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It is necessary to freeze porcini mushrooms for the winter using a certain technology. This will help preserve the characteristic taste and beneficial properties of the product. This method of preparation is characterized by simplicity and speed of implementation. Particular attention should be paid to collecting and preparing raw materials before freezing.
Do porcini mushrooms freeze?
Porcini mushrooms are found in forested areas from June to October. They can be found in large numbers in mixed forests. To prepare them for the winter, mushroom pickers prefer to collect them in early August. It is during this period that they are found in large families in clearings and groves.
The most important thing that housewives are interested in is whether it is better to dry or freeze porcini mushrooms. There cannot be a single option suitable for everyone. It all depends on the purpose of preparing the product.For cooking, it is best to use dried boletus mushrooms, as they retain the forest aroma for a long time. But frozen mycelium contains more useful substances.
To preserve the product for the winter, preservation is most often practiced. But not everyone likes pickled or salted forest fruits. Porcini mushrooms are also great for frying, baking and stewing. It is impossible to get them fresh in winter. Therefore, the best option for preserving beneficial properties is freezing. Under the influence of high temperatures, the composition of boletus mushrooms does not change. Freezing can be done not only fresh, but also boiled. The main thing is to follow the basic principles of preparing for freezing. If you violate the technology, you may end up with forest fruits becoming bitter or losing their shape.
How to freeze porcini mushrooms at home
The food departments offer a huge amount of frozen berries and mushrooms. But their prices are far from the most affordable. It is much more profitable to prepare the product for future use yourself. It won't take much time, but it will make you happy in the winter. Frozen porcini mushrooms can be used to prepare absolutely any dish. The taste does not deteriorate from freezing.
Particular attention should be paid to the selection of boletus mushrooms for freezing. It is advisable to collect them yourself. In grocery stores, fresh specimens are often mixed together with stale ones. If the boletus is old, its cap will be wrinkled and covered with dark spots. To check the quality of the product, you should press on its surface. The lack of elasticity indicates that it is not suitable for use.
There are several freezing options.Sometimes the product is thoroughly crushed before being placed in the freezer. But most often it is frozen whole. The condition of the specimens sent to the refrigerator also varies. They are boiled, fried and stewed. In addition, deformed fruits can be used for freezing.
Initially, porcini mushrooms should be prepared for freezing for the winter. They are inspected, spoiled and wormy specimens are thrown out. Then they are thoroughly cleaned of dust and adhering leaves. If necessary, cut them into small pieces before final freezing.
Is it possible to freeze fresh porcini mushrooms?
Heat treatment of porcini mushrooms before freezing is optional. You can also prepare them fresh. But in this case they will take up too much space in the freezer. This method of freezing for the winter is practiced when the product is presented in small quantities. Under the influence of temperature, boletus mushrooms significantly decrease in size. This makes the process of storing them easier. The disadvantages of freezing fresh boletus mushrooms for the winter include the need for heat treatment after thawing.
Are porcini mushrooms washed before freezing?
Boletus mushrooms that have just been collected for freezing are covered with dust, sand and forest debris. In some cases, insects can also be found on them. Therefore, before freezing for the winter, they must be thoroughly washed. The most convenient way is to pour water into a basin and dip the porcini mushrooms. They are easily damaged under running water, especially if they are small in size. After washing, you need to rid them of excess moisture. To do this, place the porcini mushrooms in a colander and allow the liquid to drain into the sink.The second method of cleansing involves scraping off the dirt with a knife. In this case, you can do without washing.
How to cut porcini mushrooms for freezing
Experienced housewives prefer to chop mushrooms before freezing them for the winter. Firstly, this way they will take up much less space in the freezer. Secondly, it will be possible to make sure that there are no worms. Most often, the product is cut in half or into quarters. In the second case, there is no need to grind the product before cooking. Whole boletus mushrooms are left to be added to certain dishes. But remember that when frozen for the winter, they may become slightly deformed.
Recipes for freezing porcini mushrooms
When choosing a method for freezing porcini mushrooms for the winter, you need to start from the purpose for which it will be used in the future. There is a huge variety of simple recipes. For soups, not only boletus mushrooms are frozen, but also the broth prepared from them. Mushrooms frozen after frying in a frying pan are suitable for stewing and baking. Boiled specimens are suitable for second courses.
Freezing porcini mushrooms without cooking
Fresh boletus is considered a universal ingredient. You can prepare a lot of different dishes from them. In addition, the less heat treatment, the more nutrients are preserved. To freeze fresh porcini mushrooms you will need:
- 400 g of product.
- 1 tsp. lemon juice.
Cooking process:
- Boletus mushrooms are cleaned in any convenient way and chopped into small plates.
- Mushrooms are laid out on a cutting board in one layer.
- They are sprinkled with lemon juice on top. In its absence, acetic acid is used.
- The product is covered with plastic wrap and placed in the freezer for two hours.
- After complete freezing, everything is placed in a bag and compactly placed in the freezer.
There is another way to freeze porcini mushrooms without cooking for the winter. It involves soaking the product for a long time in salted water. After two hours, the boletus mushrooms are removed from excess liquid by placing them in a colander. After this, they are cut into small plates. The resulting raw materials are placed in plastic bags and put in the freezer for the whole winter.
Freezing boiled porcini mushrooms
If you freeze boiled porcini mushrooms for the winter, the cooking process will become simpler. It will be enough to add the defrosted semi-finished product to the main ingredients 10-15 minutes before readiness. Important advantages of this freezing method include saving space in the freezer. The process of freezing mushrooms for the winter includes the following steps:
- Boletus mushrooms are cleaned and cut into slices.
- They need to be boiled for 5-10 minutes after boiling in lightly salted water.
- The boiled product is placed in a colander to get rid of excess liquid.
- The mushrooms are placed into portioned bags and placed in the refrigerator.
Freezing fried porcini mushrooms
Before freezing for the winter, boletus mushrooms can not only be boiled, but also fried. The portions of the finished dish will be quite small. In the future, they can be used for baking, making soup and roast. The process of frying boletus mushrooms is carried out in vegetable oil until the liquid completely disappears. Adding salt and spices is optional. This can be done after defrosting the product. Before freezing for the winter, leave the mushrooms for 20-25 minutes until completely cool.
Freezing mushrooms stewed in their own juice
Forest fruits, frozen for the winter in stewed form, turn out juicy and retain their taste to the maximum. They are used to prepare sauces, main courses, salads and various casseroles.
Components;
- 400 g boletus;
- salt - to taste;
- vegetable oil.
Recipe:
- The sorted and washed mushrooms are cut into small cubes and placed in a frying pan with added oil.
- They are lightly fried, salted and removed from the heat.
- Small portions of boletus are sealed in food foil and placed on a baking sheet in the oven.
- Mushrooms are baked in their own juice for 10-15 minutes.
- After cooling, the product is packaged in bags and sent to be frozen in the refrigerator.
Freezing porcini mushroom broth
To prepare a rich mushroom soup, you need to take care in advance of preparing the broth for the winter. It can be stored in the freezer for several months. The broth is used as a base for soup or stew.
Components:
- 300 g boletus;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Cooking process:
- Boil porcini mushrooms in lightly salted water for 15 minutes. Five minutes before cooking, you can add pepper.
- The finished mushrooms are transferred to a separate container, and the broth is filtered and poured back into the pan.
- The broth continues to cook until 1/3 of the total volume has evaporated.
- The resulting liquid is poured into ice molds or glasses and placed in the refrigerator. Plastic containers and regular bags can be used as containers.
How long can porcini mushrooms be stored in the freezer?
To ensure long-term preservation of porcini mushrooms, you need to properly freeze them for the winter. At a temperature not lower than -18ºС, the shelf life will be one year. If the temperature in the freezer drops to -14-18°C, then the storage duration is reduced to six months. It is strictly prohibited to eat expired products. It can cause food poisoning with serious complications.
How to defrost porcini mushrooms
Freezing fresh porcini mushrooms for the winter is not the most difficult thing. It is necessary to pay close attention to defrosting the product. In order for the taste to be fully preserved, sudden temperature changes should be avoided. It is advisable to transfer the boletus mushrooms from the freezer to the refrigerator shelf in advance. After 1-2 hours you can take out the product. Further defrosting of porcini mushrooms is carried out in a small container or colander. It is not recommended to defrost boletus mushrooms using a microwave or oven. This will spoil the structure of the porcini mushrooms and eliminate their characteristic aroma.
Conclusion
Freezing porcini mushrooms for the winter is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Most of the time is spent preparing the mycelium for freezing. If all steps are performed correctly, the product will delight you with its unique taste and rich forest aroma for a long time.
