With the onset of autumn, the time for mushroom picking begins. How to dry chanterelles for the winter? This question interests many mushroom pickers. Dried mushrooms are a versatile product that can be used to cook soups, porridges and many other dishes. Drying mushrooms for the winter is very simple.
How to dry
Chanterelles are not only the most delicious, but also the healthiest among all mushrooms. They contain a huge amount of vitamins and microelements.
As many people know, these representatives of the mushroom kingdom begin to accumulate harmful metabolites approximately 5 hours after cutting.It is for this reason that they need to be processed or salted as soon as possible. The easiest option is freezing. But what to do if there is no space in the freezer, and the mushrooms need to be processed urgently? For example, they can be dried.
You can dry chanterelle mushrooms using several methods:
- On a thread;
- In the oven;
- In an electric dryer;
- Naturally in the sun.
The last method is the most preferable.
How to dry chanterelles? In order to properly dry mushrooms, you need to follow simple rules. First of all, you should choose the densest and healthiest mushrooms. It is not recommended to wash them before the drying process, since they absorb a lot of water and will take much longer to dry than necessary. Mushrooms should be cleaned of leaves, needles and dirt. This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the mushroom.
Only caps are suitable for drying. The legs need to be cut off and thrown away. If you cut the caps, you can dry the chanterelles much faster. Mushrooms should be dried gradually, but at the same time it is advisable to do this as quickly as possible. Drying slowly may cause them to deteriorate.
Preparing for drying
One of the most important steps is preparing the mushrooms. The quality of dried mushrooms depends on it. Those mushroom pickers who are well acquainted with chanterelles know that they are never wormy. They contain the substance quinomannose, which pests do not like.
Preparation process:
- Mushrooms must be cleaned of blades of grass and dirt;
- If the mushrooms are very dirty, the caps can be wiped with a damp cloth;
- If they are to be dried on a line, then the chanterelles should be left whole; if not, then cut off the legs and cut the caps in half.
After this, you can begin the drying process.
How to dry naturally
This method is the most preferred among all. But it also has one significant drawback - it can be dried only if the weather is warm and sunny. And autumn is most often rainy and cloudy in Russia.
Dry in this way for no more than two weeks. First, the chanterelles should be slightly dried on newspaper in the sun in a ventilated place. Mushrooms are strung on strong threads and hung in the sun. They should not fit tightly to each other.
For threading, use a thick needle. As a rule, thread drying takes from 6 to 9 days.
Special gratings are also suitable for this purpose. The chanterelles should be laid out in one layer and covered with gauze to prevent flies from landing on them. They should be turned over regularly.
It is important to understand in time when they are completely ready. Dried mushrooms should be elastic, slightly springy, but under no circumstances break. If you don’t dry them completely, they will quickly become moldy, and if you overdry them, they will lose their taste and smell.
How to dry in the oven
Is it possible to dry chanterelles for the winter in the oven? This option is the most common because it is the simplest and most affordable. To dry it in the oven, it must have a thermometer. This is important because the optimal temperature should be between 50 and 60 degrees.
First, it is better to set the temperature to 40 degrees, and then gradually increase it to 60.
Place them on a wire rack in one layer; the mushrooms should not touch each other. Periodically, the mushrooms should be turned over and rearranged so that they dry evenly. The duration of this process depends on the size of the chanterelles.Those that have already dried can be removed, and the rest can be left to dry further.
You can store them in a glass jar in a dark and dry place. You can also use bags made of natural fabrics or cardboard boxes. They can be stored for more than one year. If the mushrooms are damp, they should simply be dried in the oven. And throw away those that are covered with mold.
Drying chanterelles in an electric dryer
Another common method is drying in special dryers. Drying mushrooms this way is quite simple. Such electric dryers are usually used for fruits and berries, but are also perfect for mushrooms. You can also use a marinator.
The entire drying process takes no more than 10 hours. The electric dryer has several tiers, where mushrooms are laid out in an evenly thin layer. To make them dry faster, you can cut them. The device should be plugged in and wait until the chanterelles are completely ready.
You can also use a microwave, but this is a very long and energy-consuming method. It should only be used as a last resort.
It is necessary to use the minimum power of the microwave oven and turn it on for 20 minutes. Then remove the tiers and ventilate for about 5-10 minutes, wait until all the moisture has evaporated. Then put them in the microwave again for 20 minutes. This procedure should be repeated several times in a row until the chanterelles are completely dry.
Before using dried chanterelles for preparing various dishes, they should be thoroughly washed under running water. Then soak for several hours in water. You can cook it in the same water.
