Forests offer a wide variety of mushrooms, each with its own unique charm. For example, salted milk mushrooms are considered a true delicacy in many regions. While chanterelles, for example, can be eaten raw, milk mushrooms require extensive preparation before consumption. In this article, you'll learn how to properly prepare milk mushrooms and whether they need to be soaked before pickling.
Primary processing of milk mushrooms before pickling
Milk mushroom caps often have a characteristic sticky layer to which various forest debris clings, and sand accumulates between the gills. Therefore, before preparing milk mushrooms, the first step is to clean the entire surface of the mushroom. You can use a knife for this, but a regular toothbrush will remove debris more effectively. However, this will take a little more time.
The next step is to remove the skin and, for older mushrooms, trim off the gills. To make this easier, trim the edges of the cap slightly, as they curl inward. Using a knife, remove any excess material from the inside, moving from the stem to the cap.
Place the prepared milk mushrooms in a separate container and rinse thoroughly under running water. Large mushrooms should be cut into pieces to save space.
How to soak milk mushrooms before pickling
Milk mushrooms contain a small amount of toxic substances, which impart a bitter taste and cause indigestion if eaten raw. Therefore, before cooking, milk mushrooms must be soaked in salted water.
Basic rules for soaking
When soaking milk mushrooms, you need to follow some rules:
- The soaking time should be at least 48 hours, with the water changed every 12 hours.
- Add salt at a rate of at least 20 g per liter of water. Don't worry about oversalting the milk mushrooms; the excess will easily come out when soaking them in fresh water.
- When soaking milk mushrooms, use wooden or enameled utensils. Aluminum, especially low-quality ones, can release toxic substances after prolonged contact with salt and milky juice.
- Using warm water for soaking will remove the bitterness more quickly, but there's a greater risk of the mushrooms becoming sour. Warm water should be changed more often than cold water.
- The water should completely cover the milk mushrooms so that they are salted evenly.
Old methods of soaking milk mushrooms
Our ancestors soaked milk mushrooms a little differently. Given the difficulty of obtaining clean water, it's not surprising that natural bodies of water were used for soaking. The milk mushrooms were roughly cleaned of membranes and gills and placed in nettle-woven bags. These bags were then lowered into the river, but first secured at one end to a tree on the bank. After exactly three days, the mushrooms were considered ready for use. During this time, the current washed out any remaining debris and sand.
How long do different types of milk mushrooms need to be soaked?
Milk mushrooms vary by species, each with its own distinctive characteristics and flavor. Soaking these mushrooms also requires different methods.
White milk mushroom
The white milk cap is often called the king of mushrooms because it's the safest of its kind. It also has an excellent flavor. This milk cap can be soaked for up to 15 hours, which is enough time to remove the bitterness and neutralize the toxins. You can tell when it's ready by the color of the water: it turns dark but remains clear. You can also taste the flesh to ensure it no longer tastes bitter.
Black milk mushroom
Black milk mushrooms have a distinctive color that remains unchanged even after prolonged soaking. The water in which they are soaked will always be dark. This doesn't necessarily mean the mushroom is toxic. Black milk mushrooms should be soaked for at least 24 hours.
Read more about the black milk mushroom, where to find it, and how to cook it in the article.Black milk mushroom: 22 photos, description, whether edible or not, what it looks like and where to find it.
Milk mushroom
Milk mushrooms are a very bitter variety, so they should be soaked for at least 72 hours. Don't be alarmed if the water turns reddish during soaking; this reaction occurs due to the oxidation of the milky sap. After each soaking, the water should become progressively lighter. After three days, you can taste the milk mushrooms; if necessary, you can leave them in the water for another 24 hours.
Read more about other types of milk mushrooms and more in the articles:
Aspen Milk Cap: Description, 60+ Photos, Edible, 10 Similar Mushrooms;
How long should you soak milk mushrooms before pickling? Tips and reviews from experienced mushroom pickers.
We soak them for 2-3 days, changing the water frequently. After the first soak, we peel them and cover them with clean water again. After a couple of days, we salt the milk mushrooms and press them. After two days, they're ready to eat, but we put them in buns with dill, garlic, and horseradish flakes. They're delicious. Serve with onion rings and sour cream, or with onions and butter. We don't slice the small mushrooms, so they look pretty, and we slice the larger ones into slices. I'm salivating as I write this. We're pressing our own milk mushrooms right now.
Milk mushrooms are soaked in cold water for 3-4 days.
Ideally, the water should be changed three times a day: morning, afternoon, and evening, while rinsing the mushrooms under cold running water.
But if you don't have the time or opportunity to change the water frequently, you can do so once a day. However, be sure to rinse the mushrooms thoroughly under cold running water and completely replace the water in the container.
If the milk mushrooms are small, it is enough to soak them for two days before pickling; for large mushrooms, four days.
On the first day, you can add a little salt to the water for soaking (so that the water has a slightly salty taste); soaking in this water for several hours will rid the mushrooms of all worms (which are often invisible to the eye, and milk mushrooms are rich in worms).
Before pickling, milk mushrooms must be soaked to remove excess bitterness. Soak them for two to three days, changing the water several times a day and rinsing them simultaneously to remove dirt and debris. After soaking, place the mushrooms in an enamel bucket or saucepan, sprinkle with coarse salt, chopped garlic cloves, dill umbels, horseradish leaves and roots, and place a weight on top. Milk mushrooms salted this way will be ready to eat in a month. If you boil the mushrooms after soaking and then salt them, they will be ready in a week. They will remain white and beautiful, but they will no longer have the same rich aroma and flavor.
Milk mushrooms contain a milky juice, which imparts a bitter taste to these mushrooms. Therefore, before pickling, they must be thoroughly soaked to remove the milky juice.
The soaking time depends on how often you change the water. If you do it frequently (several times a day), 1-2 days is enough. If you do it less often, three days is enough.
Before pickling, milk mushrooms should be soaked in cool water for two to three days. The water should be changed at least once a day. Just pay attention to the mushrooms' weight (if your pickling recipe requires this); after soaking, they will weigh more because they'll have absorbed moisture.
I soak milk mushrooms for at least two days before pickling to remove the bitterness caused by the milky juice. During these two days, I drain the water and change it for clean water at least three times. There are many recipes for pickling milk mushrooms, and each home cook has their own unique approach.
I use about 2 cups of salt for a bucket of milk mushrooms. I place the soaked milk mushrooms cap-side down in an enamel pan, and cut the larger mushrooms into pieces. I sprinkle a layer of mushrooms with salt, then add sliced garlic cloves, peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, and dill umbels. I continue this process for each layer. I place a weight on top to cover the mushrooms with juice. After a week, I sort them into jars, fill them with brine, seal them with lids, and store them in the refrigerator or cellar.
