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From time immemorial, people have used mushrooms for food and for other economic and medical purposes. All raw mushrooms, including milk mushrooms, taste bitter. They are capable of absorbing toxins, so salting milk mushrooms in a barrel must be done with precautions, otherwise the appetizing snack may turn out to be a deadly poison. One more rule must be observed: it is prohibited to collect gifts of nature in environmentally unfavorable areas, namely, near industrial enterprises and along highways.
Features of salting milk mushrooms in a barrel
Previously, mushrooms, including milk mushrooms, were salted in wooden tubs. A characteristic feature of such preparation for the winter is that the product becomes aromatic and crispy from the absorption of tannins.
But the main advantage was that new batches could be added to the barrels as they were collected.
The barrels were placed in cold cellars, where the mushrooms could be stored all winter. The peasant always had delicious, high-calorie food on his table, and at the same time, salted milk mushrooms were a fragrant treat.
How to pickle milk mushrooms in a barrel
The very first and very tedious step is preparing the starting material for salting. Before salting, it is recommended to carefully sort the milk mushrooms and discard specimens with worms and damage. Wipe heavily soiled areas with a sponge or soft brush; if the dirt is heavily absorbed and it is difficult to clean, then the milk mushrooms should be soaked for two to three hours in cool water.
The next step is soaking. If this procedure is ignored, the finished snack will turn out to be bitter. To soak, milk mushrooms are placed in cold water until completely covered. To prevent the mushrooms from floating, they are placed under pressure (a lid with a small weight). Soaking continues for 3 days. The water must be changed twice a day every day. You are allowed to take wooden, glass and enamel dishes; you can also add salt only in such containers.
Pickled mushrooms in barrels become aromatic and crispy
For a long time, mushrooms had to be salted in barrels. After soaking, the milk mushrooms were washed in several waters and placed in prepared containers.
Preparation of wooden barrels for salting is divided into stages:
- Wash the container thoroughly.
- Scald with boiling water to disinfect.
- You can steam it with boiling water with the addition of juniper.
Next, the actual salting process begins. You can salt in two ways: cold and hot methods. Regardless of which one is chosen, with the right action, the fleshy caps will acquire the desired aroma, and toxins will be eliminated.
How to cold salt milk mushrooms in a barrel
As already noted, you can prepare milk mushrooms in a barrel for the winter according to two methods: cold pickling or hot pickling.For all options, forest gifts require pre-soaking in water for three days. After this, in the first case, the milk mushrooms must be immediately salted and then placed under pressure; barrels with salted semi-finished products are sent into the cold for at least a month.
Milk mushrooms need to be pre-soaked for 3 days.
Milk mushrooms prepared for the winter in a cold way are especially valuable. This option takes place without heat treatment. When salting milk mushrooms in a cold way, the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements is preserved in the barrel; spices and herbs are added to give strength and crunch. It is thanks to them that the snack turns out aromatic and acquires an excellent taste.
How to hot pickle milk mushrooms in a barrel
When hot salting, milk mushrooms are first boiled in brine, placed under load for a day, then boiled again and placed in barrels.
Required components:
- for 10 kilograms of white milk mushrooms you will need 0.5 kg of salt (it is better to use a coarse grind);
- 6 medium cloves of garlic;
- leaves of currant, horseradish, cherry;
- dill in umbrellas.
Before salting in barrels, mushrooms are boiled to remove bitterness.
Hot-cooked mushrooms provide several advantages:
- Eliminates unpleasant odor.
- When cooked, the natural bitterness will go away.
- The original taste will bring a lot of pleasure to guests and hosts.
- Hot salting is completely safe from the point of view of the incidence of intestinal infections.
Hot salting is suitable for processing large volumes of mushroom preparations. For very busy housewives, this is a real solution when time is short.
Cooking process:
- For preservation, peeled milk mushrooms are boiled, cooled, and filled with freshly prepared brine.
- They are placed under pressure, and after 3 days they begin to put them into barrels.
Recipes for barrel milk mushrooms
Each housewife has her own signature recipe for how to properly salt delicacies. It never hurts to know some of the traditional options that are most often used in practice. Here, for example, is how you can add salt using hot salting.
For 5 kg of milk mushrooms you will need:
- dill umbrellas - 10 pcs.;
- horseradish leaves - 3-5 pcs.;
- water (enough for the entire volume);
- salt - 500 g;
- bay leaves - 5-6 pcs.;
- garlic - 10 pcs.
Can be served as an appetizer with a hot dish
Preparation procedure:
- Pour the peeled milk mushrooms with water, add salt to taste and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring.
- Monitor the brine level. At the end of cooking, add spices and place pressure on top.
- After 5-6 days, you need to transfer the contents into a barrel, fill it with brine and put the milk mushrooms in the cold for a month and a half.
One of the simplest ways is quick salting. This is a variant of hot salting, in which the mushroom mass is boiled, salted and placed under a load for several days. The amount of brine is controlled; you need to add the remaining broth. The result of such actions is a pleasant-tasting treat with a crunchy texture. Milk mushrooms can be eaten within a week.
An old proven method of salting in barrels
To prepare you will need simple ingredients:
- milk mushrooms - 5 kg;
- salt - 1 glass (50 g of salt is taken per 1 kg of mushrooms);
- greens, currant leaves, cherries, horseradish.
Wooden barrels are ideal for pickling and storing mushrooms
Cooking process:
- Before cold salting the milk mushrooms, dill, currant and horseradish leaves are placed on the bottom of the tub, dense layers of mushrooms are placed (the caps should point down) 5-7 cm high.
- Add salt and add the next layer.
- After filling the tub, the product is covered with a clean cloth, a smaller diameter lid or plate, and pressed down on top with pressure.
- After several days, the mushrooms shrink, so new layers can be added.
- The tubs with the delicacy are placed in a cold cellar for 40-50 days.
Altai-style pickling recipe
The milk mushrooms are sorted, cleaned, the stems are cut off and washed thoroughly. Place it in cold water to soak for three days, changing it once a day. After 3 days, filter through a sieve or colander and place in layers in a barrel, alternating salt and spices. Cover the top with gauze or a clean napkin, place it under a lid or a wooden circle, and place a weight on top.
For 10 kg of milk mushrooms you will need:
- dill (umbrellas);
- grated horseradish - 20 grams;
- garlic - 10 cloves;
- peppercorns - to taste;
- bay leaf - approximately 7-8 pieces;
- salt - 400 grams;
- currant leaves.
Mushrooms salted in Altai style can be eaten after 5 weeks
Cooking method:
- The milk mushrooms are sorted, cleaned, the stems are cut off and washed thoroughly.
- Place it in cold water to soak for three days, changing it once a day.
- After 3 days, filter through a sieve or colander and lay out in layers in a barrel, alternating salt and spices.
- Cover the top with gauze or a clean napkin, place a lid with a smaller diameter than the barrel, or a wooden circle, and place a weight on top.
After salting, the volume of the mushroom mass decreases by about 30%. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly add new layers. Brine should appear above the circle. If after two days he has not appeared, the oppression must be increased. After 4-5 weeks, the finished treat can be eaten.
Black milk mushrooms in cabbage leaves
It is better to salt black milk mushrooms in a cold way. Experienced mushroom pickers recommend adhering to this rule.Pickling using cabbage leaves is a simple and original recipe. Their juice soaks the milk mushrooms, destroys the bitter taste and gives the dish its own zest.
Compound:
- five kg of black milk mushrooms;
- seven pieces of cabbage leaves;
- 400 g salt;
- horseradish root;
- dill umbrellas;
- 1 medium head of garlic;
- currant leaves.
Currant and cabbage leaves remove the bitter taste of mushrooms
Preparation procedure:
- The milk mushrooms are soaked for two days, changing the water twice every day.
- Two tablespoons of salt are dissolved in five liters of water, the mushrooms are poured into a container and allowed to stand for 10-12 hours.
- After washing, you need to change the water and leave for another five hours.
- Dry the main ingredient. Cut the peeled garlic cloves into 3 or 4 parts. Wash and finely chop the dill.
- Arrange the mushrooms in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt, dill and garlic, and also add cabbage leaves.
- Place the pressure on top and place the container with pickling in a cold place (cellar or basement) to salt for two months.
After the specified time, the finished appetizer is served to the table, adding vegetable oil and onion, cut into rings.
Useful tips
Recommendations from experienced specialists for salting milk mushrooms in a barrel:
- Fresh mushrooms cannot be stored for long, as they lose their juice and dry out. There are only a few hours to sort through and prepare them for canning.
- To prevent milk mushrooms from turning sour when soaking, the water should be lightly salted.
- Natural insoluble stone is best suited for oppression. Do not use bricks, limestone, dolomite, or metal objects that are subject to rust and oxidation. If there is no suitable weight, you can take an enamel bowl and fill it with water.
- It is better to salt milk mushrooms at a room temperature of 6 to 8 degrees, otherwise the product may become moldy or sour.
The temperature of the room where the barrels of pickles are located should be less than +8 °C. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the level of brine: the liquid should completely cover the mushroom mass.
Conclusion
Salting milk mushrooms in a barrel is a simple and pleasant task; if you do it with soul, then in 30-40 days you can please your family, friends, and guests with a healthy and tasty product. For gourmets, crispy milk mushrooms cooked in barrels according to folk recipes will bring real pleasure.
