How to freeze milk mushrooms for the winter in the freezer

Content

1 How to freeze milk mushrooms correctly
2 What to cook from frozen milk mushrooms
3 How to defrost milk mushrooms correctly
4 Dishes that can be prepared from frozen milk mushrooms
5 Rules and terms of storage of frozen milk mushrooms
6 Conclusion

You can freeze milk mushrooms in the freezer for the winter in different ways, depending on the further methods of consumption. However, since these mushrooms have a certain bitterness, freezing them is not the easiest thing. But there are still plenty of available methods.

How to freeze milk mushrooms correctly

To successfully freeze milk mushrooms for the winter at home, you need to consider three things:

initial bitter taste;
texture of mushrooms, their moisture content;
mushroom size.

Since, due to its bitterness, this species is classified as a conditionally inedible mushroom, this must be taken into account when freezing. Thus, the bitterness is removed by preliminary heat treatment and soaking, but if you do not drain the excess liquid, then after defrosting the mushrooms will acquire the consistency of boiled porridge.

They are also soaked to remove stubborn dirt.

In addition, when frozen, mushrooms are sorted by size. Small ones are harvested whole, larger ones are cut into pieces. Each batch should contain pieces that are similar in size.

How to freeze white milk mushrooms

Since repeated freezing is unacceptable, white milk mushrooms are frozen exclusively in portions. Before freezing, they are soaked in cold water, removing debris and dirt, and then, as a rule, boiled or fried in a small amount of vegetable oil. In this case, the washed mushrooms are allowed to dry before frying.

The liquid formed during cooking is drained.

Secrets of freezing black milk mushrooms

Although it is customary to salt black milk mushrooms, freezing them is quite feasible. At the same time, technologically it is almost no different from freezing whites. However, there are some nuances that are better to know when preparing mushrooms for the winter:

It is necessary to put already prepared specimens in the freezer only after cooling.
Because they shrink during cooking, reduce cooking or frying time to a minimum before freezing.
Before freezing, the liquid is drained and the mushrooms themselves are squeezed out a little.
It is necessary to minimize the amount of vegetable oil when frying.
When packaging, leave free space for mushroom juice.

How to freeze raw milk mushrooms

Theoretically, fresh milk mushrooms can be frozen without preliminary heat treatment, but one must take into account that the taste will deteriorate significantly. In addition, the structure of the fungus changes greatly for the worse. To freeze it raw, you need a refrigerator with a fast freezing mode or a powerful freezer.

To minimize damage, raw mushrooms are frozen as follows:

Clean mushrooms from debris and dirt.
Soak in cold water for several hours.
Attention! The milk mushrooms should be as fresh as possible. It is best to carry out the procedure on the same day they were collected.
Large specimens are cut into small pieces.
Drain the resulting liquid.
Place in containers or bags, leaving a little space for the juice, and seal tightly.

After defrosting, these mushrooms are used for frying or as an ingredient in stews.

How to freeze dry milk mushrooms for the winter

Many mushroom lovers are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to freeze dry milk mushrooms for the winter. If by harvesting “dry” mushrooms we mean the absence of any processing, then the answer is very simple - such freezing is impossible for milk mushrooms, since the bitter taste will remain after defrosting.

To remove bitterness, dry milk mushrooms are usually stewed in oil. So, for 1 kg of milk mushrooms you will need 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a quarter teaspoon of salt, a bunch of herbs and spices if desired, as well as 1 spoon of white wine - to taste.

Freezing process:

First, the mushrooms are dry cleaned of small debris and dirt.
Then cut into equal pieces.
Oil is poured into a deep bowl, mushrooms are poured in, and put on fire.
Simmer until soft.
Add white wine, salt, spices, herbs, and keep on low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
Cool, drain the juice and freeze.

Mushrooms prepared in this way can be eaten as an independent dish. Before serving, sprinkle them with lemon juice.

Is it possible to freeze boiled milk mushrooms?

If you boil and freeze milk mushrooms first, their texture will be preserved, but the bitterness will go away from the taste.This is the main reason why pre-boiled mushrooms are ideal for freezing for the winter. In winter they are added to salads, soups, and stews.

To prepare this dish you need salt, citric acid and patience. They do it like this:

First, the milk mushrooms are soaked, removing dust and debris.
Then the water is brought to a boil, salt and citric acid are added, then the mushrooms are poured in.
Bring to a boil, cook for 5–7 minutes.
Remove from heat, cool, portion out and freeze.

Defrost by immersion in boiling water.

Attention! Before freezing, the mushroom juice is drained.

How long to cook milk mushrooms before freezing

Depending on the volume and size of individual specimens, the cooking time can be either reduced or increased. Cook milk mushrooms for freezing from 5 minutes after boiling to 10 minutes after.

Freezing milk mushrooms after short-term scalding

This method is popular due to its simplicity and efficiency:

First, the milk mushrooms are soaked in cold water for several hours to remove adhering dirt and get rid of bitterness.
After this they are thoroughly cleaned.
Large specimens are cut into pieces, small ones are left as is. Transfer to a container with high sides and pour boiling water over it.
Leave in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Drain the liquid, spread the mushrooms in one layer, and blot with a towel.
Place in containers or bags, seal tightly and put in the freezer.

Mushrooms frozen in this way are suitable for frying or a variety of soups.

Is it possible to freeze fried milk mushrooms for the winter?

Fried milk mushrooms for the winter can be cooked in a frying pan or in the oven. The main difference is that the dish cooked in the oven does not contain excess fat.

Freezing process:

First, the mushrooms are cleaned and soaked, and immediately divided into pieces of approximately equal size.
Then they are sent to boiling water, having previously salted it, and boiled for 15 minutes after boiling again.
After cooking, place in a colander, allowing the liquid to drain.
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan, add mushrooms and fry for half an hour, stirring.
When cooking in the oven, a temperature of 180 degrees is recommended. The milk mushrooms are poured onto a baking sheet and, stirring regularly, bake until the juice has almost evaporated.
The cooled mushrooms are placed into portioned containers and placed in the freezer.

Freezing stewed milk mushrooms for the winter

The peculiarity of milk mushrooms prepared in this way is that they are frozen along with the broth. The shelf life is reduced to 3 months instead of six months. Also, once frozen in a stew, their consistency makes them best for making soups, creamed soups, or julienne.

To properly freeze stewed milk mushrooms for the winter, you need to:

1 kg of washed, peeled and chopped mushrooms;
1 glass of water – twice;
2 teaspoons salt;
spices to taste.

Prepare like this:

Pre-prepared mushrooms are placed in a pan, filled with water, and salted.
Cook for a quarter of an hour, remembering to stir.
Drain the liquid and add fresh water.
Add spices and herbs.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Allow the dish to cool, then place it in containers and freeze.

Recipe for freezing salted milk mushrooms for the winter

The process of freezing salted mushrooms is very simple:

The brine is drained.
An optional item is to wash the mushrooms with plain water to remove any remaining brine.
After this, they are left in a colander and allowed to drain excess liquid, and then squeezed out a little.
Place in bags or containers and freeze.

During defrosting, salted milk mushrooms change their structure: they become soft, so the number of dishes where they are used is limited. So, they are suitable for making soup or as a filling for a pie or casserole.

What to cook from frozen milk mushrooms

You can prepare many dishes from frozen milk mushrooms.

How to defrost milk mushrooms correctly

During the defrosting process, milk mushrooms do not need to be left to gradually thaw, as happens with meat or poultry - if there is a need or desire to use frozen mushrooms, start cooking immediately. So, they are usually sent into boiling water or fried in a frying pan.

When preparing frozen mushrooms for the winter, you should remember that re-freezing is impossible, so it is better to pack them in relatively small portions.

Dishes that can be prepared from frozen milk mushrooms

More than one or two dishes are prepared from frozen milk mushrooms, but the choice will depend on which method of processing the product was chosen earlier. So, you can be content with fried or stewed mushrooms as a self-sufficient dish or side dish, make a salad, julienne, cook soup (for example, Georgian mushrooms) or puree soup. Frozen mushrooms are also suitable as a filling for pie or pizza.

Rules and terms of storage of frozen milk mushrooms

The maximum permissible shelf life of the product in the freezer is 6 months. An exception is possible when the freezer temperature is -19 degrees or lower - then the product can be stored for 12 months.The shelf life depends on the temperature of the freezer and the specific freezing method.

So, if the preparation included vegetables, or the mushrooms were frozen along with the broth, the shelf life of the product is reduced to 3 months.

As a rule, the workpiece is stored for three months at temperatures down to -14 degrees and up to 6 months at temperatures down to -18 degrees.

Conclusion

Although it is relatively easy to freeze milk mushrooms in the freezer for the winter, this method of preparation is used very rarely - they are salted much more often. However, freezing also has its advantages - a frozen product takes up little space, therefore, you can prepare much more of it. This method has its drawbacks - to get rid of bitterness, you need to make additional efforts.

Therefore, when freezing milk mushrooms, it is worth weighing the pros and cons of this method so as not to be deceived by expectations and not to be disappointed by the taste.