Preserving forest mushrooms: A forgotten taste revival
Are you coming back from the forest with baskets filled with mushrooms? You can't use them all for your current dishes. You'll need to prepare supplies for the winter. Drying, freezing, and pickling are well-known methods. Or maybe you'll try mushrooms in brine? It's my grandmother's tried-and-true method.
10 October 2024 10:53
Fresh forest mushrooms are delicious in dishes, but when you have an abundance, you must start preserving them. Do this promptly after returning home, as mushrooms shouldn't be stored for long, usually at least two days. The most common methods are drying and freezing. The method of preserving mushrooms with brine is somewhat forgotten, but this simple technique from my grandmother is worth knowing. It allows mushrooms to maintain their natural taste and aroma.
How to make mushrooms in a jar without vinegar?
The mushroom recipe in a jar without vinegar is useful when preserving freshly picked boletus, birch boletes, bay boletes, or chanterelles from the forest. You can also store slippery jacks this way, but remember to remove the skin from their caps. Saffron milk caps will also retain their flavour in brine. Salted mushrooms in jars for the winter can gain even more flavour. Season the brine with garlic, allspice, or bay leaf — typical mushroom spices. If you want to add a twist to the taste, use rosemary, thyme, or tarragon.
Important! Mushrooms in brine are useful for many different dishes, from soups to dumplings and sauces. Before use, rinse or soak them to remove excess salt.
mushrooms in brine
Ingredients:
- 1.8 kg fresh mushrooms,
- 1 litre water
- 300 g salt
Preparation method:
- Carefully sort, clean, and wash the mushrooms. Boil in a large pot for about 15 minutes, then strain and place in sterilized jars.
- In a saucepan, boil water with salt, stirring until the crystals dissolve.
- Pour the brine over the mushrooms and seal the jars. Pasteurize for 30 minutes, then set aside to cool.
