How to properly dry porcini mushrooms at home: 6 methods: in the oven, on strings, for the winter

Porcini mushrooms are considered a true delicacy in many countries. These mushrooms are delicious in any form, but to preserve their flavor and aroma for a long time, they can be frozen, pickled, or dried. In this article, we'll explain how to properly dry porcini mushrooms to preserve their exceptional taste.

Why dry porcini mushrooms?

By the way, do you know the difference between a porcini mushroom and a boletus? Are they the same thing or not? Read the article to find out. about the difference between a porcini mushroom and a boletus on our website Top.tomathouse.com.

Drying helps preserve porcini mushrooms for a long time. Their flavor and aroma are not only preserved during the drying process, but even become more intense. Furthermore, all the nutrients are preserved, and many nutritionists compare porcini mushrooms to veal in terms of protein content.

Boletus mushrooms are ideal for dietary dishes, as they have minimal calorie content and a low glycemic index.

Also read articles about porcini mushroom, its types, inedible counterparts, and also about that, Where and when is the best time to pick boletus mushrooms?.

Selecting porcini mushrooms for drying

For drying, select whole mushrooms without visible damage or worms. Young boletus mushrooms are best, as their tubular layer is still quite elastic. Older mushrooms will need to have the tubular layer removed to prevent it from spreading and ruining the drying process.

We recommend the article about growing porcini mushrooms at home, on a windowsill and in your dacha.

How to properly prepare porcini mushrooms for drying

Porcini mushrooms intended for drying are best harvested in dry weather, otherwise they will take a very long time to dry. Before cooking, sort them by size, discarding any damaged specimens immediately.

Next you need to:

• Clean the stem and cap from forest debris using a soft cloth or brush.
• Rinse with a small amount of water or wipe with a damp sponge.
• Cut large specimens into pieces.

Please note! If you find a boletus mushroom in the forest that has turned blue when cut, it is not necessarily poisonous. There are four species that are edible. To distinguish edible types of boletus mushrooms, which turn blue when cut, from inedible ones, read the article about it on our website.

How to properly dry porcini mushrooms

To ensure that mushrooms are perfectly dried, it is necessary to maintain the correct temperature and set the correct time.

Temperature and time

The exact cooking time will depend on the volume and size of the mushrooms. Some people cut the porcini mushrooms into pieces, while others cut them into noodles, which will also affect the cooking time.

For drying, porcini mushrooms are always laid out strictly in 1 layer with an interval of 1 cm from each other.

It is best to maintain the temperature in the range of 50 to 70 degrees, the average drying time is 8-9 hours.

It's crucial not to miss the cooking time. If porcini mushrooms dry out too much, they'll lose their culinary value. If they're not dried thoroughly, they'll easily rot during storage.

It's also worth considering that porcini mushrooms are 90% water, and this water is lost during the drying process. Consequently, 1 kg of fresh product will yield only 100 g of dried product.

6 ways to dry porcini mushrooms with step-by-step instructions

The most popular methods for drying porcini mushrooms are described below.

How to dry porcini mushrooms on a string

For this method, thick thread or fishing line is more reliable. Cut the mushrooms into pieces and thread them with a large needle at intervals of at least 1 cm. You can hang these "beads" above the stove, in the attic, or outside if the weather is dry. It's a good idea to cover them with gauze beforehand to protect them from flies and other insects.

After a week, you can check the mushrooms. If all the conditions were met, they should be dry.

How to dry porcini mushrooms on a wire rack

The simplest method for drying mushrooms, always used by older generations, is drying them on a rack. It's very simple. Sliced ​​mushrooms are placed on the rack at a distance of 0.5-1 cm from each other, and the rack itself is placed on a brick stand. Dry weather is essential. Therefore, this method is unsuitable for most regions and is rarely used today. Circulating air ensures uniform drying of the mushrooms, and minimal heat treatment preserves the maximum amount of nutritional value.

You can partially dry porcini mushrooms in the sun, and then dry them until ready in the oven.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the oven

Both a gas and electric oven are suitable for drying porcini mushrooms. It's especially helpful if it has a convection setting, as this will significantly speed up the drying process.

Prepared mushrooms are cut into slices and laid out on a dry, clean baking sheet in 1 layer with an interval of at least 0.5 cm.

Preheat the oven to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and add the mushrooms. Leave the door open to allow air to circulate. Once the mushrooms are slightly dry and no longer stick to your finger, increase the temperature to 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit). Turn the mushrooms periodically to prevent them from burning.

Drying in the oven takes about 8-10 hours. The key is to keep the door open and monitor the temperature.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in an electric dehydrator

An electric dehydrator helps save time when drying porcini mushrooms. They need to be sliced ​​fairly thinly, no more than 3 mm thick. The pieces are laid out on trays and placed in a dehydrator preheated to 65 degrees Celsius. Cooking time is 2-3 hours.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in the microwave

Microwave drying requires only a small amount of porcini mushrooms, otherwise the process can be too labor-intensive. Slice the porcini mushrooms thinly, arrange them on a flat plate, and microwave at medium power for 10-15 minutes. Then drain the resulting liquid and restart the microwave. Cook until the mushrooms are completely dehydrated.

How to dry porcini mushrooms in a Russian oven

In recent years, the Russian stove has regained its popularity and is beginning to make its way into country houses and cottages. Its cavity is ideal for drying mushrooms. First, the stove is heated and allowed to cool to 65–70 degrees Celsius. When the embers begin to die down, a baking sheet with sliced ​​mushrooms is placed on them, and the temperature is regulated by opening and closing the damper. Drying porcini mushrooms in a Russian stove takes about 7 hours.

How to store dried porcini mushrooms

Dried porcini mushrooms have a fairly long, but still limited, shelf life of 18 months. This shelf life can be maintained if the following storage guidelines are followed:

• Mushrooms should be stored in glass jars or canvas bags.
• Periodically, you need to inspect the product for insects; if worms appear in the mushrooms, then all the white ones can be safely thrown out.
• Containers with mushrooms are placed in a dry, dark place where there are no foreign odors.
• To reduce the risk of mushrooms becoming damp, you can place a container of baking soda or salt next to them – it will absorb excess moisture.

We also recommend that you read the article about the false white mushroom, which is also known as the gall or bitter mushroom.

Recipes with dried porcini mushrooms

Dried porcini mushrooms can be used to prepare many different dishes with an indescribable aroma and taste.

Soup with pearl barley and dried porcini mushrooms

Ingredients:

• dried mushrooms – 1 handful;
• pearl barley – 100 g;
• onion – 1 pc;
• carrots – 1 pc;
• potatoes – 2 pcs;
• water – 2 l;
• vegetable oil – 3 tbsp;
• pepper, salt, spices – to taste.

Recipe:

• Pour water over the mushrooms and leave them in water for 3 hours.
• Rinse the pearl barley and soak for 2.5 hours.
• Grate carrots and onions and fry in oil for 5-7 minutes.
• Simmer the pearl barley and fried vegetables in a frying pan for another 15 minutes.
• Cut the mushrooms into pieces and put them to boil.
• After 5 minutes of boiling, add potatoes, vegetables with pearl barley, salt and pepper.
• Cook for 25 minutes.
• Before serving, sprinkle with herbs and serve with sour cream.

Read the article to learn how to cook porcini mushrooms.How to cook porcini mushrooms and whether it is necessary: ​​how long, until done, fresh, frozen.

Sauerkraut stewed with porcini mushrooms

The dish is perfect for dietary and Lenten menus.

Ingredients:

• sauerkraut – 600 g;
• Chinese cabbage – 300 g;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp;
• onion – 1 pc;
• leek – 1 pc;
• salt – 1 tsp;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• white wine – 70 ml;
• spices, herbs – to taste.

Method of preparation:

• Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and leave for 2-3 hours until softened.
• Pour boiling water over the chopped onion and sauerkraut, place in a colander and let the excess water drain, squeezing lightly.
• Heat vegetable oil with spices, add onion and simmer for a little while.
• Cut the Chinese cabbage into thin slices.
• Add all the cabbage and chopped mushrooms to the frying pan with the onion.
• Add white wine, sugar, salt.
• Cook for 1.5 hours until the cabbage is soft.

Mushroom sauce

This dish can be served with meat, but the sauce pairs especially well with pasta. Ingredients:

• dried mushrooms – 50 g;
• fresh champignons – 150 g;
• garlic – 5 cloves;
• tomato juice – 1 tbsp.;
• olive oil – 2 tbsp;
• rosemary, thyme - 1 tbsp each;
• pepper, salt – to taste.

Method of preparation:

• Pour boiling water over the porcini mushrooms and leave for 1 hour.
• Finely chop the garlic and simmer in olive oil heated in a frying pan, then remove.
• Add mushrooms to the pan and fry for 7 minutes.
• Pour in tomato sauce, add spices and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.

A few more tips

• When choosing a method for drying mushrooms outdoors, it's important to consider the weather. If the weather has deteriorated rapidly, the harvest should be finished in an oven at 50 degrees Celsius.
• Always keep the oven door open.
• Freezing and marinating mushrooms will help preserve their flavor for a long time.
• Dried mushrooms can be stored for a very long time, but they should be inspected periodically to monitor for mold or insects.

Reviews of dried porcini mushrooms + cooking recipes

First, before cooking, soak them in hot water, covered, at a temperature of 60-80 degrees Celsius. Leave for 2-3-4 hours.

Then, remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and rinse them in a bowl of cold water, stirring thoroughly. Drain them in a sieve or colander.

DO NOT throw away the water the mushrooms were soaked in! It's best used in soups, sauces, or for stewing the mushrooms themselves.

But you need to pour it into the dish being cooked carefully, because there might be sand at the bottom. That is, don't just pour it into the pan, but very carefully. Mushrooms are simply picked and dried differently: some are very clean, while others have sand.

Soup, of course. Pasta with stewed mushrooms (first simmer the mushrooms in the water they were soaked in, along with onions, black pepper, and salt), then add cream. Choose any pasta you like—spaghetti, penne, farfalle—cook al dente, then mix in the mushrooms and sauce, letting it simmer for a minute.

You can make anything you want with pre-steamed mushrooms: casseroles, pies, potato cutlets, risotto with porcini mushrooms—it’s simply a fairy tale.

In general... dried mushrooms are rich in guanosine salts, so they are more aromatic than fresh ones.

Here I described my mushroom soup:

Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water, cover with a lid, and leave alone for 1-2 hours.
During this time, they will swell, return to their almost original state, but will be much more aromatic than when they were fresh.

Many people cook clear mushroom soup (not cream soup) only with water, but they won't eat mine. But to avoid overpowering the mushroom flavor, I cook my clear mushroom soup in chicken or turkey broth with the same meat. That means the meat needs to be neutral in flavor. You can use any part of the soup, even chicken drumsticks, and the mushroom flavor won't be affected.

Boil the meat, add carrots and onions to the broth—no frying! Then, using a slotted spoon, add the mushrooms. Then, carefully add the water the mushrooms were soaked in. Why carefully? Because there might be sand at the bottom of the container the mushrooms were soaked in.

Serve with sour cream.

User: energiya2014 SD** 12.07 09:32

Mushroom soup (every day)
Beef stewed with them (like beef stroganoff, but an hour before the end of stewing the meat, add already soaked chopped mushrooms and simmer with the meat.)
Fry the julienne (soak overnight for longer) with onions, add heavy cream, and after the cream boils, add a cup of grated cheese and remove from the heat. Immediately divide into individual serving bowls. Add the spices: salt, black pepper, and turmeric.
If you're making a lot, try making mushroom pies (also soak them for a long time beforehand). Fry with onions in butter, then mix with a little rice. You can also add chopped up boiled eggs.
Well, that's it... I'm choking on saliva...

User: Elenium H* 12.07 09:34

Soup. Or grind in a coffee grinder or blender and add to dishes and sauces as a flavorful seasoning.
Porcini mushrooms are the least suitable for frying.