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In most cases, soaking saffron milk caps before salting is not recommended. This especially should not be done before dry or hot salting.
Is it necessary to soak saffron milk caps?
It is not necessary to soak the saffron milk caps before cooking. Many mushroom pickers claim that they are bitter, although in most cases this is not the case. Only old mushrooms can give a slight bitterness, which are best not picked at all.
Is it necessary to soak saffron milk caps before salting?
They are salted in three ways:
- Hot (pre-boil in boiling water for 10-15 minutes).
- Cold (with water, without boiling).
- Dry (without water, salting under pressure).
Soaking in water should only be done when cold salting. Cooking will remove bitterness without soaking. And when using the dry method, preliminary soaking in water is excluded.
Is it necessary to soak saffron milk caps before pickling?
There are no strict rules in this matter: fruiting bodies can be soaked in water before pickling or not.If the bitterness is removed first, the mushrooms are cleaned of debris, the ends of the stems are trimmed and filled with water for no more than 30-40 minutes. After this, they are washed under running water and placed in a colander or on a wire rack to allow the water to drain completely. Then boil for 10-15 minutes after boiling and marinate.
Do you need to soak saffron milk caps before frying?
It is also not necessary to soak the saffron milk caps before frying. Staying in water for a long time will remove the forest aroma. In addition, moisture getting into the oil will cause it to begin to crack. It is best to fry dry, peeled mushrooms - then the dish will be as tasty and aromatic as possible.
How long do you need to soak saffron milk caps?
Since old mushrooms can taste bitter, they should first be soaked in:
- minimum time – 30 minutes;
- maximum time – 60 minutes.
Longer soaking is not necessary and is even harmful. Mushrooms lose their flavor, and in warm conditions they can quickly turn sour.
Is it possible to soak saffron milk caps overnight?
Soaking saffron milk caps overnight is sometimes practiced by housewives. It is believed that this will definitely get rid of bitterness and, moreover, will save time: you can simply soak the mushrooms overnight and forget about them. In fact, it is not advisable to soak the pulp for a long time - for such delicate mushrooms 30-60 minutes is enough.
In addition, their long stay in water is fraught with other consequences:
- the forest aroma will completely disappear;
- fruiting bodies will lose their attractive appearance;
- at room temperature, fruiting bodies may begin to sour.
How to soak saffron milk caps before salting
Soaking saffron milk caps before salting is quite simple. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- First, the fruiting bodies are sorted out and rotten, deformed and wormy ones are immediately removed.
- Manually and with the help of a brush, remove grass, soil, sand, and other debris.
- Immediately cut off the ends of the legs.
- Place them in a fairly large container.
- Pour cold water so that it completely covers the fruiting bodies.
- Add salt (1-2 tablespoons per liter) and a pinch of citric acid.
- You can soak the saffron milk caps for 30-60 minutes before salting. It is not advisable to do this for longer.
- After this, they are pulled out of the water and placed in a sieve or on a wire rack so that the liquid and sand are completely drained.
You can pickle saffron milk caps under pressure in 2 hours. A quick and easy recipe can be found here.
If the mushrooms are over-salted
Sometimes failure to comply with the proportions results in the mushrooms being too salty. However, this situation can be corrected by keeping the pulp in water. You need to do this:
- Rinse the fruiting bodies in several waters at once (under the tap), allowing the liquid to drain completely. The most convenient way to do this is with a colander.
- After this, the mushrooms can be eaten.
- If there are too many, the remaining portion can be salted again. To do this, they should be blanched for 3 minutes, that is, kept in boiling water.
- Then place in a sterilized jar in layers, sprinkling with salt and pepper. You can also add a few sprigs of dill and chopped garlic cloves.
If the mushrooms were salted dry, that is, without using liquid, they are cleaned in the same way, rinsing with water. In this case, you can constantly turn the caps so that all the salt is removed from the plates.
An alternative way to get rid of excess salt is to soak the pulp in milk. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- First, the fruiting bodies are placed in one or several layers and poured with milk of any fat content for half an hour.
- Then the mushrooms are sorted and lightly pressed on each cap to remove excess salt.
- After this, they are washed in several waters and salted again, sprinkling salt and spices on each layer. You can also use thin pieces of garlic.
- Then the rolled up jars (they must be sterilized first) are taken to the cellar or refrigerator. Store at a maximum temperature of +10°C.
Finally, you can also remove excess salt using a hot method. They work like this:
- Mushrooms are soaked for half an hour in water.
- Mix them periodically with your hands.
- Wash under running water and boil for 5-10 minutes in boiling water.
- Place it back into the jar and salt it.
5 rules for proper storage of saffron milk caps
Even the most delicious mushrooms need to be properly stored during the winter season. In the case of saffron milk caps, the rules are standard - to preserve the product, you need to ensure the following minimum conditions:
- General recommendation: store the product in a dark place at a temperature from 0°C to +8°C.
- Mushrooms rolled up in a jar are stored for 1-2 years, and after opening - no more than 2 weeks.
- If the pulp has been previously boiled, it can be stored in a jar with a regular lid for up to 3 months.
- If the salting was dry (under pressure), the product is also kept for up to 3 months.
- The brine should always cover the pulp completely. If necessary, add water.
Conclusion
Most lovers of saffron milk caps agree that there is no need to soak saffron milk caps before salting. It’s better not to even wash the saffron milk caps, but simply clean them with a brush and a damp sponge.Then the mushrooms will be able to retain their taste, aroma and shape.
