Honey mushrooms are agaric mushrooms that are highly valued by our compatriots. It's not just about the wonderful taste and aroma of the product. These mushrooms are famous for the fact that they grow in large “families”, and a lover of “quiet hunting”, who finds a treasured place in the fall, returns home with the richest catch.
Honey mushrooms are prepared for future use in frozen or canned form. Many housewives, faced with the need to quickly process a large portion of “gifts of the forest,” ask the question: is it possible to dry honey mushrooms for the winter?
Is this harvesting method simple enough? Do dried mushrooms store well? In this article we will answer these questions and tell you how to properly dry honey mushrooms at home.
Preparing honey mushrooms for drying at home
Regardless of the chosen drying method, mushrooms must be prepared first. First, they are sorted by degree of maturity: strong young mushrooms have a higher content of nutrients. Old, rotten, and pest-infested specimens are discarded. You also need to pay attention to ensure that among the honey mushrooms you don’t come across their dangerous doubles.
To prevent mushrooms from gaining excess moisture, honey mushrooms suitable for drying are not washed, but wiped with a damp soft cloth to remove dirt. Usually, only the caps are used for drying honey mushrooms, so the legs, retreating about 2 cm, are cut off.
Small specimens can be dried whole. These mushrooms also do not need soaking: the absorbed moisture will increase the drying time. Important! When dried, mushrooms lose about 90% of their weight; on average, from 10 kg of pre-prepared fresh raw materials, the yield of dry product will be 1.5 kg.
Where to start drying mushrooms: important points
Before processing and harvesting, honey mushrooms, as well as chanterelles, boletus and many other mushrooms, need to be washed to remove dirt. Important: you can wash the mushrooms by simply wiping them with a damp cloth or using running water; soaking before drying is prohibited, since mushrooms absorb water very quickly and in large quantities.
You can even do without this if the mushrooms are externally clean; then, before cooking, dry honey mushrooms or chanterelles will need to be soaked for 20–30 minutes in warm water and then rinsed. Boletus and boletus mushrooms are also stored in dried form during the winter.
Dried mushrooms have a unique aroma and give the dish an unforgettable taste, therefore they are used to make:
- Soups;
- Roast;
- Fillings for pies;
- Sauces;
- Creams (soups, gravies).
Mushrooms that are externally strong, undamaged, and without worms are suitable for drying. It is important to remember that honey mushrooms can be false, just like boletus mushrooms, which are easily confused with inedible gifts of the forest.
That is why. To avoid trouble, you need to select the collected mushrooms. It is best to separate the caps from the stems, and cut large mushrooms.
How to salt overgrown honey mushrooms for the winter: recipe with photos
Honey mushrooms are prepared for pickling in the same way as for pickling. This also applies to overgrown mushrooms that we came across in the forest.
We offer a recipe for salted overgrown honey mushrooms for the winter with photos.
- honey mushrooms (caps) – 2 kg;
- salt – 4 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 5 cloves;
- dill - 5 umbrellas;
- black currant and oak leaves - 10 pcs.;
- allspice – 10 peas;
- laurel leaf – 5 pcs.;
- water – 800 ml.
How to salt overgrown honey mushrooms in an enamel pan so that they turn out no worse than in a wooden barrel?
First of all, overgrown honey mushrooms should be separated from the legs, cleaned and washed.
Boil in boiling water with added salt for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under the tap.
Mix salt, pepper, dill, bay leaf, diced garlic in water and add chopped garlic cloves. Cook honey mushrooms for about 40 minutes over low heat.
Place clean oak and blackcurrant leaves on the bottom of the pan, use a slotted spoon to select mushrooms with dill umbrellas and pour brine on top. Cover with a lid, let cool and place in the refrigerator.
You can start eating this snack after 5-7 days.
Drying methods
There are several ways to dry them, but if the mushrooms are collected in the summer and the weather is hot and dry, then at home they are prepared in the old-fashioned way - dried on a thread. If you have a good oven or electric dryer, the problem of preparing honey mushrooms is solved once and for all.
On a thread
For drying, choose strong caps without stems. Like milk mushrooms, mushrooms are strung on a thread (using a needle or knitting needle), fishing line or thin twine. Experience shows that a weak thread can fray, so it is better to give preference to fishing line or twine.
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Preparation for drying and the process itself look like this:
- caps are placed on a fishing line threaded into a gypsy needle, trying to maintain a distance of 0.5-1 cm between each pair (this distance allows for excellent air circulation and the mushrooms will dry evenly);
- mushroom clusters are hung where they will be well lit by the sun and receive enough fresh air, for example, on a balcony, outside a window, sometimes placed over a hot stove or a fire with barely smoldering coals (in the latter case, drying will not take much time).
To protect mushroom bundles hanging outside, use thin gauze. On rainy and cloudy days, mushrooms are removed indoors. Drying time depends on the weather outside the window.
Usually honey mushrooms dry out and wrinkle within 1 week. But if the weather is damp and rainy, then it is better not to use the described drying method; there is a high risk that the mushrooms will simply rot.
In the oven
It is most convenient to dry honey mushrooms in the oven on a special rack. In the absence of one, a baking sheet will do, but the honey mushrooms will need to be turned over periodically.
- We lay out the prepared honey mushrooms on a wire rack and place them in an oven preheated to 40-50 °C for 2-3 hours so that the mushrooms dry out, gradually losing moisture. At a lower temperature, the mushrooms will be cooked, at a higher temperature, they will be baked, and we will not get dried mushrooms.
- When the caps are no longer sticky, increase the temperature to 75°C. For normal air circulation, if the oven does not have a convection function, leave the door slightly open.
- Be sure to monitor the progress of the process: turn the caps over from time to time so that they do not start to fry.
The time required to completely dry the mushrooms depends on their quantity, the skills of the housewife, and on average the entire cycle can last from 7 to 12 hours. Correctly and to the required extent, the dried mushroom bends slightly, breaks relatively easily, but does not crumble, and retains its natural aroma.
In an electric dryer
The main advantage of drying honey mushrooms in an electric dryer is the saving of time, which is spent on turning the product in the oven, checking its degree of readiness, and decreasing/increasing the temperature.
The modern device is equipped with multi-tiered grilles that do not interfere with heat exchange and air circulation; the mushroom picker is required to set the temperature and load honey mushrooms into the electric dryer. She will do the rest on her own.
It looks like this:
- the electric dryer is heated for 5-10 minutes;
- caps are laid out on each of the pre-washed and dried grid trays in an even layer in one row;
- set the drying temperature to a maximum of + 55 degrees Celsius.
Cooking time depends on the size of the mushroom. When an electric dryer is filled to 2-3 trays, readiness is checked after 2 hours; multi-level dryers filled to the last centimeter are checked after 4-5 hours. The signs are the same as when putting it in the oven.
In the microwave
This method will require your direct participation and constant presence. Of all the options, this is the most inconvenient, but sometimes the only one. If the number of mushrooms is small, and the time is just the opposite, then you can start.
In addition to the basic preparations in the form of sorting and clearing debris, before drying honey mushrooms in the microwave, they need to be allowed to dry a little and even dry out in the sun. If the weather is unlucky, then turn on a powerful lamp above them and leave them for a while.
Then place them in a single layer on a wire rack, flat plate, or glass microwave rack. When the microwave power is between 100 and 180 W, turn it on for 20 minutes.
Then remove the mushrooms; if liquid has released from them, drain it and let the microwave sit for a few minutes with the door open. Then repeat the procedure until the honey mushrooms reach the desired condition. They should become dry, but at the same time elastic.
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Under the fan
If the mushroom picker has a powerful fan or fireplace at his disposal, then the mushrooms can be laid out in front of these devices and thus dried. The exact time from setting to readiness is on average 3-5 hours, it all depends on the meatiness of the mushrooms.
The only disadvantage of this method is the amount of energy spent; it is not commensurate with the value of the honey mushrooms themselves, so drying by this method is rarely carried out.
Recipe for caviar from overgrown honey mushrooms with garlic for the winter
The leader in taste in mushroom caviar can be called honey fungus. Caviar from overgrown honey mushrooms with garlic is an excellent option for storing mushrooms for the winter. In this case, you can even use the legs of overgrown honey mushrooms.
The recipe for caviar from overgrown honey mushrooms for the winter with garlic will appeal to those who love sandwiches, pies, potato zrazy, pancakes and cabbage rolls with mushroom filling.
- boiled honey mushrooms – 2 kg;
- refined oil – 200 ml;
- vinegar - 1 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 10 cloves;
- tomato paste – 100 ml;
- salt - to taste;
- sugar – 2 tsp;
- ground black pepper – ½ tsp;
- fresh parsley - 1 bunch.
Sort out the overgrown honey mushrooms, clean them of dirt and put them in boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes, skimming the foam from the mushrooms from time to time.
Place in a colander and let drain for a few minutes.
Scroll the cooled mushrooms through a meat grinder and place in a frying pan with hot vegetable oil. Fry for 10 minutes and add tomato paste, stir well and fry for another 10 minutes.
Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them with a knife, add to the caviar, stir.
Salt the mushroom mass, add sugar, ground pepper, fresh chopped parsley and vinegar.
Simmer everything over low heat for 15 minutes and remove from the stove.
Place in hot sterilized jars and close with nylon lids.
Allow the jars to cool, and then take them to the cellar or put them in the refrigerator.
Use of dried honey mushrooms and precautions
Honey mushrooms, dried in compliance with all technological standards, can be stored in a tightly closed glass container for three years. Large stocks of mushrooms can be kept in strong wooden boxes with well-fitting lids and previously lined with clean paper.
It is recommended to periodically inspect honey mushrooms for the appearance of food pests (moths, bugs) or mold. If the mushrooms are damaged, you can remove the damaged specimens, and heat the rest in the oven at 60 ℃ for 30 minutes, cool and re-pack in a clean container.
Dried honey mushrooms are in no way inferior to fresh mushrooms in taste and nutritional properties. This is an excellent protein product from which a wide variety of dishes are prepared: soups, main courses, caviar, sauces. Mushrooms are used as a filling for pies, dumplings and pizza; boiled and added to salads.
Harvesting honey mushrooms for future use requires compliance with some precautionary rules. The fact is that these mushrooms often “disguise” their counterparts, which contain toxic substances. For example, sulfur-yellow honey mushrooms are not only very similar in appearance to edible autumn mushrooms, but also grow in similar places in the same season as them.
The poison included in false mushrooms is not considered fatal, but in dried mushrooms it (like all other components) is in a much higher concentration than in freshly picked ones. This means that if you accidentally prepare inedible “doubles” for future use, you risk causing serious harm to your health.
Therefore, it is important to follow the following rules:
- before you go mushroom hunting, carefully study the descriptions and images of real and false mushrooms, remember their distinctive features;
- When picking mushrooms, immediately get rid of every specimen that gives you the slightest doubt. Do this while sorting too;
- Do not buy honey mushrooms on the street from unfamiliar sellers. Carefully inspect purchased mushrooms and promptly remove those that do not inspire confidence.
What can you cook
Dishes made from dried honey mushrooms do not differ in taste from dishes using fresh ones. Here's a recipe for a simple dried mushroom pizza. For the base, you can use purchased dough or make it yourself.
To do this you need:
- flour – 1 glass;
- dry yeast – 1 tsp;
- warm water – 150 ml;
- vegetable oil – 2 tbsp;
- salt - to taste.
For the filling we take mushrooms, tomatoes, smoked meats, onions, garlic (optional), seasonings, herbs, and oil for frying. Honey mushrooms need to be soaked in warm milk or water for several hours; there is no need to cook.
For the dough, mix flour with salt and yeast, add water and oil, knead into an elastic dough and leave for an hour and a half. Then roll out into thin cakes (there should be two of them with a diameter of about 20 cm) and leave for another half an hour.
Cut the onion into half rings, the garlic into thin slices, fry them in a small amount of vegetable oil. Chop the blanched tomatoes, add to the onions and garlic, sprinkle with salt and seasonings and simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool.
Drain the milk (water) from the mushrooms and fry in oil until tender, add salt and cut into pieces. Grease the dough with sauce, place mushrooms and smoked meats on top, sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake the pizza in an oven heated to 200 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
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What can be made from overgrown honey mushrooms: a recipe for pickled mushrooms
This version of pickled overgrown mushrooms is good served for dinner with fried potatoes, or as an appetizer for a holiday table. If you don't like cloves, you can replace it with cinnamon.
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- honey mushrooms – 3 kg;
- salt for boiling (50 g per 1 l).
Marinade:
- water – 600 ml;
- salt – ½ tbsp. l.;
- cloves - 4 branches;
- bay leaf – 3 pcs.;
- black peppercorns – 10 pcs.;
- vinegar essence – 20 ml.
The mushrooms need to be cleaned of dirt and sand, the stems removed and soaked in a container of water for 15 minutes. Rinse well with your hands, add to hot salted water and simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Place in a colander and let the honey mushrooms drain well.
Make the marinade: combine all the ingredients in the recipe, except vinegar essence, in water. Let the filling boil over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Turn off the stove, let the marinade cool for 15 minutes and pour in the vinegar essence.
Cut the caps of overgrown honey mushrooms into pieces that are convenient for you and fill the jars without adding 3-4 cm to the top.
Pour in the marinade, close with simple nylon lids and let cool.
Place the already cooled jars with the preparation in the refrigerator for storage.
Note that a snack made from overgrown honey mushrooms can be eaten after 3-4 days. We assure you that such a delicious mushroom preparation will not last long - it will simply not be allowed to linger for long.
Rules and terms of storage of dried mushrooms
The best conditions for storing dried honey mushrooms are dry, well-ventilated rooms. If this is a basement or pantry where vegetables, fruits, and essential oil herbs are stored, you need to make sure that honey mushrooms are not near them: dried mushrooms have high hygroscopic properties and quickly absorb foreign odors.
For small, quickly consumed quantities of product, it is convenient to use tightly sealed glass, ceramic, or tin jars. It is not advisable to use paper bags, fabric bags, cardboard boxes.
Although they allow the mushrooms to breathe, there is a high probability that pests (food moths, bugs) will appear in the dry product. In addition, dried honey mushrooms in such containers can quickly become damp. If a lot of mushrooms have been prepared, they can be stored in paper-lined wooden boxes with blank walls and a lid.
Stocks of dried mushrooms must be inspected periodically. If pests, mold, or pockets of dampness are detected, the mushrooms are sorted out and those that are hopelessly spoiled and out of shape are removed. The rest are heated for half an hour in a stove or oven at a temperature of 60 °C. The resulting small crumbs and dust are separated using a sieve or colander.
Properly dried honey mushrooms are stored in appropriate conditions for at least a year. Speaking about the maximum period, experts believe that if dried mushrooms are stored without losing their aroma, taste, or appearance, their shelf life is unlimited. In practice, mushroom stocks are best used within three years - this is the average optimal shelf life at home.
