advantages are obvious. It:

1. does not take much time (and for a modern woman, who is forced to combine work, and sometimes more than one, in her life, and home, this is perhaps one of the main advantages).
2. allows you to preserve mushrooms in their original form with all their inherent beneficial properties and taste.
3. gives confidence that they will not deteriorate throughout the entire storage period. As you know, mushrooms are perishable foods, and such confidence is not at all out of place.
4. finally, it provides housewives with an excellent semi-finished product, from which at any convenient time you can prepare anything - from first courses to appetizers, salads and pie fillings.

In addition, compared to traditional methods of preparation, freezing mushrooms makes it possible to preserve them for a much longer time than pickling or pickling. For example, pickled mushrooms can be stored for no more than six months, pickled mushrooms can be stored for no more than a year, and frozen mushrooms can be stored for a year or even more.

However, despite all the admitted ease, this procedure has a number of very important nuances, failure to comply with which will, at best, lead to damage to the product. It would not be an exaggeration to say that mushrooms, traditionally included in the human diet, have their own “character” and, despite the similarity of the general freezing technology, require a special approach in detail. In addition, not all mushrooms can be frozen. Therefore, before you engage in such preparation, you need to know how to properly freeze mushrooms for the winter at home.

Mushrooms that can be frozen include:

1. chanterelles.
2. White mushrooms.
3. milk mushrooms
4. saffron milk caps.
5. boletus.

Each of these mushrooms has not only its own qualities and characteristics, but also methods of preparation, therefore, it seems to us, it would be correct to consider the features of freezing them separately.

Such useful foxes...

Therefore, it is not surprising that chanterelles are deservedly popular among mushroom pickers and lovers of delicious food at any time of the year, especially in winter, when there is an acute lack of vitamins and you often want to snack on “something tasty.” However, if you decide to make yourself such a tasty and healthy supply for the winter, then you should do this immediately after collecting chanterelles. Their preparation proceeds as follows:

1. Sort and sort the mushrooms. First of all, only young, strong chanterelles that have not yet straightened their caps are subject to freezing. Be sure to separate small specimens from large ones - they are frozen in different ways. If they end up in the same bag next to each other, then during subsequent cooking the large chanterelles will become bitter.
2. cut off the lower part of the stem and thoroughly clean the cap from dirt and debris.
3. rinse the selected mushrooms well under running water, paying special attention to the lower part of the cap, where debris most often accumulates.
4. After washing, place the chanterelles on a towel that absorbs liquid well and dry them. These mushrooms absorb moisture well, which is why, when frozen, they lose a lot in taste and quality, so good, almost perfect drying of them is an indispensable condition for quality preparation for the winter.
5. After drying, they should be placed in a single layer on a tray and placed in the freezer for at least two hours. In order to avoid sticking, it is recommended to freeze the chanterelles individually in several stages.
6. then place them in plastic bags or plastic containers, seal them tightly, label them with the date, and put them back in the freezer.

Large chanterelles can be frozen like this:

1. Rinse freshly picked mushrooms in cold, preferably running water, removing all dirt and debris. To make cleaning easier, you can soak them briefly beforehand.
2. Cut each mushroom individually into several pieces. The easiest way is to cut off the cap from the stem and cut them into slices of approximately 6 mm. thick. In addition to ease of use, this will also save a lot of storage space and allow you to prepare more mushrooms for the winter.
3. Place all parts in a large saucepan, add cold water and boil until boiling, then add salt and cook for another 15-20 minutes. During cooking, before and after using salt, be sure to remove the foam, which may also contain particles of unwashed debris.
4. Drain the mushrooms in a colander, cool quickly under cold water and let dry. Some housewives claim that you can dry the chanterelles directly in a colander, but it is best to place them on a towel and wait until all the water is absorbed into it.
5. After drying, place the mushrooms in containers, close, label and put in the freezer to freeze. If you plan to use bags for storage, then the next day you can transfer the mushrooms into them from containers. When using an enamel tray, it is advisable to lower its bottom into hot water for a couple of seconds, then transfer the chanterelles stored in it to the designated bags.

Some housewives manage to freeze stewed chanterelles, putting them in a jar along with the sauce in which they were stewed, pouring sour cream on top, closing the lid and putting them in the freezer.

There is no need to defrost the chanterelles. If they are needed for making soup, then they can be used directly frozen; if they are going to be fried, then you need to put them in boiling water for a few minutes, and then in a colander, let the water drain and put them in a frying pan. It is best to serve chanterelles with vegetables, as these mushrooms are rich in protein.

How to freeze porcini mushroom

The reputation of the porcini mushroom in the mushroom kingdom and its environs is akin to the reputation of Caesar’s wife, who, as enlightened people know, is always above all suspicion. It is enough to mention only the fact that even in “Domostroy” (XVI century) only it was called by the general specific word “mushroom”; all other edible mushrooms have their own names that have survived to this day - milk mushrooms, saffron milk caps, etc. The porcini mushroom, or boletus, is known throughout almost the entire territory of the CIS from the Kola Peninsula to the Caucasus and Belarus to the Far East, and despite its uneven distribution (in some areas it is found often, in others less often, in some places it is not found at all) , it is called differently everywhere. The most likely assumption as to why it became “white” is due to the distinctive feature of its pulp to retain its snow-white color even after heat treatment.

Researchers of Russian dialects know about two dozen synonymous names, many of which have been preserved in the language since ancient times and can no longer be explained or analyzed in origin. In some areas where the porcini mushroom is not found - on the Yenisei and Olonets, in Kargopolye and in some areas of the Tver and Vologda regions - this name is given to other edible mushrooms growing in pine or mixed forests - for example, boletus, boletus, saffron milk caps. In Central Asia, steppe oyster mushrooms are called “ceps”. It can be assumed that in this way the residents of these regions indicate their attitude towards these mushrooms, placing them in importance in local cooking and taste on the same level as boletus. Even in Crimea, where the white mushroom is well known, the same name with the addition of the adjective “mountain” (mountain white mushroom) is used to call the giant talker.

The boletus itself, in addition to its traditional or “typical” form, has 17 more forms, depending on the season of its appearance and the characteristics of the climate and mycorrhiza. This allows us to consider it almost the most widespread mushroom on Earth, since it can be found in all its varieties in most parts of the planet. Judging by the area of ​​its growth and the fact that all 18 forms of the porcini mushroom are recognized as edible and healthy, we can also assume that it is used in cooking by a wide variety of peoples. In addition to the presence of useful elements and amino acids in it, it is believed that regular consumption of boletus:

1. reduces weight.
2. stimulates digestion, and in this regard is even superior to meat broth.
3. improves thyroid function.
4. increases performance and overall tone of the body.

Boletus can also be classified as a medicinal mushroom. It is known that in the past the extract from its bodies was used to treat frostbite, and today substances with tonic antitumor properties have been discovered in it.

Several facts eloquently testify to how highly the porcini mushroom is valued even by food-harmful Europeans:

1. special mushroom tours to Finland are organized for Italians (in Italy there are restrictions on collecting mushrooms and berries, the observance of which is strictly enforced by the so-called “forest police”).
2. in 1987, according to official sources, more than a thousand tons of boletus were sold in France and Germany, and over 2,300 tons in Italy.
3. The harvest of porcini mushrooms in Italy does not satisfy the demand of the local population so much that most of them are imported from abroad.

Among the Russian people, the white mushroom has long been called with honor “dear mushroom”, “noble mushroom”, “king of mushrooms”, and it is no coincidence that in folklore there is a saying “the white mushroom is the colonel of all mushrooms”. It is not surprising that among mushrooms to be frozen, it occupies one of the first places, if not the first, and you can even freeze it raw, boiled or fried. By the way, it is the porcini mushroom frozen for the winter that is considered the most useful (of course, after eating freshly picked mushrooms).

As in the case of chanterelles, freezing raw boletus mushrooms does not seem to be a particularly difficult or time-consuming task and is carried out in the following way:

1. select mushrooms. It is best to use young specimens for freezing - they are much tastier than old ones and hold their shape better.
2. thoroughly clean them of dirt and debris, remove all rotten areas with wormholes.
3. Place the mushrooms in a colander and quickly rinse under running water. Like chanterelles, it is not recommended to keep them in water for a long time, since the porcini mushroom also tends to absorb moisture well, which subsequently destroys its structure and spoils the taste.
4. Dry the mushrooms on a towel until all the moisture is gone.
5. Divide the dried mushrooms into small portions so that one is enough to prepare one dish. Re-freezing porcini mushrooms (as well as others) is not recommended, otherwise they will lose their taste and turn into mush.
6. cut the mushrooms into medium-sized cubes - approximately 1x1 cm.
7. Dry them slightly, spreading them out on a wire rack. This is done so that the pieces do not become covered with mud, and the mushroom mass itself remains crumbly even when frozen.
8. After drying, place the mushrooms in portioned bags or containers so that there is no excess space left, and close them tightly.
9. place in the freezer and maintain the temperature at -5, which will allow these mushrooms to be stored for a very long time.

Boiled porcini mushrooms require a little more attention and are frozen as follows:

1. the selected mushrooms should be sorted and thoroughly cleaned, then washed and dried, as if frozen raw.
2. cut into small cubes or slices.
3. Pour water into the pan, add one or two pinches of salt, put on fire and bring to a boil.
4. place chopped mushrooms in boiling water and cook for 10-12 minutes.
5. then drain them in a colander, let the water drain and wait until the mushrooms cool to room temperature. If even after cooling they remain damp, place them on a wire rack or towel until completely dry.
6. After the mushrooms are completely dry, put them in bags/containers, seal them tightly and put them in the freezer.

Experienced housewives on various Internet forums often advise storing some frozen mushrooms - for example, porcini or boletus - separately from other frozen products - such as meat or fish. This is due to the fact that these mushrooms tend to absorb the tastes and aromas of products located in their vicinity. It makes sense to apply the same precaution to other mushrooms.

Finally, a very popular type of preparation for the winter is freezing fried mushrooms. It is attractive because in this case housewives receive an almost ready-made dish that can be served at the table at any time, or a ready-made filling for pies, pies, pizza and dumplings. This dish is made according to the following recipe:

1. We clean freshly picked boletus mushrooms from debris and dirt, remove all rough parts and wormholes. In this case, you can use a hard-bristled brush to clean the cap and stem.
2. Cut the prepared mushrooms into small cubes.
3. take 2-3 onions, peel and also cut into cubes. Some housewives add onions already in the process of using the semi-finished mushroom product after it has been defrosted, but it has been noticed that using onions when freezing makes porcini mushrooms more aromatic and juicy.
4. Take a large frying pan, add odorless vegetable oil to it, heat and fry the onion, stirring, until transparent golden brown.
5. put the mushrooms in a frying pan, mix with onions, add a little salt (but this, in principle, is optional - salt to taste can be added after defrosting) and fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. The mushrooms should be brought to such a state that all the juice has evaporated from them, so you should not cover the pan with a lid.
6. As soon as the mushrooms acquire a golden color, transfer them to a deep plate and let them cool completely.
7. After cooling, put the whole mass into containers prepared in advance, close the lids tightly and freeze in the freezer until we need them.

Porcini mushrooms should be defrosted in such a way as to keep them whole, tasty and healthy. To do this, a couple of hours before preparing the dish, a portion of frozen porcini mushrooms should be transferred from the freezer to the refrigerator, wait until they thaw, and rinse under running water. Further actions depend on the form in which the mushrooms were frozen: if raw, then they should be boiled in salted water for 5 minutes, adding a few different spices to taste - bay leaf or allspice. Boiled or fried frozen mushrooms are immediately ready for consumption. The main thing to remember is that they should not be re-frozen under any circumstances (as, indeed, other mushrooms).

Features of freezing milk mushrooms

Everything related to the mushroom is a separate and extremely interesting story. In the West, it is little known and is often considered inedible, but in Russia this mushroom has long been considered the best of the category of conditionally edible mushrooms and the only one suitable for pickling. Pies with milk mushrooms were a frequent dish at dinner parties of tsars, boyars and patriarchs back in the days of Muscovite Rus', and even common people eagerly ate it. Dishes made from milk mushrooms became especially popular during church fasts, similar to Lenten dishes made from porcini mushrooms, which were consumed in Catholic countries. In Russian folk cooking, milk mushrooms (also known as real milk mushrooms or “white”, “raw”, “wet”, “pravsky”) have been used since the 9th century, and even this word itself has an ancient Slavic origin from the church word “gruzdie”, which means “pile”, and characterizes the ability of the fungus to group into colonies. Indeed, it is almost impossible to find a milk mushroom growing alone or even apart from a homogeneous group.

On the other hand, it is not for nothing that it is classified as a conditionally edible mushroom. Despite the content of very useful substances and vitamins in it, everything is spoiled by the bitter milky juice contained in its pulp, which is why the milk mushroom acquires bitterness, so the main goal of all treatments before various methods of preparation, be it salting or freezing, is to get rid of bitterness . Once this goal is achieved, you can do whatever you want with the milk mushrooms, especially since its dense fruiting body does not allow moisture to be absorbed so that it subsequently expands in the voids and destroys its structure.

In a sense, milk mushroom can be called a universal mushroom, since it can be frozen in the following forms:

1. scalded.
2. boiled
3. fried.
4. stewed
5. and also in the form of cold-salted milk mushrooms.

The easiest way - freezing scalded mushrooms - looks like this:

1. The collected milk mushrooms should be soaked for a while to make it easier to later clean them from dirt and forest debris.
2. After cleaning, scald thoroughly with boiling water. With this effect, the bitterness of the mushroom is neutralized.
3. then sort the mushrooms, cut large ones into pieces, and leave small ones whole.
4. put them in containers and put them in the freezer.

However, most housewives prefer to freeze milk mushrooms in more traditional forms, one of which is boiled. In this form they are prepared using the following technology:

1. as in the first case, milk mushrooms should be thoroughly washed to remove all debris.
2. Pour cold water into the pan and bring it to a boil.
3. place the milk mushrooms in boiling water. This helps the protein harden and fold and better preserve the structure.
4. When the water boils again, the mushrooms should be boiled in it for no more than 10 minutes, then drained in a colander and allowed to drain. For better preservation, it also doesn’t hurt to dry them a little.
5. After drying, the milk mushrooms are placed in containers with the cap down - this way they are less likely to be damaged - labeled and sent to the freezer for freezing.

You can also freeze fried mushrooms by following this recipe:

1. Cut the washed and peeled milk mushrooms into small pieces.
2. Place them in a frying pan, sprinkle with vegetable or butter and salt to taste.
3. cover with a lid and fry for 20 minutes. In the last minutes, remove the lid to allow as much moisture as possible to evaporate.
4. turn off and let the mushrooms cool, then transfer to containers, label and place in the freezer.

You can also fry mushrooms in the oven in their own juice without adding oil or fat. To do this, they should be placed on a baking sheet and placed in a cabinet with a temperature of +180, stirring occasionally until all the water has evaporated, then cooled to room temperature and frozen, distributing them into containers. They say that milk mushrooms prepared in this way completely retain their inherent taste and aroma.

If in the future you plan to use frozen milk mushrooms for preparing first courses, you can resort to freezing them in stewed form. This is done like this:

1. wash the mushrooms, chop them and boil in salted water for 10-15 minutes.
2. drain the broth, add spices to taste, add a small amount of boiled water, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, adding sautéed carrots and onions or other vegetables if desired.
3. Cool the resulting mass, put it in containers, close with lids, put a date on it and freeze. Unfortunately, this semi-finished product has the shortest shelf life - only about three months - so it most likely will not last until the end of winter.

Finally, the last method of freezing milk mushrooms is freezing cold-salted mushrooms, but it is used only when there is no room in the house to store salted milk mushrooms. To do this, drain the brine from the mushrooms, squeeze lightly so that as little liquid as possible remains in them, and freeze in the usual way. But, unfortunately, frozen-pickled mushrooms cannot boast of elasticity and therefore are only suitable as a filling for pies or for making okroshka.

For the longest time - up to 8 months - frozen milk mushrooms are stored at a temperature of -18 degrees and below. There is no need to specifically defrost them before use.

Harvesting saffron milk caps for the winter

Ryzhik is a “relative” of milk mushroom, since, like it, it belongs to the mushroom genus Lactic, however, unlike milk mushroom, it is highly valued not only in Russia, but also in European countries. Even its Russian name was borrowed by some foreign languages ​​- for example, German and Hungarian. This alone is evidence of the attitude of Europeans towards saffron milk cap, some types of which are considered a delicacy.

In addition to its taste, this mushroom is also valued for its benefits. Camelina contains a huge amount of B-vitamins, ascorbic acid, ash substances, beta-carotene (its presence gives the mushroom its characteristic bright reddish color), fiber and saccharides, as well as mineral salts of many essential substances for humans that affect the functioning of many organs and on the condition of hair, nails and skin. In terms of the amount of amino acids and protein, these mushrooms are quite comparable to meat, which is why, despite their calorie content, they are the main protein food for vegetarians and those who follow a fast or diet. In addition, camelina are considered medicinal mushrooms due to the presence of the natural antibiotic lactriovioline, which inhibits the growth of many pathogenic bacteria, so they are often used to treat various diseases, including tuberculosis.

That is, there are exactly “a thousand and one reasons” for freezing these most useful mushrooms for the winter, when a person especially acutely feels the lack of a variety of substances. They are usually frozen raw on the same day as they were collected, as follows:

1. First, freshly picked mushrooms are sorted. Saffron milk caps going into freezing must be young, strong and the freshest; wormy, damaged or lethargic ones must be removed.
2. the selected mushrooms are thoroughly washed using a soft foam sponge (preferably a new one) and quickly rinsed under running water - preferably one at a time - so that they do not have time to become saturated with moisture.
3. Lay out a kitchen towel on the table, place the washed mushrooms on it and give them time to dry completely.
4. dried mushrooms are laid out on a tray in one layer so as to prevent contact with each other, then placed in the freezer and used at the maximum sub-zero temperature. If there is a maximum freezing function, you can use it.
5. After 10-12 hours, you should check the degree of freezing by removing the tray and knocking the mushrooms against each other. If the sound resembles the sound of pebbles being tapped, it means that the mushrooms can already be placed in various containers, tightly closed, labeled and sent back to the freezer - this time for storage. However, saffron milk caps can only be stored for six months at -18.

The saffron milk caps remaining after sorting can also be used for freezing, but separately from whole ones. To begin with, they are carefully examined for the presence of damaged areas, which are cut out and thrown away, while the remaining parts suitable for storage are cleared of debris, rinsed, dried and frozen in the manner described above with one difference: non-whole mushrooms should be checked within 5-6 hours after they are stay in the freezer. This is due to the fact that they freeze faster than whole and strong saffron milk caps. Boiled and stewed mushrooms are frozen using the same method, adding a little refined oil during their processing.

Features of freezing boletus mushrooms

Boletus is another mushroom that is very common in the wooded parts of Eurasia and North America and is almost the only one that can be found in the tundra and forest-tundra. It grows, as the name suggests, near birches, and even in the tundra it chooses dwarf birches as neighbors. True, they look very funny next to each other due to the fact that boletus is often taller than such a birch, so residents of these areas sometimes jokingly call it “overbirch”.

This mushroom has nine varieties, and all of them have not only excellent taste, but also very valuable properties. The dietary fiber they contain helps remove harmful substances from the body, the protein contained in boletus is surprisingly easy to digest and assimilate, and a small amount of calories (per 100 g - only 20 kcal) allows them to be consumed by those people who are on a diet . These mushrooms also contain phosphoric acid, without which the production of enzymes responsible for the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system is impossible. And in general, regular consumption of boletus mushrooms has a beneficial effect on the human nervous system, regulates blood sugar levels and alleviates the symptoms of kidney pathology. Simply put, boletus mushrooms are one of those mushrooms that need to be included in your diet at any time of the year, especially in winter, and the best way to do this is, of course, to freeze them.

However, before this procedure, boletus mushrooms should be carefully sorted and sorted. Mushrooms with wormholes and foulbrood are not suitable for freezing - they must be removed and thrown away. It is best to freeze small young specimens, which later make the most delicious dishes. After selection, they should be thoroughly cleaned of all debris and washed in warm water at least three times, then dried on napkins or paper towels and only then should they be frozen. Like some other mushrooms, boletus mushrooms can be frozen raw, boiled and fried.

Raw boletus mushrooms are frozen as follows:

1. Place the prepared mushrooms on a flat surface in the freezer and freeze thoroughly. Freezing time depends on the number of mushrooms and the temperature in the freezer.
2. After the mushrooms are frozen, fill a container or bag with them, close it and put it in the freezer again - this time for storage.
3. The storage temperature should not be higher than -18 degrees.

The main condition for such freezing of mushrooms is their almost perfect integrity. If the cap is even slightly damaged, it is better to use this mushroom for other purposes. You need to defrost boletus mushrooms on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, where they will thaw gradually without compromising their integrity.

Boiled mushrooms are frozen according to the following method:

1. peeled specimens should be cut into small slices, placed in a clean pan, filled with water and put on fire. Cooking time depends on the size of the slices, but usually it does not exceed 40 minutes.
2. after they are cooked, drain the broth and dry them, placing them on a towel or leaving them directly in a colander.
3. While the mushrooms are drying, rinse and dry plastic containers.
4. Place the boletus mushrooms in containers, close tightly and place in the freezer.

Finally, the third method is freezing fried mushrooms. They do it like this:

1. Rinse the boletus mushrooms thoroughly.
2. Without drying, cut them into small slices using a sharp knife. Mushrooms should be cut in such a way that they will shrink in volume when frying.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan and put mushrooms in it, maybe even a heaping amount.
4. fry, stirring with a wooden spatula, until the mushrooms are cooked to your desired degree. No need to add salt.
5. When the boletus mushrooms are fried, cool them, put them in containers and put them in the freezer.

Boletus mushrooms are defrosted in the same way as other mushrooms.

Conclusion

We told you about how to freeze just some of the most popular mushrooms. Left out of our attention are honey mushrooms, boletus, boletus, morels... All of them are edible and healthy mushrooms in all respects, which can - and even should - be frozen so as not to deprive yourself of the pleasure of enjoying a mushroom delicacy for the New Year, Christmas or just a regular winter day. weekday. Mushroom dishes will certainly be a pleasant addition to your winter table, the only thing is to freeze them correctly, following some simple general rules:

1. Never freeze different types of mushrooms with each other. Milk mushrooms should be stored separately from boletus mushrooms, and chanterelles should be stored separately from boletus mushrooms. If there is little space in the freezer, it is better to give preference to one type rather than try to “shove in what cannot be squeezed in.”
2. Mushrooms must be calibrated, separating large from small and whole from damaged. This is due not only to the fact that the technology for freezing them is somewhat different from each other, but also to the fact that the time spent freezing large chopped mushrooms differs from the time spent on freezing small specimens.
3. You need to freeze mushrooms in such portions that one is enough to prepare one dish. It is strictly not recommended to re-freeze mushrooms, otherwise, instead of a suitable semi-finished product, you will get who knows what.
4. All mushrooms must be cleared of debris before freezing in any form.

Well, we will definitely return to the features of freezing honey mushrooms, boletus, boletus, morels and some other valuable mushrooms...

The traditional way to prepare mushrooms for the winter is to freeze whole or sliced ​​mushrooms directly in the freezer. Everything is simple here. To do this, we select fresh, young, healthy mushrooms, clean them, chop them if necessary and put them in the refrigerator for storage. The shelf life with this method is 6-8 months. But this freezing method takes up a lot of refrigerator space. This is appropriate when you have a separate large freezer. And if not? Below are three simple but effective ways to freeze mushrooms for the winter. These methods will help not only to balance the space in the freezer, but also significantly save time during further preparation of dishes.

Blanching (or scalding) mushrooms

This method allows you to preserve the color, structure and taste of mushrooms as much as possible, kills bacteria, and allows you to clean the mushrooms 100% of dirt. Blanched mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 12 months. They are great for preparing first courses. For example, if you are preparing mushroom soup, throw the required amount of frozen blanched mushrooms into the pan 20 minutes before the end of cooking and that’s it, you won’t need any more additional actions with the mushrooms.

To prepare mushrooms for the winter using the blanching method, we need a large saucepan. Pour water into the pan at the rate of 5 liters per 1 kg. fresh mushrooms and put on fire. While the water is heating up, we prepare our mushrooms, wash them and cut them into slices of the required size. As soon as the water boils, pour the mushrooms into the water and wait for it to boil again. After boiling, wait 2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and strain the mushrooms through a sieve. Leave the mushrooms to cool in cold water. We strain the cooled mushrooms and place them loosely (so that they do not open due to expansion during freezing) into pre-prepared containers (containers, freezer bags, jars). It is advisable to select the container capacity from the planned quantity for preparing one dish.

The ideal container for freezing mushrooms (and not only) is packaging made from kraft cardboard, which is a 100% natural material. The inside of this packaging is completely laminated, making it moisture- and grease-proof, additionally ensuring higher product safety compared to plastic or polypropylene containers. The transparent window in such boxes is also environmentally friendly, made from biodegradable film based on corn starch. You can buy Kraft cardboard containers at online store(for example in this store).

Steaming mushrooms

Compared to blanching mushrooms, this method allows for better flavor retention and a better structure. To preserve the color of the mushrooms, you need to soak them for 5-7 minutes in water with the addition of citric acid (based on 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water). We will need a saucepan with a lid and a grate that provides a distance of 4-5 cm from the bottom of the pan (you can use, for example, a poznitsa - a saucepan with special grates for preparing Buryat national dishes, or something like a double boiler). Pour 3 cm of water into the pan, so that it does not cover the holes on the grill, put the mushrooms on the grill, close the lid tightly and put on the fire. After boiling, the mushrooms should be steamed for 3 minutes. If you use whole mushrooms, the steaming time must be increased to 5-6 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, cool in cold water, strain, and place in prepared containers. Place containers in the freezer. The shelf life of such mushrooms is up to 12 months. Using frozen and steamed mushrooms is versatile in most mushroom recipes.

Sautéing mushrooms

The method involves quickly frying the mushrooms in a small amount of oil over high heat. Due to the presence of oil in the recipe, the shelf life is reduced to 8 months, but the mushroom structure is more dense.

• add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or refined sunflower oil to the pan;
• heat the oil over medium heat;
• spread finely chopped mushrooms in a thin layer;
• fry for 3-5 minutes;
• cool;
• put into containers;
• put it in the refrigerator.

How to freeze wild mushrooms for the winter according to all the rules, read in this article.

All the same mushrooms that you collect in summer and autumn are suitable for storing for the winter: from chanterelles to porcini mushrooms, the main thing is that they are edible.

The quiet hunting season should not pass by our freezer. Because - alas, in winter we are unlikely to find fresh boletus, chanterelles and boletus in supermarkets. We will buy factory-frozen or eternal mushrooms, like the Egyptian pyramids, champignons and oyster mushrooms.

But! If we make a little fuss and overcome our own laziness for a while, then... then we’ll put the mushroom reserves in the freezer, freeze them according to the rules and in the winter we will enjoy fragrant mushroom soup, aromatic stew and even a tender Spanish omelet.

Rule No. 1: clean, fresh, young

Our mushrooms, no matter how we freeze them, must be fresh, clean and, if possible, not broken. A lot depends on this - both the appearance of the product after defrosting and the quality. Consequently, mushrooms need to be collected, bought, bartered, begged for - fresh. Maximum - yesterday's assembly.

Attention! When peeling mushrooms, do not wet them too much. The mushroom easily absorbs water, which will become ice in the freezer. Why do we need water in mushrooms?

Rule No. 2: freeze fresh mushrooms

The easiest way to freeze mushrooms is whole and fresh. After cleaning, they are placed in the freezer on a flat surface, and after a few hours they can be poured into a prepared bag or container. Ideal mushrooms for freezing in this way would be boletus, honey mushrooms, forest champignons, boletus, aspen, and chanterelles.

We need the fungus to be strong, then even after defrosting they will keep their shape and decorate any dish.

Attention! The best way to defrost raw mushrooms is to place them in the refrigerator. Then they will be just like fresh, just out of the forest.

Rule No. 3: freeze boiled or stewed mushrooms

If you are afraid to freeze fresh mushrooms and want to play it safe, then boil them before freezing. Not long at all - up to 5 minutes. Most often, honey mushrooms intended for frying are frozen in this way. This method is also suitable for broken, out-of-shape, but fresh and tasty mushrooms.

To prepare the mushrooms, drop them, peeled and cut into pieces, into boiling water for 5 minutes. Then let it cool, drain in a colander and place in food bags or containers.

Calculate the number of mushrooms in the bag so that you can use one bag to prepare one dish. As a rule, half of the packages are small - from 300 g to half a kilogram, and half - with a larger weight, from 500 g to 1 kg.

You can also freeze fried mushrooms. To do this, clean, prepared mushrooms are fried in a small amount of vegetable oil for 20 minutes until all excess moisture has evaporated. Completely cooled mushrooms are placed in bags and frozen.

By the way, so that the mushrooms do not lose their sweet taste and aroma during frying, the mushrooms can be fried on a baking sheet in the oven. For such frying, you don’t even need sunflower oil, and the mushrooms themselves are cooked in their own juice.

Rule #4: Maintain the temperature

Frozen mushrooms for the winter can be stored at a temperature of -18°C for up to a year. After completely defrosting the mushrooms, use them immediately, and under no circumstances leave them in the refrigerator for later.

Champignons are a product that has long been familiar and loved by modern housewives, used in the preparation of both classic, popular dishes and gourmet gastronomic masterpieces. Despite the fact that these mushrooms can be bought in almost every grocery store, some thrifty housewives prefer to have a fragrant supply in the refrigerator and freeze them for the winter the old fashioned way. There are several ways to prepare this product - mushrooms are stored both raw and in a pre-boiled and fried state.

When preparing mushroom preparations for storage in the refrigerator, you should learn how to freeze the product, and also pay attention to the selection and preparation of mushrooms. For storage, choose fresh, smooth specimens of a light, slightly pinkish hue, without stains or cuts.

The product is washed under warm, running water, without cleaning the skins, but only removing debris and dirt, as well as cutting off the remains of the mycelium.

Freezing champignons

Neat, whole mushrooms can be stored in the freezer whole, separating the caps from the stems, and pre-cut into cubes or slices.

In addition, champignons can be pre-fried or boiled. Heat-treated mushroom slices are significantly reduced in size, which saves space in the freezer.

Important! Before freezing, champignons should never be soaked in water - the mushrooms will become saturated with excess moisture and will become unusable after defrosting.

Raw

Raw mushrooms are usually frozen for baking as the main ingredient. Housewives who plan to use mushroom preparations for preparing soups, casseroles and main dishes often store the product cut into neat slices or cubes.

To do this, washed and thoroughly dried mushroom pieces are spread in a thin layer on a flat surface and placed in the freezer for 2-3 days. Next, the frozen preparations should be carefully poured into bags and transferred to a permanent storage location.

Important!It is better to store frozen mushrooms in portions, since after defrosting they cannot be re-frozen.

Is it possible to freeze the whole thing in the freezer?

Housewives prefer to send small, neat young mushrooms for storage whole. This is especially true for specimens in which the film under the cap has not yet separated.

The thoroughly washed product is dried to dryness with paper towels, laid out in one layer on a flat surface wrapped in plastic film, preventing the mushrooms from coming into contact with each other, and sent to the freezer for 3-4 days.

After the workpiece freezes, it is transferred to sealed plastic containers or vacuum bags with a special latch, after releasing the air from them.

Boiled

One of the popular ways to store mushroom semi-finished products is to freeze the cooked product. Coarsely chopped mushrooms are boiled in water for 10–15 minutes without salt and pepper, then drained in a colander. The liquid should drain completely from them.. Dried mushrooms are placed in food containers or sealed bags and placed in the freezer.

Did you know?Modern housewives often use disposable cups tightly wrapped in cling film to store boiled mushroom preparations. It is inexpensive, convenient and practical.

Fried champignons

To quickly prepare second courses using mushroom semi-finished products, they can be frozen after frying. Thoroughly washed and chopped champignons are fried in hot vegetable oil until the excess liquid evaporates. Then the mushrooms are cooled, dried on a paper napkin and folded in portions.

When frying champignons, it is better to use refined oil and not add salt and spices to the mushrooms - this will allow the product to preserve the bright taste and aroma of fresh mushrooms.

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.

How to defrost champignons

When using frozen food, it is important to defrost it properly. This process must happen 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.