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A basket of boletus mushrooms is the dream of any mushroom picker; it’s not for nothing that they are called the kings of forest fruits. This type is not only beautiful and tasty, but also very healthy. You can dry porcini mushrooms at home in different ways.
Preparing porcini mushrooms for drying
Unlike lamellar species, such as russula, milk mushrooms and milk mushrooms, boletus mushrooms and other noble representatives are not washed before drying. They are able to quickly absorb large amounts of moisture, especially in the tubular layer at the bottom of the cap. This will make the further harvesting process very difficult.
Are porcini mushrooms washed before drying?
Before drying porcini mushrooms, they need to be cleaned of dirt. It is strictly forbidden to wash, so the fruiting bodies are carefully cleaned with a knife, the lower part is removed, if they were not cut off, but torn out entirely, they are checked for worms. Then the boletus mushrooms are wiped with a slightly damp cotton cloth, removing soil, sand, needles, moss and dried leaves.There is no need to wet the rag too much.
How to cut porcini mushrooms for drying
Small specimens are sometimes dried whole, large ones are crushed in several ways:
- cut into thin slices along the fibers, that is, from top to bottom;
- cut the cap into plates, and the stem into circles up to 2 cm thick;
- The fruiting body is cut into noodles or thin strips, this way you can dry the porcini mushrooms very quickly.
How to dry porcini mushroom at home
There are several ways to dry porcini mushrooms at home. To prepare dried boletus mushrooms in the traditional way, it will take 5-7 days, but if you use modern devices, the time will be reduced to several hours.
How to dry porcini mushrooms in the oven
Drying porcini mushrooms in an electric oven is easy, especially if it is equipped with a timer. To do this, place the sliced product in one layer on a metal grid or baking sheets covered with parchment paper. For more uniform and high-quality drying, the boletus slices should not touch each other.
Place baking sheets or racks in an oven preheated to 50°C, leaving the door ajar for better air circulation. If porcini mushrooms are dried correctly, they do not release droplets of liquid through the pores, but only slowly wilt. Dew on the surface of the fruit indicates that they are overheated. If this is detected, the temperature in the oven is gradually reduced.
After an hour and a half of drying, the oven is heated to 70-80°C.At this temperature, the product is dried for two hours. The final stage is drying at 55°C. The duration depends on the size of the slices and the degree of moisture saturation of the pulp. The process can take from 6-8 hours to a day. To get high-quality dried porcini mushrooms in the oven, during the process you need to regularly turn them over and swap baking sheets (racks).
You can dry porcini mushrooms at home using a gas stove and oven. The process is similar to manipulating an electric stove, however, constant ventilation must be ensured in the kitchen, since combustion products of domestic gas, coupled with a mushroom smell, can cause headaches, nausea or dizziness. The hood should operate at full power, the vent or window should be kept open.
How to dry porcini mushrooms in the dryer
At the moment, there are many companies producing special dryers. They can also be used to prepare products such as:
- berries;
- fruits;
- vegetables;
- herbs.
The main advantage of the dryer is its autonomy. The housewife does not need to waste time making supplies for the winter; just set the device to the desired mode and wait until the end of processing. Modern devices are environmentally friendly, last a long time, rarely break down and consume little electricity. If you study the attached instructions, there will be no difficulties in using the porcini mushroom dryer.
In addition to classic convection-type devices, in which boletus mushrooms are dried under the influence of heated air circulation, alternative options are also used.One popular device is a gas dryer, which is a structure made of a tray or mesh on four supports, which is installed above the stove. This method is imperfect and is rarely used.
A wood-burning dryer can be considered an economical and practical option. It does not consume electricity and dries porcini mushrooms by burning wood. This is a purely mechanical device, devoid of electronics. During the process, it is necessary to regularly add firewood and monitor the intensity of the flame. The method is good for large volumes; up to 60 kg of boletus mushrooms can be dried per day. Such wood-burning stove-dryers are often used on an industrial scale and in private plots.
Every year more and more housewives prefer infrared dryers. Under the influence of these rays, moisture from the fruiting bodies actively evaporates, and dense tissues remain intact. The product retains up to 80% of nutrients, taste qualities are practically not lost, and all pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed. The infrared dryer operates at 50°C, the pieces are processed better and do not become hard.
How to dry porcini mushrooms on a string
One of the oldest methods of drying at home is using thread. The product is strung on a synthetic thread, fishing line or thin knitting needles so that adjacent pieces do not touch each other. Mushroom garlands are placed in a warm, well-ventilated room, for example:
- above the kitchen stove;
- in the attic of a private house;
- outside in hot and dry weather.
To protect such homemade preparations from flies and other insects, they are covered with a layer of gauze. The period of natural drying at home is 5-7 days.
How to dry porcini mushrooms in the microwave
To dry forest products at home, a microwave oven is often used. With this method, a large amount of moisture will inevitably be released from the fruiting bodies. Pieces of the same size are evenly distributed on a glass plate and kept for about 20 minutes at a power of 100-200 W and a temperature of 180°C. Mushroom juice is periodically drained. Next, let it cool by opening the microwave door slightly. The cycle is repeated 3-4 times until fully cooked.
Drying porcini mushrooms at home using a microwave is one of the fastest ways and this is its main advantage. The downside is the need for constant monitoring of the device and the fruit.
Why are dried porcini mushrooms bitter?
It can be very annoying when, after so much effort in the drying process during cooking, porcini mushrooms begin to taste bitter. This can happen for several reasons:
- Among the real boletus mushrooms, when collecting, I came across a false one. In most cases, mushroom pickers confuse the white species with the gall mushroom (Tylopilus felleus). Its main difference is the pinkish color of the tubular layer at the bottom of the cap, the quickly turning pink flesh when cut, and a pronounced bitter taste even when lightly touched with the tongue. In the highly specialized literature on mycology there is conflicting information about the edibility of this species. In some sources it is described as inedible due to its specific taste. In others, it is characterized as releasing toxins and having a detrimental effect on the liver. If the mushroom raw material is very bitter, it is better to throw it away, like the entire batch of dried porcini mushrooms, health is more expensive.
- Collection and preparation took place together with other species that have a bitter taste. These are milkies, valui, violins, and milk mushrooms. Experienced chefs recommend cooking porcini mushrooms separately from others so as not to lose their unique aroma.
- Bitterness may be felt when the product spoils due to improper storage conditions. Dry homemade preparations should not be kept in a damp, cold room, as they can quickly become moldy.
How to store dried porcini mushrooms
The safety of dry boletus mushrooms directly depends on the container chosen. For storage at home, ceramic or glass containers with a tight lid are most often used. The jars are pre-washed, sterilized and dried. The main disadvantage of this method is the possibility of mold or rotting if the boletus mushrooms were not dried well enough.
If you store porcini mushrooms in fabric bags or paper bags, mold will not grow. However, there is a possibility of pests entering.
The shelf life of dried porcini mushrooms can be increased by using vacuum containers. This is the most effective method of storing boletus mushrooms at home. Containers with a vacuum pump are expensive, but they will not be superfluous for avid mushroom pickers and zealous housewives.
In addition to a suitable container, you need to choose the right location. The room where dry boletus mushrooms are stored must meet the following criteria:
- availability of good ventilation;
- low humidity;
- lack of sunlight.
In a private home, porcini mushrooms can be stored in a warm attic or pantry.In an apartment, one of the kitchen cabinets, located close to the stove or next to the heating device, is suitable. If for some reason the product becomes damp, it can be dried again using one of the methods listed above.
How long can dried porcini mushrooms be stored?
Dried porcini mushrooms can retain their nutritional properties and taste throughout the year. Having created the right conditions, dry boletus mushrooms can be eaten for three years.
Conclusion
Thanks to modern technologies, drying porcini mushrooms at home has become easy. Drying is the most ancient method of harvesting for future use, in which the maximum amount of protein is preserved in boletus mushrooms.
