Sarah Brown
Honey mushrooms are a versatile ingredient, but they can go bad quickly. One of the simplest and most reliable ways of preserving mushrooms is by drying them. However, if you want to take it a step further, you can make blue honey. Blue honey is a psychedelic honey made by infusing dried mushrooms in honey, which turns blue over time due to the oxidation of psilocybin. Honey is a natural preservative, so this method will keep your mushrooms viable indefinitely.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preservation method | Drying, freezing, storing in honey |
| Honey preservation steps | Dehydrate mushrooms, cover with honey, store in airtight containers |
| Honey preservation notes | Mushrooms must be dehydrated, otherwise, the honey will spoil |
| Freezing notes | Mushrooms should be sautéed or parboiled before freezing |
| Drying notes | Mushrooms should be dried until they have the texture of a crisp potato chip, then stored in airtight containers |
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What You'll Learn
Dehydrating honey mushrooms
Honey mushrooms are a versatile ingredient, bringing a subtle sweetness and earthiness to savoury dishes. They are also a sustainable and flavourful option. Dehydrating honey mushrooms is a great way to preserve them for future use and transform them into a pantry staple.
To begin the dehydration process, the mushrooms should be sliced to quicken the process. Then, there are several options for dehydrating the mushrooms:
- Using a food dehydrator: Set the dehydrator at a low temperature for several hours to remove moisture while preserving the mushroom's concentrated taste.
- Using an oven: Set the oven to a low temperature to dry out the mushrooms.
- Sun drying: This method involves placing the mushrooms in the sun to dry.
- Electric lamp: If you do not have access to a food dehydrator, an alternative option is to place the mushrooms on an aluminium foil tray over an electric lamp or old-style lightbulb.
Regardless of the method chosen, the mushrooms should be dried until they are brittle and papery. This usually takes about 8 hours or so. Once fully dry, the mushrooms can be stored in airtight containers and will keep for years. When ready to use, they can be rehydrated in warm water or broth before cooking.
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Storing dried mushrooms in airtight containers
Honey mushrooms can be preserved by drying them. They should be sliced first to speed up the process. If you don't have a food dehydrator, you can use an aluminium foil tray over an electric lamp or the pilot light on your stove.
Once dried, honey mushrooms must be stored in airtight containers to prevent them from rehydrating and spoiling. Suitable airtight containers include plastic resealable bags, glass canning jars (such as Mason jars), and vacuum-sealed plastic bags. It is important to remove as much air as possible from the container to prevent oxidation and the growth of mould. If you live in a humid climate, you can use oxygen-absorbing packets in your containers to help keep your mushrooms dry.
Dried honey mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator, freezer, or at room temperature. They will last for up to 12 months when stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and for one to two years or longer when stored at room temperature. However, it is important to note that the potency of psilocybin-containing mushrooms may gradually decline over time, even when properly stored.
When storing dried mushrooms, it is important to label the container with the date. This will help you keep track of their shelf life and consume them before they begin to degrade naturally. Additionally, dried mushrooms should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, as heat, freezing temperatures, sunlight, and moisture can cause them to deteriorate.
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Freezing honey mushrooms
Honey mushrooms can be frozen to extend their shelf life and reduce food waste. However, freezing may negatively affect their nutrient composition, texture, and flavor. Here is a detailed guide on how to freeze honey mushrooms:
Selecting and Preparing the Mushrooms:
Choose fresh honey mushrooms that look and smell good. Avoid mushrooms that are dry, shrivelled, darkened, mouldy, or have bad spots. Mushrooms that are fresher will keep better in the freezer. Before freezing, brush off any visible dirt, trim the stems, and slice larger mushrooms. Soaking or washing the mushrooms before freezing is not recommended as it can make them mushy.
Blanching:
Blanching is an optional step that helps preserve the mushrooms and improves food safety. To blanch, soak the mushrooms in a solution of lemon juice or citric acid and water for 5 minutes. Then, steam the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes. Finally, place the steamed mushrooms in ice water for the same amount of time they were steamed.
Cooking:
Mushrooms should be cooked before freezing to prevent liquefaction upon thawing. Sautéing and steaming are the two recommended cooking methods. To sauté, heat the mushrooms in a pan with butter or oil over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until fully cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. To steam, follow the blanching process, ensuring the mushrooms are fully cooked.
Freezing:
Allow the cooked mushrooms to cool completely, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and flash-freeze. Once frozen, transfer the mushrooms to freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving some space for expansion. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing to prevent freezer burn. Frozen mushrooms are best used within a year.
Using Frozen Mushrooms:
When using frozen mushrooms, thaw them in the refrigerator before adding them to recipes. Alternatively, drop the frozen mushroom pieces directly into heated dishes. Frozen mushrooms are suitable for soups, casseroles, or blended dishes where their softer texture is less noticeable.
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Making blue honey with dried mushrooms
Blue honey is a mixture of honey and magic mushrooms, combining the sweetness of honey with the hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin mushrooms. It is a brilliant way to ingest mushrooms without having to taste them.
To make blue honey with dried mushrooms, you will need to start with dried mushrooms. If you are drying the mushrooms yourself, it is important that they are completely dehydrated before adding them to the honey. Mushrooms should be sliced first to quicken the drying process. You can use a food dehydrator, or place the sliced mushrooms on an aluminium foil tray over an electric lamp or a pilot light on the stove. Mushrooms should be dried until they have the texture of a crisp potato chip. If they are still flexible, they will continue to rehydrate and may ferment and degrade when added to the honey.
Once your mushrooms are dried, you can cut or grind them as finely as you can. Then, layer a glass jar with your cut-up or powdered mushrooms and honey. Start with a layer of mushrooms, then pour over some honey, then another layer of mushrooms, and so on, until you have filled the jar. The more mushrooms you put in, the more potent it will be. Alternatively, you can mix your desired amount of honey and mushrooms in a bowl, then pour the mixture into the jar. Do not heat the honey to make it runnier, as excess heat can cause psilocybin to break down.
Seal the jar and place it in a dark, cool, dry place for 1-4 months. The longer you leave it, the more psilocybin will infuse the honey. Store blue honey as you would normal honey. If the mushrooms were properly dried, the mixture should last indefinitely as long as it is kept in the correct conditions.
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Using honey as a preservative
Honey can be used as a preservative for honey mushrooms, but the mushrooms must be dehydrated before they are stored in honey. If the mushrooms are not dehydrated, the honey will spoil.
Honey is a food produced by bees that is antimicrobial and antibacterial under the right environmental conditions. The sweetness of honey is what allows it to act as a preservative. Honey is a concentrated solution of various sugars in water, mainly fructose and glucose, with smaller amounts of sucrose. The high concentration of sugar in honey removes water from microorganisms by osmosis, thereby dehydrating and killing them. This is why honey is often used as a preservative in foods with high water content, such as fruit cake and Twinkies.
Honey has been used as a preservative for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used honey as an embalming fluid, and the Romans preserved fruits and meats by immersing them in honey. Honey is also used to preserve milk in areas without access to electricity or refrigeration.
In addition to its preservative properties, honey has been found to kill the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which can cause ulcers. However, this is unlikely to have therapeutic significance.
Other common methods of food preservation include storing food in an acidic environment (such as with pickles or sauerkraut), refrigeration, removing moisture (as with dried meats or fruits), canning, and using chemicals like sodium benzoate.
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Frequently asked questions
To preserve honey mushrooms by drying them, first slice the mushrooms to quicken the drying process. Then, dry them using a food dehydrator, or place them on an aluminium foil tray over an electric lamp or the pilot light on the stove. Dry them until they have the texture of a crisp potato chip. Once dried, store them in airtight containers.
Yes, you can preserve honey mushrooms by freezing them. However, it is recommended to sauté, parboil, or briefly cook them in some other way before freezing. Otherwise, they may liquefy upon thawing.
Yes, you can preserve honey mushrooms in honey. However, the mushrooms must be completely dehydrated before adding them to the honey, as water in the mushrooms will cause the honey to ferment and spoil.
