Content
True mushroom lovers celebrate saffron milk caps among all the variety of nature's gifts. These mushrooms belong to the first category in terms of taste. Therefore, many housewives strive to make pickles from them for future use, so that they can enjoy this delicious delicacy in winter. To do this, you definitely need to know how to properly store salted saffron milk caps. Subject to the necessary storage conditions, salted mushrooms can remain tasty and healthy for a long time.
What determines the shelf life of salted saffron milk caps?
It is advisable to eat fresh saffron milk caps within 24 hours after picking them. Uncooked mushrooms cannot be stored. They spoil quickly. If it is not possible to immediately prepare them in one way or another, then they should be cleared of debris and kept in the refrigerator for no more than a day. No need to wash with water. Then they should be cooked or thrown away.
For long-term storage, saffron milk caps can be pickled, dried, frozen and, of course, salted. There are factors that need to be taken into account when preparing salted saffron milk caps for storage at home. They affect the quality of pickling and shelf life for food.
There are several such factors:
- Air temperature where the pickle is located. It must be at least 00C, so that the salted mushrooms do not freeze, and not higher than +70C, so that they do not spoil.
- Lack of light. The storage location should remain dark most of the time of day, especially direct sunlight should be excluded.
- Salting method. It can be with or without pre-cooking the mushrooms.
- You also need to add a sufficient amount of preservative (salt), which greatly affects the storage time. Storage conditions influence how much salt to add. When there is a cold cellar, experienced housewives put less salt than in the absence of such a storage place.
- Containers for storing workpieces. You can use glass, wood, enamel dishes or other non-oxidizing containers. Sterilized glass jars are the best option to preserve salted mushrooms for as long as possible.
The brine must be monitored throughout storage. If it remains transparent or has become slightly cloudy or has acquired a brownish tint, then everything is happening as expected. If the brine turns black, the pickling must be thrown away because it has become unfit for consumption.
How to properly store salted saffron milk caps
The storage time and conditions of saffron milk caps after salting are greatly influenced by the method used for harvesting. There are 2 main options:
- Hot – the mushrooms are boiled before salting. After cooling, they are placed in jars and sprinkled with salt. To pickle, the workpiece needs to stand in the refrigerator for 6 weeks.At the same time, due to heat treatment, some of the beneficial properties are lost, but the risk of rapid spoilage is reduced and the appearance is preserved.
- Cold – mushrooms are salted raw without preliminary heat treatment. They are placed in a container and sprinkled with salt. A flat object is placed on top and a weight is placed on it to press down. Maintain for 2 weeks at a temperature of +10…+150C. Then put it in the refrigerator for 1.5 months. The salting process in this way takes 2 months. At the same time, most of the beneficial and taste qualities are preserved, but the likelihood of mold growth increases if storage conditions are not observed. The color of the mushrooms themselves changes slightly, becoming darker.
Not every container can be used to pickle mushrooms. The choice of container in which to store pickled saffron milk caps affects the shelf life of the product. You can eat salted saffron milk caps only after the salting stage is completed, but not before.
How to store salted saffron milk caps after pickling
If mushrooms are salted without pre-cooking and placed in a wooden barrel or enamel pan, then saffron milk caps can be stored after such cold salting for about 6-8 months. provided that the temperature does not exceed +6…+80WITH.
In this case, you also need to regularly clean the gauze and pressure from the mold that has formed and make sure that the brine covers the mushrooms. If the brine does not completely cover the salted saffron milk caps, then you need to add cold boiled water.
How to store salted saffron milk caps in jars
Hot-cooked pickles are stored in jars.To keep them in jars longer, you need to preserve them as follows:
- Clean the mushrooms from forest debris and rinse well with plenty of cold water.
- Boil in salted water for 7-10 minutes.
- Drain the water and let it drain completely.
- Arrange in jars in layers, sprinkling with salt and spices.
- Pour boiling water over and close with nylon lids.
- After cooling, remove to a cool place for long-term storage.
Such blanks should be stored in a room with a temperature no higher than +80C. Then the salted mushrooms will be edible for 2-3 months. If you seal the jars with metal lids, then if stored properly, the pickles will remain edible for another 2 years.
There are small tricks to help keep salted saffron milk caps edible throughout the winter. One of them is the use of vegetable oil. After the mushrooms have been packaged in jars and filled with brine, vegetable oil is poured on top so that its layer covers the surface of the brine and is about 5 mm thick. This technique prevents mold from forming on the surface of the brine and prolongs storage.
At what temperature should you store salted saffron milk caps?
Salted saffron milk caps already prepared for long-term storage should be stored in a room with an optimal temperature for this - from 0 to +80C. A cellar or basement is good for storage. If there are no such options, then containers with pickles can be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. If there is not enough space in the refrigerator, you can use an insulated loggia, but make sure that the temperature is within acceptable limits.
How long can salted saffron milk caps be stored?
Hot salted and hermetically sealed saffron milk caps are stored in suitable conditions for approximately 24 months. During this time they need to be eaten. Pickles covered with nylon lids should be kept in the refrigerator. In this case, they remain edible for 2 months. after salting.
Cold-salted mushrooms will be suitable for consumption for six months if they are stored in a refrigerator or cool room.
Opened jars of pickles can be kept on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If during this time the delicacy has not been eaten, then it is better to throw it away so as not to risk your health.
Conclusion
In order to be able to taste your favorite mushrooms in the winter if you wish, you need to know how to store salted saffron milk caps in compliance with all the rules. There's nothing complicated about it. The workpieces should be provided with the required storage temperature and their condition should be monitored by appearance and smell. At the first sign of spoilage, it is better to get rid of dubious salted saffron milk caps than to risk your health.
How to put saffron milk caps into jars after salting them in a saucepan? Should I add spices? Can they be closed with screw-on lids?