Can you freeze mushrooms? Edible mushrooms are used in cooking in many different cuisines. So you’ve bought a few packets of fresh mushrooms from stores to save some money and are now wondering if you can freeze some of them to avoid spoilage. The good news for you is that you can freeze the mushrooms. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as popping them in the freezer without any prep. There are a few things related to freezing mushrooms that you should be aware of. Let us talk about that…
Freezing mushrooms
Mushrooms are not classified as a vegetable. But like them, they contain a lot of water. Therefore, if you freeze raw mushrooms, they can become mushy. Mushrooms don’t do well in raw dishes. Fortunately, you can use them in cooked, baked or fried dishes (soups, stews, casseroles, etc.). When it comes to freezing mushrooms, there are methods other than freezing them raw. They require some preparation on your part, but the results you will get will be quite good. Better than if you chose to freeze raw mushrooms.
Freezing raw mushrooms
To do this, you just need to choose fresh and whole (!) Mushrooms. First you need to wipe the mushrooms clean. You can do this with a clean cloth. Please note that you should not wash the mushrooms, it might disturb the freezing process (too much water). Now place them on a baking sheet so they don’t touch each other. Then flash freeze them, which takes a few hours. Once frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place the mushrooms in a freezer bag or container. Make sure you don’t leave a lot of headroom. Now put it back in the freezer. You can store it there for up to 3 months. As mentioned, they will be mushy once thawed.
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Freeze par-cooked mushrooms
This method is easy. You need to wash raw mushrooms and put them in boiling water. Please remember to add some salt as well (half a teaspoon per 1 liter should be enough). If you want to preserve the color of the mushrooms, you should add a little lemon juice (in a similar proportion to salt). This juice works wonders as a bleach. When the water comes to a boil again, cook the mushrooms for about 3 minutes. When they’re done, rinse them with cold water and drain them. Once drained, they need to be placed in a freezer bag or container and placed in the freezer. The mushrooms should keep in the freezer for about a year.
Freezing Fried Mushrooms
This method is also easy. Pour some cooking oil into a pan and set it on medium heat. If you prefer, you can use butter instead of cooking oil. Now you need to add mushrooms and some spices of your choice (i.e. pepper, salt, onion). Let the mushrooms sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. By then they should have softened. Now let them cool down at room temperature. When they’re done, you can put them in a freezer bag or in a container and put them in the freezer.
Freezing steamed (blanched) mushrooms
Prepare for vaping as usual. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down a little so it simmers. Place the mushrooms in the steamer basket and cover. You should steam the mushrooms for about 2 minutes. If you plan to steam a large batch of mushrooms, you can do it in batches. Once steamed, let cool, transfer to a container or freezer bag, and place in the freezer.