How to clean boletus quickly and easily: 6 ways

Is it necessary to clean the boletus?

After collecting the baskets, they are oiled and must be cleaned before starting cooking. Why you need to do this:

First of all, to get rid of the film that covers the fetal cap. Without eliminating it, there is a risk of departure.
If you plan to cook. When in contact with water, they swell greatly, resulting in a sticky viscosity that spoils the taste.
The film leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Aesthetics. Without the film, boletus takes on a noble appearance.

Some mushroom pickers do not peel the skin on the cap from the fruit. They are simply washed in boiling water, but this method is best followed by those who are well versed in mushrooms, because there is a risk of eating false boletus. They are non-poisonous, but can spoil the taste.

Before you start cleaning, you need to sort out the fruits to make sure that there are no poisonous ones among them. If you decide to clean them, you should first choose the type of cooking. When drying, there is no urgent need to remove the film, as, for example, when cooking. All you need to do is remove excess debris from the fruit. You can simply sweep it away with a brush or, if the dirt is very stuck, remove it with a knife. But, given the mucous surface, it is better to remove the film. It absorbs dirt, dust and even poisons. Taking this fact into account, there is no need to take unnecessary risks.

Is sticky mushroom juice dangerous?

The oiler became the bearer of this name because of its slippery cap, which can be either convex or flat.
You can verify this by taking the mushroom in your hands and running your palm along its upper part. The mucous film covering the cap and the ring, which is located on the stem, makes it stand out from other species. The sticky surface is not dangerous, but it is better to get rid of it to avoid digestive upset. Despite the versatility of butter, they should not be consumed by children under 5 years of age, pregnant women and people with digestive tract problems, as it is a heavy food.

There are false oils, but even they will not cause significant harm to health. This does not mean that you should not be careful and carefully collect mushrooms. There is a high risk of putting toxic fruit into the basket due to inexperience.

Only those species that grow near roads and industrial plants are dangerous. The film on the butterfly cap absorbs various debris like a sponge. With a high concentration of sewage, even heat treatment will not help.

Useful tips

Boletus is considered one of the most delicious mushrooms. In order not to spoil them, it is necessary to properly clean them and follow all cooking rules. Beginners will be helped in this by the recommendations of experienced mushroom pickers.

Helpful Tips:

The cleaning process should begin from the top of the cap, gradually moving to the bottom. Only after completing this work do they begin to process the mushroom stem.
You should not wash boletus before processing it. Otherwise, dirt will penetrate inside the mushroom and it will be very difficult to get rid of it.
During frying, the skin becomes rough and gives the dish a bitter taste. Because of this, it is necessary to clean it before heat treatment.
If it is not possible to immediately clean the collected butternuts, then you need to place them in the refrigerator as quickly as possible. It should not be forgotten that fresh mushrooms can only be stored in the cold for a few hours.
To simplify the process of removing the film from the cap, you need to lubricate it with vegetable oil. This product will also protect your hands from sticking dirt.
After cleaning the oil, the skin on your hands will darken. To return it to its previous appearance, you need to wash your hands with lemon juice or diluted vinegar. An alternative option is to use rubber gloves. They will make the cleaning process a little more difficult, but will help maintain the attractiveness of the skin of your fingers and hands.
Experts recommend peeling only dry mushrooms. Therefore, before starting work, you should lay out the boletus on the windowsill so that the sun's rays fall on them.
It is best to buy or collect small boletus. They have a denser film, so the cleaning process will not take much time.

To clean boletus for preparing any dish, you need to know several important secrets. They will help you get the job done faster and more efficiently, preserving all the beneficial properties of mushrooms.

How to quickly peel mushrooms

Cleaning causes some problems due to the slimy skin covering the cap.
If the collection is done in dry weather, then it is easier to do. The skin of the fruit can be removed immediately in the forest, so as not to spread excess dirt at home. It should be remembered that after peeling, the mushrooms must be quickly cooked. Since butterflies appear more often after rainy weather, this is where the problem arises in cleaning them. There is no need to panic; if you follow a number of recommendations, you can cope with this task.

Preparation does not take much time. Before cleaning, you should not soak the fruits in water, but rather dry them. To do this, lay them out on paper, leaving them there for a short time. If liquid gets on the surface of the mushroom, it will not only swell, but also become slippery. This means it will be very difficult to hold it in your hands. There is no need to create additional difficulties for yourself.

The easiest way is to rub vegetable oil between your hands and apply vegetable oil to a knife, which makes it possible to avoid difficulties in removing the film and darkening of the skin of your hands, which causes mucus on the surface of the fruit. When cleaning mushrooms in the forest, in rainy times, it is better to have a rag oiled with you.

Basic Rules

Butterfly is a tubular edible mushroom of the Boletaceae family. It got its name from the oily skin on the cap, which performs a protective function. This mushroom often becomes the object of a “silent hunt.” People appreciate it for its excellent taste and the presence of a large number of substances beneficial to the body.

Before you begin processing the collected forest gifts, you need to study the basic rules for carrying out this work. Among them are the following:

The first step after collection should be a visual inspection. You definitely need to make sure that the basket contains an edible mushroom and not its poisonous relative (false butterfly). You can identify a good mushroom by its yellow-brown cap, which is covered with a layer of mucus. This oily protective layer should come off easily.
It is best to start cleaning in the forest. To do this, you need to shake the mushrooms and remove any adhering plant debris (grass, leaves, pine needles, etc.) from their surface. After this, cut off the bottom of the leg.
Wormy specimens should be removed from the total mass of mushrooms, as they can spoil even the highest quality forest products.
Peeled mushrooms must be cooked as quickly as possible. Otherwise, they will darken and lose some of their beneficial properties.
It is prohibited to store unpeeled boletus for 12 hours or more. Therefore, upon returning from a “quiet hunt”, you need to immediately begin processing them.
Often the collected mushrooms remain moist even after long-term transportation. This situation may arise in cases where they were collected immediately after rain. Placing them on some paper (for example, newspaper) will help dry the boletus quickly.
To easily clean most types of mushrooms, they need to be soaked in water for several hours. However, such an operation is prohibited with boletus. They have a porous structure that has a sponge effect. If they absorb a lot of water, then further processing will become an unpleasant experience for humans.

Do I need to soak the oil before cleaning?

There is an opinion that boletus should be soaked before cleaning.
But, in fact, this action will bring more trouble than benefit, because, unlike other types, boletus does not require soaking before this procedure. When kept in water for a long time, mushrooms absorb moisture and become slimy, which can complicate the cleaning process, fray your nerves, and even lead to minor injuries.

If soaked for a long time, this type of mushroom can become unusable. So it’s worth remembering: the butter does not need to be soaked before cleaning. If this is still required to remove worms or other contaminants from the mushroom body, then they must be dried in a colander or laid out on a towel.

It is best to soak in a salt solution for literally two to three minutes. Also, you should absolutely not soak the fruits before drying; just cleaning them from pine needles, leaves, grass - anything that could stick in the forest is enough.

What happens if you don’t remove the film from the cap?

And there will be a discussion on this topic, but, in fact, it is not necessary to shoot film. The issue should be decided based on personal tastes, because boiled or fried mushrooms with an unpeeled top film can be very bitter and spoil the taste of the dish. But fruits prepared using the same methods from which the “skin” was removed are more tender and do not taste bitter at all.

In general, in some cases, removing the film is easier than removing all the dirt. That is why it is still advisable to remove the top layer from the cap, but this directly depends on the cooking method:

If you dry or pickle boletus, this is not necessary, but dirt should be removed carefully so as not to feel the grinding of sand on your teeth later.
When cooking, it is still necessary to remove the skin.
But for young boletus, such a procedure is not at all necessary; it will be enough to simply rinse thoroughly under running water.

Is it necessary to remove the sponge from butterflies?

Maslyata (masluhi) are mushrooms that are very popular among Europeans. Professional mushroom pickers claim that these mushrooms are very visible during the period of the year when pine trees begin to bloom. Boletus grows, as a rule, in young coniferous forests, often in large groups.

Butterfly is a tasty, satisfying mushroom, its taste is quite special. That’s why housewives try to use them when preparing various dishes.

You may be asking, is it worth removing the sponge from butter before cooking? Look, it all depends on your preferences. If you don't like the dark shapeless part of the butter, then remove it. If you eat it, then leave it. But know that it is better to remove this sponge from large mushrooms, but only the one that comes off well.

How to peel boletus mushrooms quickly and correctly

You need to start cleaning quickly so that the mushrooms do not start to deteriorate and worms do not appear in them.
Unprocessed boletus can be stored in the refrigerator for ten to twelve hours, but this should only be used in extreme cases. You should not leave the mushrooms in the bucket or container in which they were originally collected; the best option would be to spread them evenly on a flat surface.

When marinating you need:

It is good to remove all contaminants from the mushroom.
Remove the skin (if you don’t do this, the pickled boletus will turn out slimy; again, it’s a matter of taste).
Rinse the cleaned version with cold water, but under no circumstances soak it for a long time, and they are ready for further manipulation.

When drying, you only need to thoroughly wipe the cap with a damp cloth and remove dirt, but do not rinse with water. When cooking or frying, be sure to remove the film. There are several options to make this process easier:

For the first method you only need hot water. You need to carefully dip the cap of the butter dish into boiling water and carefully remove the skin using a knife or sponge, rubbing with the rough side.
For the next manipulation you will need table vinegar and a clean cloth. You need to lightly rub the hat with a cloth with vinegar essence - and the skin will gradually come off on its own.
To clean with this slightly more intricate method, you need to add from two to five tablespoons of table vinegar to one liter of water, boil and dip the mushrooms in the solution for 20-30 seconds, and the film will come off well.

How to peel boletus with salt

This method is used if it is necessary to get rid of dirt and parasites. Since salt opens the pores, as a result you can get rid of worms and even the smallest impurities. Add 150 g of coarse salt per liter of water. Cleaned specimens are immersed in a saline solution for 20 minutes, after which they are washed under running water. If there were worms in the harvested crop, then in salt water they will float to the surface, and the eggs will settle to the bottom.

Is sticky mushroom juice dangerous?

Milky sap is a white liquid that flows out when the fruiting body is wounded. In some cases, this may mean that the mushroom that was cut is poisonous. But, there are many edible varieties that secrete this very milky juice. The list includes: milk mushrooms, camphor milkweed, saffron milk cap, milkweed, pink trumpet. All mushrooms require soaking, otherwise they are completely unusable.

The milky juice makes the mushrooms bitter and not at all beneficial for the human body. First of all, before you start cooking, you should make sure that the chanterelle or butter dish that is to be cooked is not false. You should also be careful with mushrooms containing milky juice; most of them are conditionally edible and should not be eaten without special preparation.

In order to prepare a mushroom with this “seasoning”, you need to thoroughly clean it, remove the top layer from the cap, clean the inside, under the cap, cut off all excess and rinse the resulting material, take a pan, fill it with cold water. Leave the peeled fruits for several days, constantly changing the water, the more often the better. You can add salt and a little citric acid, but this is not necessary. And only after this procedure begin cooking. The only exception is saffron milk caps - their juice is not bitter at all and they do not require soaking.

Using these simple rules and tricks, you can greatly simplify your work. Having cleaned the boletus quickly, you will soon be able to try dishes prepared from them.

Butterflies are popular and healthy edible mushrooms, whose appearance justifies their name. An oily film is noticeable on the cap, which is needed to protect the fruiting body from drying out. Debris, pine needles, and foliage easily cling to such a film, which is why cleaning oils often causes difficulties. There are several ways to clean boletus mushrooms, which speed up the processing and cooking of collected mushrooms.

The most common cleaning options are oily

How to peel mushrooms (butter mushrooms)? The simplest recipe is that they must first be dried. Then everything is deleted without any problems. Subsequently, the chopped pieces of mushrooms are washed in running water several times to remove dirt from the surface, because poorly washed raw materials can cause serious diseases. Also, improper preparation (canning or pickling) of mushrooms often leads to infections that are extremely dangerous to human life.

The second method involves cleaning mushrooms directly in the forest and does not require step-by-step instructions. You just need to pry the thin skin with a knife and it will come off easily. A similar cleaning method is recommended for isolated collections of boletus, which are approximately the same in size.

But it’s better not to collect wormy mushrooms. The more spoiled pulp, the higher the likelihood of food poisoning after eating the food. It is better to carefully examine suspicious specimens and cut out all damaged parts.

How to clean boletus mushrooms that are small enough? They are the most unpleasant and difficult to clean, because they constantly slip out of your hands. To make such a difficult task easier, it is recommended to use a sharp knife, which is used to carefully pick up the skin on the cap. As a result of such manipulations, you can protect yourself from inedible false butter, the distinctive feature of which is the plates under the cap (and you can see them only after removing the skin).

How to prepare a delicious mushroom, so rich in protein, for frying? It is recommended to thoroughly clean and rinse the mushrooms several times in running water. You should not soak the butter beans, because in this case they become saturated with moisture, and the mucous film swells even more, which poses significant difficulties during cleaning.

If it is not possible to peel the mushrooms as soon as you come home from the forest, then you can leave them in a cold place for a maximum of 10 hours. Frozen boletus can be stored for much longer, but if kept in a warm room, the boletus will quickly deteriorate.

But still, the taste properties will be better for freshly prepared mushrooms. Therefore, they should be prepared as soon as possible. Do not cover dishes with mushrooms with tight lids: there must be air access to the gifts of the forest. It is also undesirable to freeze boletus if you plan to soon use the mushrooms in a hearty dish.

Cleaning with boiling water

How to quickly clean boletus using improvised means? There is another way to clean oil, which few people know about. It consists in the fact that the collected mushrooms should be dipped in boiling water or held over hot steam for several minutes. After scalding, the film is easily and quickly separated from the body of the oiler, and cleaning the collected mushrooms takes much less time.

There are little-known ways to quickly remove unwanted film. How to properly clean boletus using the available means? There are several options:

If the mushroom has a round cap, then you need to make a deep cut, dividing it in half. When moving the halves of the cap in different directions, the film is simply removed.
How to quickly process boletus without getting your hands dirty? Freshly picked mushrooms are easy to clean if you first grease your hands with vegetable oil (or olive oil). In this way, you will be able to protect your hands from the dark coating that usually appears when cleaning a mushroom. The pigment that colors the fingers is contained in the film of the cap. In addition to treating your hands, it is recommended to lubricate your knife with oil. Place a cloth soaked in vegetable oil nearby to periodically moisten your hands.
If your hands still get dirty, then a solution of acetic or citric acid will come to the rescue.
Another easy way to remove the film from the cap: take the gauze and press it firmly against the mushroom, then pick up the edge with the tip of a knife and tear it off, pulling it by the gauze.

And you should definitely involve the whole family in cleaning the oil: it’s more fun and much faster.

Features of the type and benefits

Even though there are many types of butterfish, they are all very similar to each other. The smooth stem is cylindrical in shape, the flesh can be light yellow or white-gray. If you cut or break the latter, it may turn blue or red.

The cap of young organisms has the shape of a hemisphere, but becomes flatter with age. Both the cap and the stem are eaten. The sign by which the oiler can be distinguished is a tubular-shaped hymenophore. The tubes located on the back of the cap help distinguish boletus from poisonous fruiting bodies.

Large accumulations of these fungi are most often found in coniferous forests. They grow, as a rule, in open areas, well lit by the sun, on moss, old pine needles and sandy soil. They are not found in open ground areas where there is no grass or bushes. Collection time is May-October.

Butter is often used in cooking due to its high nutritional qualities, high content of nutrients, fiber and amino acids. The body absorbs the latter by 80%. Young organisms are richer in amino acids than old ones. Butter is also rich in potassium salt, iron and phosphorus, and contains vitamins such as A, B and B1, PP, C. The beneficial effect on the human body is manifested in the prevention of headaches and the treatment of gout.

Preparing oil for cleaning and precautions for hands

Before cleaning, you need to determine the subsequent cooking method. For drying, for example, it is not necessary to remove the oily film. It will be sufficient to remove debris from the cap and fruiting body with a hard brush.

If subsequent heat treatment of the product is planned, the product is completely cleared of sticky film. Before removing it, the mushrooms must be thoroughly washed in water several times to completely remove sand and debris from the surface of the product.

It is advisable to rinse the mushrooms and begin cleaning them as soon as possible after harvesting. Collected boletus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours without packaging. If you package them up and put them in the refrigerator, they will be uncookable once they warm up from the cold.

To clean or not

To understand whether it is necessary to clean boletus at all, decide on their fate. What will you cook from this storehouse of protein?

For example, if you plan to dry it, then it is not at all necessary to clean the oil from the film; it is enough to remove all the adhering debris using a brush with stiff bristles, and scrape the stem with a sharp knife.

If you cook or fry, cleaning is necessary, because during the cooking process the protective skin will become rough, unsuitable for chewing, and will also add bitterness to the finished product.

You should not wash them before work, because all the debris will only become more ingrained. Rinse after you have removed all excess.

How to quickly and effectively peel mushrooms from the film?

To quickly clean boletus mushrooms from the slimy film, you must remember that only dry mushrooms can be cleaned. If you soak them first, they will absorb liquid and the slimy film will swell. Peel fresh mushrooms dry. If they were collected in wet weather, leave them spread out on paper for a couple of hours to dry.

With a knife

Cleaning with a knife can be done even at the collection site, if the weather is not too humid. Take a knife with a sharp blade, pick up the edge of the film and pull.

Please note that you need to start removing the film from the edges of the cap so as not to damage the smooth surface of the mushroom. It’s easy to clean freshly picked boletus this way. If the weather is humid, you can remove the film with a knife only at home, after drying.

Without the help of a knife

To properly remove the film, you can break the cap into two parts. On the crack that appears, the edges of the film will be visible, which can be pulled. This method is easier than peeling with a knife, but using it, you won’t be able to cook the whole mushroom.

Using boiling water

To use this method, divide the mushrooms into several portions. Place the pan on the stove and wait until the water boils. Then place the mushrooms in a colander, one portion at a time, and keep it over boiling water for 30 seconds.

Cleaning with boiling water

You can put the mushrooms in a colander in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then quickly rinse them with cold water. After this procedure, the skin is removed very easily.

Using vegetable oil

Prepare a clean cloth and soak it in vegetable oil. Wipe all mushroom caps, gloves and knife with this cloth. Use the tip of a knife to pick up the film and slowly pull it towards you. This way it will be removed easily and will not tear, and the cap will remain smooth. If the film still breaks and is removed unevenly, use a knife to carefully scrape off the remaining residue.

Cleaning with a dry sponge

A kitchen sponge helps to quickly get rid of the film not only on old, but also on young mushrooms, from which it is difficult to remove the skin. Rub the surface of the cap with a dry, clean sponge. In this case, it is better to use the hard side of the sponge. Rub the cap gently so as not to break it.

other methods

There are no less effective ways to remove the skin from the surface of the boletus cap. These include cleaning with gauze and vinegar. To implement the first method, firmly but gently press a piece of gauze onto the cap. The oil film should adhere to the gauze. After this, you need to sharply pull the edge of the fabric. Gauze can be replaced with a paper napkin.

Cleaning oil with a napkin

For the second method you will need 5 tablespoons of vinegar per liter of water. Boil water, add vinegar to it and place the mushrooms in the boiling water, placing them in a colander with their caps facing down. Hold the mushrooms over boiling water for no more than 20 seconds. After this you can start removing the skin. Acetic acid not only makes the process of processing the cap easier, but also helps to quickly get rid of stuck debris.

Butter can be cleaned just as effectively with salt. To do this, prepare a solution of 200 g of kitchen salt per liter of water. The product can be soaked only after removing the skin. Soaking will help open the pores of the mushroom, and as a result, clean it more thoroughly.

Other ways to remove film from butter

Each housewife makes the decision to clean or leave the film on the forest harvest independently, but it is necessary to thoroughly clean the boletus from soil contaminants.

Folk wisdom is rich in recipes on how to free oil dishes from sticky film:

Press the cleaned cap tightly against a piece of gauze. Pick up the edge of the film and tear it off by pulling the gauze;

mushrooms with a large cap should be cut vertically in half to the skin. Moving the halves of the cap apart in different directions, carefully remove the sticky film.

Contamination from hands is washed off with a solution of vinegar or citric acid: moisten your palms with the liquid and rub with a pumice stone.

You need to properly clean freshly picked boletus by lubricating your hands with vegetable oil, which prevents the appearance of dark plaque on your fingers. The coloring pigment is contained in the film of the cap, which must be cleaned. To speed up the process and make it more convenient, you should also lubricate the knife with oil. Nearby you can put a cloth soaked in vegetable oil, which should be used to regularly wipe the knife blade and lubricate your hands.

Cleaning the sticky cap of the butterfish is a tedious task. Therefore, family help is needed when there is a large catch from a “silent hunt.” Through joint efforts, the work is moving forward at an accelerated pace.

Wild mushrooms are nature’s generous gift to people, which can be used to advantage. Cleaning a mushroom product from contamination in a timely manner means providing yourself with tasty and healthy food for a long time: preserves, marinades, dried fruits, preserving an echo of the summer-autumn season in each jar.

Press the cleaned cap tightly against a piece of gauze. Pick up the edge of the film and tear it off by pulling the gauze;

Answers to frequently asked questions

Hands should be kept in this solution for no longer than 5 minutes, and after completing the procedure, wash them with soap and spread with a rich nourishing cream. If the stains are not very bright, you can use soda or laundry soap. More effective, but not recommended, methods are cleaning your hands with acetone or fuel oil removal gel.

Some gourmets, on the contrary, prefer food with bitterness, so the question of the need to clean such mushrooms is a matter of taste. However, it is recommended to remove the film to avoid digestive upset. Young boletus does not need such treatment at all: their film is very difficult to remove, and it does not impart bitterness to the food.

Butter is a product that, when processed correctly and in a timely manner, has very high taste qualities. After preparation, they can be used in cooking in fried, dried and pickled form.