Michael Davis
Meadow mushrooms, also known as Agaricus Campestris, are a delicious wild edible that can be found in open grasslands, pastures, and meadows. Foraging for these mushrooms is a rewarding way to connect with nature and obtain a nutritious food source. However, it is crucial to properly identify meadow mushrooms as some toxic look-alike species can cause harm. To preserve your bounty of meadow mushrooms, you can employ various techniques such as drying, freezing, pickling, fermenting, or canning. Each method has its advantages and unique effects on the flavour and texture of the mushrooms. Proper preservation allows you to enjoy your mushrooms for an extended period and reduces food waste.
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What You'll Learn
Drying: slice and dehydrate, then store in airtight containers
Drying is a great way to preserve your bounty of meadow mushrooms. The process is simple: slice and dehydrate, then store in airtight containers.
To begin, clean your mushrooms with a vegetable or mushroom brush and water. It is a myth that mushrooms soak up lots of water, so a quick rinse is fine. Just be sure to get all the dirt off.
Next, slice your mushrooms. Arrange the cleaned, sliced mushrooms on dehydrator trays, ensuring none of the pieces touch or overlap. This allows for the best airflow, and they will dry faster and more evenly. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can use an oven with drying trays or racks that allow for good air circulation. Set the temperature to 110-140°F (60°C) and dry until the pieces are crispy. This can take 4 to 8 hours, depending on the thickness of your slices.
Once the mushrooms are dry, allow them to cool completely before storing. Transfer the cooled mushrooms to glass jars or airtight containers and cover tightly with lids. Label the jars with the contents, including the type of mushroom and the date of drying. Store the jars away from direct light or heat.
Properly dried and stored mushrooms can last for at least a year, so you can enjoy the fruits of your foraging all year long!
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Freezing: sauté or parboil first to avoid liquefaction
Freezing is a great way to preserve your mushrooms, but it can negatively affect their texture, flavour, and nutritional composition. Mushrooms have a high water content, so they can become mushy when frozen and then thawed. This can work well for soups, casseroles, or blended dishes, but you may not want squishy mushrooms for other recipes.
To avoid this, you can sauté or parboil your mushrooms before freezing them. To sauté, heat a small amount of butter or oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add your cleaned mushrooms and cook for about five minutes, until they are fully cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. Allow the mushrooms to cool completely, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and flash-freeze them. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.
Parboiling, or steam blanching, is another option. First, cut your mushrooms into similar-sized chunks. Then, soak them in a mixture of two cups of water and one teaspoon of lemon juice for five to ten minutes. Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and place a steamer basket inside. Add the mushrooms and steam for three to five minutes. Finally, place the mushrooms in an ice bath for the same amount of time that you steamed them. Allow them to cool completely, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and flash-freeze. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.
Steam-blanched mushrooms will last longer in the freezer than sautéed mushrooms. Blanching also has the added benefit of inactivating Listeria and Salmonella, two common foodborne bacteria.
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Pickling: use a conserve recipe or make mushroom ketchup
Pickling is a great way to preserve meadow mushrooms. Meadow mushrooms are closely related to button mushrooms and can be preserved in a similar way.
To make mushroom ketchup, you can use any type of mushroom, but smaller mushrooms are easier to prepare. Meadow mushrooms are wild mushrooms, so be sure to correctly identify them before preparing. Fresh, edible meadow mushrooms are also known as field mushrooms. To identify them, cut the stem of the mushroom and wait 15 minutes. If the cut turns yellow, throw the mushroom out. A good meadow mushroom should smell mushroomy and not like embalming fluid.
Once you've identified your mushrooms, you can begin preparing them. First, rinse the mushrooms under cold water and pat them dry. Trim the woody ends with a knife and chop the mushrooms into halves. You can use a food processor or blender to make this process faster.
Next, you'll want to create a brine. One recipe suggests sprinkling sea salt between layers of mushrooms in a bowl. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 24 hours. To make the spiced vinegar, add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for another 24 hours.
Strain the spices from the vinegar and discard them. In a heavy-based pot, combine the spiced vinegar, diced onion, mushrooms, and any liquid released from the salted mushrooms. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
Finally, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or nut bag, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Return the mushroom ketchup to the stove and bring to a boil again. Pour the hot liquid into sterilized bottles and seal immediately. This recipe typically makes 400-500ml of mushroom ketchup, which can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months.
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Canning: follow safety instructions to avoid health risks
Canning is a great way to preserve meadow mushrooms and prevent food waste. However, it is important to follow safety instructions to avoid health risks. Here are some detailed, step-by-step instructions to safely can meadow mushrooms at home:
Selecting and Preparing Mushrooms:
- Only use domestic button mushrooms for canning. Other varieties may not be safe for canning and should be frozen or dried instead.
- Choose small to medium-sized mushrooms with unopened caps, short stems, and no discoloration.
- Trim the stems and any discolored parts.
- Soak the mushrooms in cold water for about 10 minutes to remove any dirt.
- Wash the mushrooms in clean water.
- Leave small mushrooms whole, halve or quarter larger ones, or slice them into pieces about 1/4-inch thick.
Sterilizing Jars and Lids:
- Prepare your pressure canner, jars, and lids. You will need half-pint or pint jars specifically designed for home canning.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your pressure canner. Typically, you will fill the canner with a few inches of water and heat it on the stove, keeping the jars inside to stay hot.
Canning Process:
- Place the mushrooms in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Pack the hot mushrooms into the hot jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pint, if desired. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbic acid powder or a 500-milligram tablet of vitamin C for better color preservation.
- Fill the jars with fresh hot water, leaving about 1 inch of headspace again.
- Adjust the lids and follow the recommended processing times and pressures based on your canning method and altitude.
- Process the jars for about 45 minutes at the recommended pressure for your altitude.
- After processing, allow the pressure cooker to depressurize before opening the lid.
- Remove the jars and let them cool completely. You will hear pops as the jars seal.
Storage:
- The next day, check the seals by gently pressing on the center of each lid. If the metal flexes, the jar did not seal properly.
- Store sealed jars in a dark location. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used immediately.
Safety Precautions:
- Always follow a tested recipe from a reputable source specifically developed for canning mushrooms.
- Do not alter the ingredients, processing times, or temperatures, as this can affect the safety and quality of the canned mushrooms.
- Be absolutely certain of the identity of the mushrooms you are canning, especially if using wild-foraged mushrooms. Consult experts, field guides, or your local mycological society for guidance.
- Proper canning techniques kill microorganisms that cause food spoilage and food poisoning. However, if canned goods show signs of spoilage, such as dark spots, mold, or an unpleasant odor, discard them immediately.
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Powdering: dry, powder, and add to dishes for flavouring
Powdering is an excellent way to preserve meadow mushrooms and add a burst of flavour to your dishes.
Firstly, you must identify and harvest safe, edible meadow mushrooms. To do this, cut the stem of the mushroom and wait for 15 minutes. If the cut stains yellow, throw it out. Smell the underside of the mushroom cap—if it smells mushroomy and good, it is safe to eat. If it smells like embalming fluid, it is not.
Once you have harvested your mushrooms, you need to dry them. You can do this by laying them out in the sun, using a dehydrator, or putting them in a low-heat oven. The temperature and time will depend on the method and equipment used. For example, if you use a dehydrator, set it to around 115–120°F or 117°F / 47°C for 8–12 hours. If you use an oven, set it to a low temperature. When the mushrooms are dry, they should be crispy enough to snap.
Finally, grind the dried mushrooms into a fine powder using a food processor, blender, spice grinder, or coffee bean grinder. You can now add your mushroom powder to a jar and store it in your cabinet, ready to be used in soups, stews, beans, taco fillings, and more. You can also add other spices to the powder to create a blend.
You can also make a mushroom powder using a mushroom broth. To do this, create a strong mushroom broth using fresh or dried mushrooms. Reduce the broth, then dry it in an oven or dehydrator. Finally, process the dried broth into a powder using a food processor or blender.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to preserve meadow mushrooms. You can dry them, either using a food dehydrator or by laying them out in the sun. You can also sauté them in butter and freeze them, or make mushroom ketchup or powder.
Preheat your oven to 110°F (43°C) and place the sliced mushrooms on a tray. Dehydrating mushrooms using low heat is the best way to preserve their flavour. It can take anywhere from 3 to 7 hours.
It is recommended that you sauté, parboil or briefly cook the mushrooms before freezing to prevent them from liquefying when thawed.
Chop 3 pounds of mushrooms and sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of salt. Leave covered for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Then, place the mushrooms in a saucepan and add 2/3 cup of wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons of chopped onions, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of allspice, ½ teaspoon of mace, ½ teaspoon of whole cloves and a ½-inch piece of cinnamon. Simmer for 2 hours without a lid, then pour through a cloth into hot sterilised bottles and seal.
Dry the mushrooms using one of the methods above, then grind them into a powder. This can be added to stews, soups and sauces for extra flavour.
