Did you also face the same problem that after buying the mushrooms from the market, they turn slimy and black in the fridge?
Well! After harvesting the mushrooms from the garden, they do not remain fresh for a more extended period. Sometimes you do not have much time to rush for the market to purchase the mushrooms. However, dehydrating mushrooms is an easy solution for all these problems. During dehydration, they not only gain the flavor but also fetch the same texture after rehydration.
You can quickly dehydrate the nutritious mushrooms in the food dehydrator machine which let you preserve the mushroom in abundance for one year almost. Using the dehydrator is an easy and convenient way of drying the mushrooms. The dried mushrooms can be easily added to the many recipes for the nutrition and also for its flavor. After rehydrating them, you can also use them in soups, risottos and pasta dishes.
But do you have any idea about dehydrating mushrooms?
In the below article, we will show you the way of dehydrating the mushrooms. Moreover, we will also share with you some useful information about the dried mushrooms that will increase your knowledge about the food more.
List of Essential Things Required for Dehydrating Mushrooms
- Mushroom Food dehydrator
- Mushrooms
- Knife or egg slicer
- Water and brush
- Warm water bowl
- Ziplock bag
Step by Step Instruction for Dehydrating Mushrooms in the Dehydrator
The below are the step by step easy instructions for drying mushrooms in the food dehydrator:
Step1: Wash the mushrooms
You have to rinse and brush the mushrooms that you have selected for dehydration. You should use a towel for pat dry them and don’t forget to take off the entire moisture from the surface of the mushrooms.
Step 2: Slice the Mushrooms
Now after pat dry, slice the mushrooms into the small pieces having the thickness of 1/8 to ¼ inches with the help of a knife. There should be the consistent size of the mushroom slices so that drying can perform faster. You can use an egg slicer for this purpose if you are not comfortable with the knife.
Step 3: Place in the Dehydrator
Put the pieces or the slices of the mushroom on the trays of the food dehydrator. There should be space in the middle of every slice so that they get dehydrated adequately. Do not make layers of the slices as the layers might shrink them off but with the improper drying.
Step 4: Set the Temperature of the Machine
Now set the temperature of the dehydrator at 100 degrees F and leave them for dehydration for the overnight. You can increase the temperature if you want the drying process to be faster, but this will make the mushrooms spongy and not brittle.
Step 5: Check the Texture of the Food
After the drying process gets over, take them out from the dehydrator and leave them aside for cooling down. Check their taste and the content of moisture. If everything is fine then, store them in the airtight jar, vacuum sealer or the ziplock bag and put them in the cold and dark place. Storing the mushrooms in the right way is very important for their longer shelf life.
Step 6: Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms for Recipes
If you want to use the mushrooms in recipes like soups or pasta, then you have to rehydrate them first. Take a bowl of boiling water and put the dried mushrooms in them. Leave them aside for around ½ an hour. It will rehydrate the mushrooms. You can use the liquid in soup or sauces, and the mushrooms can utilize for any recipe.
Important Points to Keep in Mind While Dehydrating Mushrooms
The below are the Important points that you should keep in mind while drying mushrooms:
- You should always set the temperature of your food dehydrator at the lowest setting as the high temperature can spoil the beneficial nutrients in the mushrooms. So, if you don’t want to roast them then, use the low setting of heat for the right drying.
- If after the end of the dehydrating process, the dried mushroom bend or moist the, you should continue the drying process as this can cause the development of mold after some time. The dried mushroom must crack, break part quickly and snap easily.
- After dehydrating the mushrooms, put them in an airtight jar and store inside a dark and cold place. Don’t put them in the wet area, below the sunlight or the open space.
- While picking the mushrooms for the drying process, you should check to know whether they are wild or not. The wild mushrooms might be poisonous even after getting dehydrated.
- Some of you might be allergic to the spores of mushrooms. So, during the dehydration process, they might get scatter in your room and cause a reaction to your body like asthma or red rashes, etc. So, in such case, it’s better to buy dehydrated mushrooms from the market instead of drying them in the dehydrator at home as your health is more important than your taste.
Conclusion
It does not matter that you have grown the mushrooms in your garden or bought the mushrooms from the market; you can quickly dehydrate them in your food dehydrator. With the help of the dehydrator, you can dry the mushrooms and preserve them for the long term. You can use them in your backpacking meals or different recipes at home like stews, pasta, omelets, soups, etc. The dried mushrooms are nutritious, healthy and very light food to consume.
We hope that after reading the above info now dehydrating mushrooms is going to be an effortless task for you. You only have to follow the above discussed east steps for drying mushrooms and enjoy this delicious snack afterward. But keep in mind that picking the right mushroom is also very important. The mushrooms should not be deadly to consume.
Have you ever tried dehydrating mushrooms at home? How was your experience? Do share with us your thoughts on the above article. You can also share this info with all those who do not know much about dehydrating mushrooms till now.