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Ordinary butterdish is a high-calorie, tasty product that has become an integral ingredient in numerous recipes in Russian cuisine. The harvest season is quite short, and the yield is high, so they try to collect as much as possible during this period. Freeze boletus for the winter in the freezer, pickle, marinate or dry - all options are suitable for home preparation.
Is it possible to freeze boletus for the winter?
In grocery supermarkets, frozen mushrooms are on the list of popular products. The product grown in specialized farms goes on sale. Forest mushrooms are much more aromatic and tasty, with a high calorie content and protein content.
Harvesting butter for the winter for freezing or canning takes place quickly, the first wave of mushrooms grows for no more than 2 weeks, the second wave depends on the amount of precipitation.The yield is unstable; if there are a lot of them in one season, the next year may be poor, so they collect as many as possible. There is practically no time left for thermal processing.
Boletus brought from the forest has a short shelf life; after a few hours, it loses its presentation and part of its useful composition. Tubular varieties should also not be soaked; they quickly absorb moisture and lose their elasticity. The best option, which does not require a lot of time and physical effort, is to quickly process the butter and freeze it.
Conventional freezing in the freezer or refrigerator section allows the preparations to be used until the next harvest. After defrosting, the fruiting body completely retains its aroma, chemical composition, taste, and is no different from fresh mushrooms brought from the forest.
The benefits of freezing butter for the winter
The technology for preparing butter by freezing is simple and fast. The preparatory stage and the procedure itself do not require culinary skills. When canning mushrooms, the slightest deviation from the recipe affects the taste of the final product. When frozen, the product retains its natural taste.
Place sliced and whole mushrooms in the freezer. Small ones do not take up much space, keep their shape well, and retain their presentation. If space permits, you can freeze large fresh boletus; before culinary use, they should be cut according to the recipe. After defrosting, they retain their density, aroma and taste.
Another advantage of storing the product at a low temperature is that the mushrooms are stored fresh, boiled and fried. Fried and boiled semi-finished products will save cooking time, and the taste will not differ from freshly prepared ones.
How to prepare boletus for freezing
The main task when storing mushrooms in the refrigerator is to preserve their taste, commercial qualities and beneficial properties. To prepare boletus for the winter by freezing, follow the following recommendations for preparing the product:
- After delivery from the forest, the mushrooms are immediately sorted, and specimens that raise doubts are thrown away. Butterflies have poisonous counterparts; if a mushroom picker is not experienced, they can be easily confused.
- Remove those affected by worms and slugs.
- Remove the top slippery layer from the cap.
- Rinse twice, preferably in running water.
- Place it in a saline solution for a few minutes. In mushrooms there are a large number of insects and snails in the water, they will leave the place of accumulation and float to the surface.
- After the salt procedure, rinse again.
How to freeze boletus mushrooms for the winter
Methods for storing butter for the winter are guided by recipes for preparing dishes from frozen semi-finished products. It can be fresh, cut into pieces or whole. You can boil the mushrooms, drain and place in the freezer. There is a technology for storing the workpiece at a low temperature in boiled form along with broth. For those who prefer fried butter, they can also be prepared and frozen for the winter. The energy value of the product is preserved regardless of the method; the choice depends on culinary preference.
How to properly freeze raw boletus for the winter
After the mushrooms have been washed and cleaned, they are sorted by size; small raw butter mushrooms can be frozen as a whole; large ones are better cut, so they will take up less space. Sequence of work:
- It is better to cut the fruiting body into small pieces into round and flat pieces, so they will fit more tightly into the storage container, more mushrooms will fit in, and they will take up little space.
- Wash in a solution of 30 g of oxalic acid per 3 liters of water so that the sections do not darken.
- To dry, lay out on a napkin.
- They take packaging bags and carefully lay them in layers.
- The bags are tied so that air remains.
- Place the packages next to each other.
- After 40 minutes, the mushrooms will freeze and will not break due to the weight of the top bag.
- The air is released from the bag and folded as conveniently as possible; if the containers are placed one on top of the other, it’s not scary, the frozen parts will retain their shape.
The preparation method is quick, but not compact; fresh mushrooms will take up more space than after heat treatment.
Recipe for freezing butter for the winter in a quick way
A simple recipe will help you prepare boletus for the winter without cooking by freezing it with minimal time:
- Place a dry cloth or polyethylene on the bottom of the freezer.
- Mushrooms are cut, washed in a solution of citric acid or under running water.
- Place on a napkin, cover with a kitchen towel on top, and press gently to quickly remove moisture.
- Lay out in a thin layer on the bottom of the freezer, turned on at maximum mode.
- After 4 hours, the butter is collected in a container or packaging bag and left at a constant temperature for storage.
How to freeze boiled butter at home
The method of storing boiled butter in the freezer is more compact than storing raw butter. After hot processing, mushrooms lose some of their moisture, become elastic, and do not require careful handling. But it will take longer to prepare.The advantage of this bookmark is that you can cut the mushrooms into large pieces; after cooking they will become smaller and fit tightly into the storage container.
Cooking technology:
- Slice the boletus or take it whole.
- Place a pan of water on the fire.
- When the water boils, place the workpiece in it.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Place in a colander, the water should drain completely.
When the mushrooms become cold, they are packed into bags, the air is released, and they are tied tightly. Placed in a cell.
You can freeze boiled butter along with the broth:
- Place the prepared mushrooms in a saucepan and add water 5 cm above the mass.
- Boil for 5 minutes.
- The water is drained.
- New water is poured into the pan so that it just covers the mushrooms.
- Boil for 5 minutes, add salt to taste.
- Remove with a slotted spoon into a cup.
Place into containers so that 2 cm is left unfilled, fill with broth, and close tightly. Let it cool and put it in the freezer.
How to freeze fried boletus mushrooms
The method of preparing butter for freezing fried takes longer, but is the most compact. When frying, the water from the fruiting bodies will evaporate completely, leaving approximately 2/3 of the total volume. The method is used for large collections.
Preparation:
- Place the chopped mushrooms in a high frying pan.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- When the mixture boils, remove the lid and stir the mushrooms constantly.
- After the liquid has evaporated, finely chopped onion and sunflower oil are added.
- Fry until done, salt to taste.
When the mushrooms have cooled, pack them into bags and tie them tightly. Fried boletus for the winter must be immediately frozen in a chamber at the maximum temperature.
How to store boletus in the freezer
If the rules are followed, boletus can be stored for a long time without losing its qualities.Storage recommendations:
- The storage temperature must be constant.
- The container with the product is hermetically sealed.
- Do not place fresh fish and meat on the shelf with mushrooms; if the bag is not tightly closed, they can become saturated with the smell.
- Packaged in storage containers in small portions necessary for preparing dishes.
After defrosting, mushrooms, especially fresh ones, are not placed in the freezer again, because... they lose their taste, shape and aroma.
Thaw the butter in the same packaging in which it was stored. From the freezer they are moved to the refrigerator for several hours. When the fragments separate well, they are taken out and used. There is no need to wash raw and cooked mushrooms; they are cooked immediately. You should not remove mushrooms from the bag and defrost them in water, especially fresh ones. The fruiting bodies become saturated with liquid and lose their shape.
What can you cook from frozen butter?
There are a large number of dishes that include fresh mushrooms. This is a serious motivation to freeze butter for the winter and use it in recipes for cooking:
- mushroom soup;
- fillings for zraz, pies;
- stewed and fried potatoes with mushrooms;
- casseroles;
- julienne;
- salad;
- garnish for meat and fish dishes;
- pate;
- mushroom cutlets.
You can use frozen boletus in the same recipes that include fresh ones.
Conclusion
There are several ways to freeze boletus for the winter in the freezer: raw, fried or boiled. The process is not labor-intensive, takes little time, and does not require culinary skills. Mushrooms do not lose their taste and aroma and are stored for a long time.
