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The porcini mushroom, also called boletus, has a special place among those collected for human consumption. In addition to its attractive appearance, this representative of the mushroom kingdom is distinguished by amazing gastronomic qualities. But in practice, many cooks do not know how to properly prepare boletus mushrooms. However, soaking dried porcini mushrooms is always important in the process of preparing them before heat treatment.
Soaking dried boletus mushrooms is a mandatory process before cooking them.
Do porcini mushrooms need to be soaked?
Before cooking, any type of forest fruit requires certain preliminary preparation steps. These include cleaning and washing, but the soaking process is not necessary for all types, but only for those that have bitterness. But since the porcini mushroom has a pleasant taste and is not bitter, it does not need pre-soaking when fresh. On the contrary, excess liquid can deteriorate the quality of freshly harvested boletus, making them loose and saturated with moisture.
But dried porcini mushrooms need to be soaked. But it is worth noting that the quality of the final dish after its preparation will still depend on this procedure.Therefore, it is important to follow the soaking process correctly to preserve the nutritional value as much as possible.
Some people recommend soaking dried food only for frying or stewing. But before cooking, according to some reviews, this procedure is not required, since upon contact with hot water during boiling, the dry fruiting bodies will be restored. In fact, soaking before digestion is still necessary, which will make the fruiting bodies more tender in consistency.
How to properly soak porcini mushrooms
There are certain rules for preparing boletus mushrooms for their subsequent preparation, which also includes pre-soaking. But the process itself will directly depend on the type of initial raw materials used. For example, fresh porcini mushrooms do not require soaking, or this procedure is performed under certain conditions. But for a dried product, soaking is necessary, but it also has its own characteristics.
How to soak dried porcini mushrooms
Dried porcini mushrooms must be pre-soaked so that the fruiting bodies are saturated with moisture and restored. To do this, they are sorted out, removing excess debris, then washed under running water. After these manipulations, you can proceed directly to soaking.
You only need to fill the dried product with cold water (it can be at room temperature). Do not use hot liquid, especially boiling water, as this will affect the aroma. Some chefs advise soaking dried porcini mushrooms in milk, but in fact, this kind of procedure not only does not affect the taste, but can even have a detrimental effect on the quality of the product.After all, milk protein can cause the growth of pathogenic flora, which remains in the folds of dried fruiting bodies, especially if soaking in milk lasts more than two hours.
During soaking, dry boletus mushrooms swell and increase in size several times
In order to soak dry porcini mushrooms, it is better to use enamel, glass or food-grade plastic dishes. Under no circumstances should you soak in an aluminum container, as oxidation may occur.
After soaking dried boletus mushrooms, the water must be drained. Under no circumstances should it be used for preparing dishes or sauces, since all the substances that were accumulated in the fruiting bodies remain in it. Sand and dirt also settle, because in most cases they are not washed before drying.
At the end of soaking, it is also advisable to boil it, regardless of subsequent cooking (frying, stewing). Cooking should be done in unsalted water over low heat for 10 minutes after boiling. During boiling, the fruiting bodies will increase in size even more and steam.
It is also better not to use the broth, but to drain it
How to soak fresh porcini mushrooms
It is not recommended to soak fresh porcini mushrooms before cooking, as water has a detrimental effect on the structure of the fruiting body: it becomes watery, loose and tasteless. But still, this procedure can be performed if the crop was harvested immediately after rain or in wet weather. Then soaking is necessary to remove excess dirt, sand, adhering leaves and various insects that could crawl under the cap.
Fresh porcini mushrooms are soaked in salted water for 15 minutes. Salt promotes more thorough cleansing of small grains of sand and insects. To be effective, it should be taken at the rate of 0.5 tbsp. l. for 500 ml of water. Afterwards, immediately rinse under running water, then proceed directly to cooking.
Soaked boletus mushrooms are not suitable for subsequent drying.
How long to soak porcini mushrooms
As for the soaking time of the dry product, it may vary depending on the drying and preparation method. So, for example, to soak dried porcini mushrooms that were prepared naturally (in air), it will take approximately 40-60 minutes. But in the case of processing in the oven under the influence of high temperatures, the fruiting bodies become tough and much drier, so they require longer soaking. This will take up to four hours with periodic checks. If it becomes noticeable that the boletus mushrooms have increased in size and become swollen in appearance and soft to the touch, then they are ready for further use.
It also affects the duration of soaking and the method of subsequent preparation. For frying or stewing, soak the dried product longer than for preparing soup.
Some housewives soak overnight, but this is not entirely correct, since prolonged exposure to water can cause loss of taste and aroma.
Conclusion
Soaking dried porcini mushrooms is a mandatory procedure, because it allows you to make the product softer and more tender.But if for some reason it is impossible to soak the dry fruit bodies, then they are boiled in several stages, constantly draining the broth.
