Frozen mushrooms: step-by-step cooking recipes with photos

Strong and dense honey mushrooms are excellent for harvesting in the winter. Their structure, which is not too saturated with moisture, is able to retain its shape even with deep freezing. However, not every hostess knows that not only fresh mushrooms are subject to freezing, but also those that have undergone some kind of processing. About all the secrets of correct freezing raw, as well as those who have undergone various processing in house conditions, we will describe in this review.

Mushroom preparation

All the fruits that you plan to save for the winter, should certainly be freshly picked (no more than 1-2 days), young, medium-sized, strong, healthy, without taking damage.

If you collect mushrooms yourself, then clean them from earthy coma, various litter and small insects, preferably immediately in the collection process. At home, mushrooms must be picked and thoroughly cleaned from leaves and adhering dirt. Then sort the mushrooms by size. Small copies freeze whole, and large - cut into several pieces.

Do i need to wash

Mushrooms should not be washed only if you plan to save them by the method of raw freezing. Mushrooms easily absorb moisture, which creates ice, taking up a lot of space in the freezer. Excess fluid lends weight to the preform, and the mushroom flavor becomes watery.

If the buds are significantly contaminated, you can wipe them with a damp cloth towel, and then dry them. At the worst, you can rinse the mushrooms under running water and dry thoroughly on a linen towel. However, try to still not too wet the fungus.

Ways to freeze

Peeled mushrooms can be frozen both in cheese, and boiled, stewed or fried. In addition, mushrooms can be pre-blanched.The choice of the method of freezing depends on the recipes of the dishes that you plan to cook later. Choose the most suitable option for you!

Raw

All actions must be reproduced in the following order:

1. Prepare a flat plastic stand or chopping board.
2. Spread the cleaned mushrooms evenly over the surface of the pallet. It is necessary to lay in a single layer, as the fruit can stick together and deform.
3. Freezer set on the mode of deep freezing.
4. Then the pan with the fruit should be kept in the freezer for a short time until the mushrooms are frostbitten.
5. Frozen mushrooms pour in a plastic container or plastic bags and send in the freezer for long-term storage at -18 ºC.

Pre blanching

Some hostesses prefer to blanch mushrooms before freezing, that is, they pour them with boiling water. To do this, the mushrooms are washed under running water. Next, the fruits are transferred to a colander and doused with boiling water. When the moisture is drained and the mushrooms are cool, they are put on a towel.Dry dried seeds are distributed in plastic bags and transferred to the freezer. This method of blanching is the most simple and common. There is another blanching option that allows you to save most effectively. nutrients:

1. Prepare two large containers, a slotted spoon, a colander, and clean cloth towels.
2. In one container, prepare brine (20 g of salt per 1 liter of water), pour cold water into the other (preferably with ice).
3. Put clean mushrooms in boiling brine. After 2-3 minutes using skimmers, remove the mushrooms from the hot brine and immediately transfer them to the container with cold water. Such cooling instantly stops the cooking process.
4. After 2-3 minutes, fold the fruit into a colander, then dry on a towel.
5. Distribute the product in plastic bags.
6. Send the blanks to the freezer for storage for the winter.

Cooks are advised to add to the water, which will be processed mushrooms, a pinch of citric acid. This simple technique protects the mushrooms from darkening and bitterness.

Boiled

Many housewives prefer to freeze the mushrooms in boiled form. Next, you will learn the main nuances of this method, as well as learn how much time it is necessary to boil the mushrooms before freezing.

Walkthrough:

1. Fill the fruits with cold water and stew over high heat.
2. When the liquid boils, and a foam forms on the surface - drain all the water.
3. Rinse the mushrooms again, fill with fresh water, then put to boil. Or boil the water, and only then lower there the mushrooms.
4. Boil the mushrooms for another 40-50 minutes. Do not forget to lightly salt some water (10 g of salt is required for 1 l of liquid).
5. Throw the prepared mushrooms into a colander to drain the liquid. If desired, you can cool the fruit in cold water.
6. Put the fungus on a dry towel.
7. When the mushrooms dry out properly, proceed to a standard freeze (distribute the fruit into packets and place in the freezer for storage).

Stewed

So that the mushrooms did not lose their piquant taste and aroma, this method of preparation was invented as quenching.Even vegetable oil is not required for this treatment. Walkthrough:

1. Transfer the prepared fruit to a heated pan without fat.
2. Season the fruit with table salt, then tightly cover with a lid. In this state, the mushrooms will rather let their water.
3. Without removing the lid, simmer the mushrooms in its own juice over low heat.
4. Mushrooms should be stewed for at least 25-30 minutes. Therefore, if the liquid evaporates before the specified time, add a little boiled water.

You can stew mushrooms in the oven. To do this, simply lay out the baking sheets on a baking sheet and cook them in their own juice.

Fried

You can also freeze fried mushrooms:

1. Transfer clean mushrooms to a heated frying pan with a small amount of sunflower oil.
2. Fry the mushrooms for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It is necessary to fry until all excess liquid is evaporated from the fruit.
3. Set the pan aside until the mushrooms are completely cool.
4. Spread the workpiece on the packages tightly wrap them.Transfer the bags to the freezer for storage.

Shelf life

The shelf life of the mushrooms, frozen by any method above, is no more than one year, provided that the temperature in the freezer is equal to 18 ºC with a minus sign. Do not forget to stick stickers with packages indicating the date of freezing.

Defrosting rules

Knowing how to defrost mushrooms correctly, you will preserve the quality of the fruit and the texture of the dish.

It is undesirable to place the mushrooms in the oven or microwave. Thawing should proceed slowly at room temperature. When you decide to defrost raw mushrooms, put them in the refrigerator first. In this case, the mushrooms will be quite as fresh. After complete defrosting, the mushrooms should be dried.

If the mushrooms were stored boiled, stewed or fried, they must also be defrosted first and then applied incooking

How to cook frozen mushrooms

Summing up, we consider how best to cook frozen mushrooms. So, in soups, as well as fried or stews, you can put the billet immediately, beforehand without defrosting it.

Thawed portions of mushrooms immediately give in heat treated. Those shrikes that have been frozen raw can be prepared in the same way as freshly picked fruit. Use a variety of recipes, at your discretion: boil, simmer, fry, send in soups or use for cooking mushroom goulash. If you plan to marinate the raw product, in this case, put the billet directly in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then boil it in the marinade.

Blanched mushrooms are perfect for cooking soups or mushroom caviar.If you plan to continue to fry unfrozen mushrooms or cook other dishes, it is advisable not to resort to blanching. This is due to the fact that after hot processing, the shape of the thawed fruit is significantly deformed.

Regarding the question of how many minutes you need to fry the frozen mushrooms - this process will take very little of your time (no more than 15 minutes). Put a portion of the pan with hot sunflower oil and start cooking. If raw fruits were placed in the freezer unwashed, they should be washed before cooking. Next boil the product in salted water for about 3-5 minutes. Tilt the contents of the pan into a colander, let the liquids drain, and only now can you fry or simmer them.

Mushrooms can be used as an additive to potatoes, porridge or meat. Fried fruits are perfect as a filling in pies, as well as for stuffing meat rolls.Mushrooms harvested for the winter are always ready to create culinary masterpieces, they will decorate any of your dishes.