Harvesting porcini mushrooms for the winter according to the simplest recipes

Any mushroom picker knows that the time for harvesting and harvesting porcini mushrooms takes place from late August to late September. It is at this time that you can stock up on the most valuable and nutritious product with exquisite taste for the whole year. The main thing is to take the procurement process seriously.

The main methods of harvesting porcini mushrooms

The main task of the mushroom picker is to ensure the safety of the product until it is consumed or used as an ingredient in a dish. The problem is that moisture-laden mushroom pulp is an excellent breeding ground for various microflora. That is why fresh mushrooms are not subject to long-term storage. In 5-6 hours after collection, they wither, become practically unusable. Competent procurement procedures allow you to rid them of microorganisms that lead to spoilage.

Experienced mushroom pickers distinguish four main ways of harvesting porcini mushrooms:

1. Drying.
2. Salting.
3. Pickling.
4. Freezing.

When dried, up to 90% of moisture is removed from the product, which makes it impossible for the growth of microorganisms and leads to their death. In the process of salting, the sugars from the pulp are converted into lactic acid, which, together with trusted salt, is a natural preservative. In the process of pickling, the vital activity of microflora is suppressed by processing the product with a high temperature, followed by storage in a solution of acetic acid with salt at a low oxygen content.

It is interesting to know that the porcini mushroom got its name due to its pulp, which does not darken even during the harvesting process and remains perfectly white. The second name of the porcini mushroom is boletus.

Drying porcini mushrooms

The process of removing moisture from the pulp can be done in two ways:

• naturally;
• using an oven or dehydrating in a vegetable dryer.

The difference is purely in speed and efficiency. The whole process takes three steps:

1. Preparation, which includes sorting, removal of damaged areas, dirt, debris.
2. Shredding. Fruit bodies must be cut into plates, 1 - 1.5 cm thick.
3. Dehydration process.

Drying porcini mushrooms for the winter naturally is very simple. The prepared and cut product should be spread out on a flat surface in one layer.

It is better if the drying area is located under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area.

When using a dryer for vegetables, it is necessary to put the plates of the fruit body on the lattice in one layer, then set the temperature on the device to 45-50 ° C.

For drying in the oven, it is necessary to spread the prepared plates on a baking sheet in one layer, set the temperature in the oven to 45 ° C for preliminary "drying". After the surface of the plates is dry, you can raise the temperature in the oven to 70 ° C.

You should be aware that properly dried plates of the fruiting body should significantly lose weight, bend easily and not crumble.

Harvesting porcini mushrooms by pickling

Marinating is one of the most popular ways to prepare porcini mushrooms. This process is carried out by heat treatment of the product in the presence of acid and sodium chloride. To improve the taste, herbs, spices, sugar (honey), vegetable oil.

There are two pickling options:

1. Heat treatment of boletus directly in the marinade. This method provides the product with a richer flavor and aroma. Minus - a viscous consistency and a dark color of the fill.
2. Boiling followed by filling the container with marinade. Disadvantages: The product will not have an outstanding flavor. Advantages - attractive appearance of the finished dish.

For marinating, unripe specimens of the same size should be selected, which must be thoroughly washed.

Method 1: Cooking in the marinade

Step by step procurement:

1. Boil selected specimens in clean water for 4-5 minutes.
2. Place on a sieve.
3. Place in salted water and continue cooking for another 25-30 minutes. For 1 liter of water - 40 g of table salt.
4. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, vinegar and spices should be added to the product.

After the mushrooms have sunk to the bottom of the container, they should be placed in sterilized jars, filled with the resulting marinade, and sealed with lids. If the dish is supposed to be stored in the refrigerator, then plastic lids can be used for sealing.

Method 2: Separate cooking

Procurement stages:

1. Boil the cleaned and washed specimens in brine for 30 minutes. Brine: 1 liter of water - 40 gr. table salt.
2. Make the marinade separately. 350 ml. water, you need to add 3-4 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 clove inflorescence. Bring everything to a boil, then add 30 gr. 9% vinegar and bring to a boil again.

Jars filled with mushrooms must be filled with prepared marinade, covered with metal lids, sterilized for 30 minutes, after which they should be sealed.

Three ways of salting

It is difficult to imagine preparations for the winter from porcini mushrooms without a variety of pickles of this product. There are three salting methods used in mushroom cooking:

1. Hot.
2. Cold.
3. Dry.

Young, strong mushrooms without mechanical damage are selected for salting.

The first method involves heat treatment of the product:

1. The washed and peeled boletus is boiled for 25-30 minutes, after which they must be thrown onto a sieve and allowed to drain off the water.
2. Further, the product is placed in the dishes and sprinkled with salt, spices, herbs and herbs.

For 10 kg of mushrooms, 400 g of table salt is needed. As spices you can use: garlic, black and allspice, bay leaf, dill, horseradish and black currant leaves.

The cold salting method involves the following operations:

1. Prepared boletus is placed in a container and sprinkled with salt and spices at the rate of 25 g of salt per 1 kg of product.
2. The filled containers are filled with chilled brine. The total amount of salt for brine and for adding to mushrooms is 45 g per 1 kg of product.

The third method of preparing porcini mushrooms requires soaking the product in brine for 3-4 days. The solution is changed 2-3 times a day. Then you need:

1. Prepare a container, on the bottom of which put spices and a layer of table salt.
2. Put the mushrooms upside down in a 5-6 cm layer.
3. Cover with spices and salt.

In this sequence, the entire container should be filled by placing oppression on top (a wooden circle with a load). Salting is carried out in a cool room for 7-10 days.

You should be aware that salting of frozen mushrooms can occur by any of the methods described. The main thing is to thoroughly defrost the product at room temperature before the process.

Three ways of freezing porcini mushrooms

In mushroom cooking, three options for freezing boletus are used:

1. Raw.
2. Boiled.
3. Fried.

To properly freeze raw porcini mushrooms, you need:

• wash and dry thoroughly;
• cut into slices, from 5 mm thick;
• put in a bag and place in the freezer.

You need to freeze boiled boletus as follows:

1. Prepare the product thoroughly: wash, remove damaged areas.
2. Fold the prepared boletus into an enamel bowl, pour clean water and put on fire.
3. Blanch for 5-10 minutes, then drain the water and fill the product with clean water.
4. Cook until ready, which will be signaled by lowering the product to the bottom of the container.
5. Strain the product, cool and freeze in airtight bags.

Freezing fried boletus is not particularly difficult. First you need to prepare the product: wash, remove the skin from the cap, cut, and then fry in a little oil. After evaporation of moisture, remove from heat, cool, pack into containers or bags, place in the freezer of the refrigerator.

Freezing mushrooms for the winter - video