Can mushrooms be frozen at home? How to do it right? What is the secret to cooking mushrooms? Any housewife who grows these mushrooms on her own plot or collects them in the wild should know if mushrooms can be frozen. Fresh they are just wonderful, but can be a delicacy in the winter, if you save them correctly.
Is everything safe?
Often, the question of whether it is possible to freeze champignons arises in people who purchase food in a supermarket. Indeed, it is these mushrooms that are present in almost any modern store in large numbers, but how safe are they? Are components toxic to humans accumulate in them? However, there is nothing to fear. For a long time, people have found out whether mushrooms can be frozen, and the answer is obvious and undeniable: yes, it can.
Freezing as a storage method
A man takes the richest harvests of all kinds of gifts of nature in the warm season. Of course, some mushrooms and berries can be harvested before the first snow, sometimes even later, but mostly it is summer - the period of filling the bins. Traditional methods of harvesting are the preparation of marinades, jams. Gathering champignon mushrooms, instead of specialized heat treatment , one should choose modern technology, since freezers make it possible to prepare and store any mushrooms for a long time period.
It is believed that freezing champignons is one of the safest ways to preserve mushrooms for the winter. It is also effective, helps to maintain nutrient components. At the same time, you need to understand that freezing champignons will lead to the loss of some qualities. Mushrooms will not be crispy, the appearance after defrosting will change. But the taste will remain the same, so many prefer to preserve champignons this way. Mushrooms must be harvested correctly, then the benefits and taste will be preserved.
How to make?
It is preferable to harvest mushrooms personally collected, as this allows you to be sure that they were taken in a clean place with untouched nature. Mushrooms growing along major routes cannot be eaten - harmful substances accumulate in them. Many doubt whether it is possible to freeze mushrooms raw. Experts recommend doing it this way: as soon as the mushrooms are harvested, you need to clean them, steam and freeze. However, in the process there are certain features.
Cooking process
To the question “is it possible to freeze champignons in the freezer”, the answer is yes, although they mostly recommend that the hat be separated from the leg - it will be more convenient to work this way. But this step is optional.
At the beginning of work with products, mushrooms are thoroughly washed in warm water. This will allow the champignons to be steamed, and it will be easier to clean them. Then the fruit bodies are dried on a towel, allowing excess moisture to escape, since too wet mushrooms are not stored for a long time, and as they thaw, they will change color to an unsightly dark one. Drying time is one third of an hour or more. The next step is cleaning. Part of the stalk, touching during the growth of the fungus of the earth, must be removed.
What's next?
Is it possible to freeze whole fresh champignons? Yes, of course, this is possible, but quite inconvenient both in the cleaning process and during subsequent processing and defrosting. If the product is pre-crushed, before cooking in the winter it will take much less time to acquire the desired state of aggregation.
Usually, mushrooms are cut into cubes, slices, focusing on the desired size - there are no clear rules. It must be remembered that thawed mushrooms cannot be cut, so it is better to do this immediately, taking into account the needs of the cooking process of a particular dish.
Technical aspects
It is recommended to put chopped and prepared mushrooms in plastic containers, although you can use ordinary bags, removing excess air from them. The neck must be carefully tied - this helps protect the product from foreign odors. If it was decided to use a plastic container, you must first rinse it thoroughly so that there are no foreign objects, odors, food debris left, then wipe it dry, only then put the mushrooms in storage.
Mushrooms should be frozen in portions so that in the future it is possible to easily separate the amount of product needed for cooking. You can’t freeze the entire mass of mushrooms at once, planning to then defrost, separate the desired volume, and put the rest back into storage; when re-frozen, the smell, taste, and benefits of the product completely disappear. The shelf life of frozen mushrooms is about six months.
Important Nuances
To make the dish with mushrooms tasty, you need to be able to not only properly prepare the mushrooms for storage, but also properly defrost them. In the general case, the products are thawed for several hours in the refrigerator before cooking and used when they reach the desired state. Such a leisurely approach allows you to save taste, good, smell.
But with mushrooms, things are completely different. Gradually thawing can cause the color to turn black, and the taste will become empty. It is necessary to immediately pour a portion of the product into the pan or into the broth, while continuing to cook the dish.
And if not fresh?
Champignons can be frozen not only immediately after collection, but also during preliminary heat treatment. It is allowed to store pre-fried, cooked mushrooms in the freezer. This option allows you to use champignons for food immediately after defrosting, you only need to warm them.
How to prepare?
Cooking champignons is very simple - boil water, pour peeled mushrooms, cook for 10 minutes. Before being placed in a container, you can chop the mushrooms, let them cool, then put them in the chamber.
Frying champignons is no different from cooking mushrooms of other species. Oil is added to the pan and the product is treated until all the liquid has evaporated.
Traditions and tastes
For our cuisine, mushrooms are considered as traditional as fried potatoes or pasta with minced meat. Many are used to them since childhood, they know and love. Of course, champignons are not as popular and loved as ceps or boletus, however, mushrooms are tasty, and most importantly, their mycelium is very fertile. If the year turned out to be fruitful, you can harvest it yourself to the center of the fruit, if you know good places away from the well-groomed paths.
The process of preparing mushrooms has many diverse nuances that depend on the processing method. Many love pickled mushrooms, others make casseroles with toppings. It is important that the mushrooms are essentially free, and the costs are mainly associated with the road to a good place where you can pick up a rich catch.
Why mushrooms?
With low calorie content, the fruiting body of this variety of mushrooms is considered very nutritious. It is scientifically proven that constant intake of food allows you to normalize metabolism. Mushrooms are especially appreciated by people who are forced to adhere to a special diet to maintain weight.
The consumption of these mushrooms can reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the circulatory system. Also, the fruit body is rich in protein, easily processed by the human body, and this is an indispensable building material for bones, teeth, muscle tissue. Studies have shown that champignons are preferable to meat and eggs in terms of protein content.
Trace elements: what else?
The mushrooms in question are rich in potassium. This nutritional component has a positive effect on the heart system and blood vessels. Champignon also contains elements that have a positive effect on the nervous system, making it easier to cope with obsessive thoughts, depression, anxiety. The fruit body contains phosphorus, calcium, due to which the fungus can compete even with fish. Champignons are a source of folic acid, which is almost never found in most plant, animal products.
In dried form, mushrooms can be used for poisoning - they help remove toxins from the body. It is believed that champignon has a positive effect on the brain, increasing its activity, and also improves memory. For really tangible benefits, you need to eat dishes with mushrooms at least once a week. Therefore, it is so important to be able to freeze the gifts of nature - this will pamper yourself with a useful product all year round.