Freezing oyster mushrooms for the winter at home

In culinary art, oyster mushrooms are considered one of the most common mushrooms. Their versatility is confirmed by many chefs and lovers of mushroom dishes. And this is no accident, because these fruiting bodies can undergo a variety of processing processes. They can cookpickle, ferment, fry, simmer, dry, salt and freeze. Salads, fillings for pies and pizzas are made from these mushrooms, and first and second courses are prepared.

As already mentioned, oyster mushrooms are prepared for the winter. In the simplest and fastest way, many recognize freezing. Recipes for freezing oyster mushrooms for the winter are very simple, and the process goes “in one go”. The main factor in proper freezing is following some recommendations. The most important thing that you need to pay attention to is that the fruiting bodies must be fresh, without severe damage, corruption or mold. If in this case make mistakes - throw away all your workpiece. Thus, for this workpiece, you need to take elastic and young mushrooms.

How to pre-cook oyster mushrooms for freezing

How to freeze oyster mushrooms at home to keep them for a long time? It is worth saying that frozen mushrooms retain more nutrients than salted, pickled and pickled ones.

However, before embarking on freezing in a freezer, you need to know how to pre-cook oyster mushrooms for freezing. Be sure to review each instance: are there any yellow spots on the hat and under it, are there any cracks. Such "defective" mushrooms are by no means suitable for cooking and freezing - they are stale. If they are thawed, then the taste and smell will be unpleasant. Therefore, all mushrooms should be grayish-blue with a uniform shade.

If you do not have time to immediately cook oyster mushrooms for freezing for the winter, you should put them in the refrigerator for several days. At the same time, it is better not to wash and cut them - so you can extend the freshness of mushrooms for longer. I must say that in the state of freezing, oyster mushrooms can be stored for up to 12 months and not lose their nutritional properties.

How can I freeze oyster mushrooms at home

So, how to freeze oyster mushrooms for the winter, so that the mushrooms retain their taste? To freeze oyster mushrooms at home, you need to select fresh and young specimens, without mechanical damage. It is important to remember: if there is a good view of the fungi before freezing, then it will remain so after defrosting.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with simple and effective recipes showing how to freeze oyster mushrooms for the winter.

For this, it is necessary to “inspect” all the mushrooms: damaged, rotten and dry, should be discarded.

Rinse oyster mushrooms under running water, put on a kitchen towel so that the glass is well-drained.

Cut the mushrooms with slices or slices, lay on the surface in an even layer and allow to dry a little more.

Place on a baking sheet or on a cutting board and place in the freezer for 4 hours. This is done so that the mushrooms do not stick together in one continuous piece.

After the indicated time, put the oyster mushrooms in plastic bags or plastic food containers with lids and send them back to the freezer.

How to freeze fresh forest oyster mushrooms in a freezer

To understand how to freeze fresh oyster mushrooms, you need to know a few more recommendations. Freezing should occur at a temperature of - 18 ° C. Defrosting fruiting bodies is necessary only in the refrigerator. If this is done at room temperature, they will taste worse.

It is worth saying that mushrooms should not be re-frozen. That is why they need to be divided into portions in order to further prepare the conceived dish and take as many fruiting bodies as needed for the recipe.

On the Internet there are many ways to freeze oyster mushrooms, which are universally bought in the store. And if it comes to forest oyster mushrooms: how to freeze them?

In this case, before freezing, the mushrooms are cleaned of forest debris and leaves, and then wiped with a dry cloth. Only very dirty oyster mushrooms should be washed under running water and allowed to dry on a towel.

Small mushrooms can be frozen whole, large caps cut into pieces.

Cover the trays or other suitable surface with cling film, spread the oyster mushrooms in an even layer and put in the freezer.

Turn on the mode of enhanced freezing for 2 hours.

After this time, put the mushrooms in bags and put them back in the freezer.

Freezing boiled mushrooms oyster mushroom for harvesting for the winter

How to make harvesting of oyster mushrooms for the winter by freezing, if you boil them first?

To do this, we need the following products and spices:

• oyster mushrooms - 2 kg;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• bay leaf - 5 pcs.;
• citric acid - ½ tsp;
• allspice and black pepper peas - 4 pcs.

Put a pot of water on the stove, let it boil.

Peel the mushrooms, cut and toss in boiling water.

Let it boil for 15 minutes and add all the spices, including salt and citric acid.

Stir well and give another 15 minutes to boil the mushrooms with spices.

When oyster mushrooms settle to the bottom, use a slotted spoon to pull them into a colander to allow water to drain.

Excess liquid in frozen mushrooms is not allowed, as it gives them a larger volume.

Put the steamed mushrooms on a wooden board and allow to dry well.

Lay on a tray covered with parchment paper or just a plastic bag.

Send to the freezer for 3 hours at a temperature of -18 ° C.

After the mushrooms are frozen, put them in bags, dividing into portions.

Before you cook anything from frozen mushrooms, they need to be transferred from the freezer to the refrigerator.

If oyster mushrooms are planned to be used for soup or pizza, then it can still be put frozen in a frying pan.

Fried Oyster Mushroom Recipe

We offer you to find out how you can freeze oyster mushrooms in a fried state. To do this, we need the following products and devices:

• oyster mushrooms - 2 kg;
• salt to taste;
• vegetable oil;
• pan;
• wooden spoon.

Oyster mushrooms previously cleaned, washed and cut into small pieces.

Heat the oil in a pan and put all the mushrooms there.

Add a little salt and fry until all the liquid has evaporated in the pan.

Allow the mushrooms to cool completely and distribute portionwise into plastic containers.

Put in the freezer until completely frozen.

Shock freezing of oyster mushrooms

Are there any other ways to freeze oyster mushrooms in the freezer? Many housewives have recently become more and more interested in shock freezing for oyster mushrooms.

First you need to find out what shock freezing is. This is a popular modern way of preserving food that does not cause changes in the structure of food and its chemical composition. Therefore, when using this method, frozen products after thawing practically do not differ from fresh ones.Their structure does not collapse upon freezing and retains all its original nutritional qualities.

With shock freezing, oyster mushrooms, even after prolonged storage, retain all their properties and vitamins. A similar method can be freely applied at home. To do this, switch the freezer to full power and keep the mushrooms in it for about 1 hour. Normal freezing implies a temperature of 18 ° C for 3 hours.

Now, how to freeze oyster mushrooms, you already know. It remains only to buy mushrooms or collect them in the forest, and then proceed to cooking the desired preparations.