Raw mushrooms will turn into paste after freezing, which will make people lose their appetite, because the water molecules inside will turn into ice crystals and break the cell wall. [1] Each of the following methods only takes a few minutes to prepare, which can preserve the texture and flavor of mushrooms more effectively.
Method 1 3:
Blanch the mushrooms and freeze them.
1
Blanch the mushrooms so that they can be simply preserved for a long time. Although steaming mushrooms may make frozen mushrooms retain more flavor, blanching or cooking mushrooms until they are half-cooked can keep the quality of mushrooms quite high within 12 months. However, experts have not reached an agreement on the effect of pickled mushrooms. [2] [3] This method does not need any equipment, only needs a pot of water and a heat source, so that mushrooms can still be delicious after being frozen for one year.
This method is especially useful if you plan to use quick-frozen mushrooms to make soup, because you can't see the texture of mushrooms disappear when making soup.
2
Boil a pot of water. You need enough water to avoid mushrooms, and add more, because some water will evaporate. If you want to keep the color of mushrooms, you can add a teaspoon (5ml) of lemon juice to every liter of water. [4]
three
Chop mushrooms (optional). You can cut mushrooms or shred them when boiling water. Do this step if the recipe you want to make requires cutting mushrooms or shredding them.
Although you can wash mushrooms with tap water first, you can wash mushrooms with boiling water when cooking. [5]
four
Boil mushrooms in water for 1-2 minutes. Because the temperature of mushrooms is room temperature, the water may stop boiling when mushrooms are added to water. When the water boils again, turn off the fire for 1-2 minutes. Don't cook the mushrooms thoroughly, or they will get wet.
five
Transfer the mushrooms to cold water. Put the mushrooms in a container filled with cold water to prevent overcooking. Wait until it reaches a touchable temperature.
A picture is called the sixth step of frozen mushrooms.
six
Drain the mushrooms and put them in a sealed container for freezing. The container should be frozen and sealed, and there is little air inside to prevent mushrooms from expanding during freezing. Mushrooms can be stored for 12 months. [6]
Add quick-frozen mushrooms directly to your cooking. If you make mushroom soup, add mushrooms 20 minutes before the soup is cooked. [7]
3 of method 2:
Steamed mushrooms and frozen.
A picture called the seventh step of frozen mushrooms.
1
This method can retain the flavor to the greatest extent. Most mushrooms should be cooked before freezing to keep a hard taste. Raw mushrooms contain a lot of water and will turn into paste after freezing and thawing. Although you can use any cooking method, steamed mushrooms will retain the maximum flavor and moderate hardness, which is suitable for most mushroom recipes. [8]
Steamed mushrooms can be frozen 12 months. [9]
A picture is called the eighth step of frozen mushrooms.
2
Rinse mushrooms to remove dirt. Rinse mushrooms under the tap. Check whether there is dust on the surface, under the cap and the stem of the mushroom cap. Wipe off the dust with clean fingers or scrape off the dust with a knife.
You may need to pull out the stems and wash them separately. If you like, you can throw them away and just freeze the mushroom caps.
three
Dice or shred mushrooms (optional). You can steam and freeze the whole mushroom, or you can cut it into pieces and shred it. The whole mushroom takes several minutes to cook, but the main purpose of shredding is to use it in some recipes. Quick-frozen mushrooms need not be thawed, so you might as well cut the big mushrooms into small pieces for future use.
If you will use a steamer or a double steamer, make sure that the mushroom pieces are not too small to fall out of the gap.
four
Soak mushrooms in lemon juice solution (optional). The only purpose of this step is to keep the color of the mushrooms, otherwise the mushrooms will turn black during cooking. If you want to do this, add 5 ml lemon juice to 500 ml water, soak the mushrooms for 5 minutes, and then take them out. [ 10]
Experts have not reached a consensus on whether soaking or even cleaning will damage the texture of mushrooms. [1 1] If you are very concerned about this matter, you can brush lemon juice solution on mushrooms to reduce the possible impact.
The picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 1 1.
five
If you don't have a double boiler, make one yourself. To steam mushrooms, we need to find a way to keep them above the water, so that they can only be exposed to steam. You can use a double steamer or steamer, but it's easy to make one yourself:
Choose two small pots. One pot must be able to hold the other completely. You can also use a steaming basket instead of a smaller pot.
Lift the small pot from the bottom of the big pot with a metal ring, a thick pot cover or other objects that can be safely heated. Before the water is heated, put the metal ring on the bottom of the pot, and then put the small pot on it.
Prepare the lid of the cauldron. The cover does not need to be sealed, but it should be able to retain most of the steam.
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 12.
six
Add 5 cm of water to the pot and bring to a boil. If you have a double boiler, add water to the boiler at the bottom. If not, add water to the larger pot mentioned above. It only takes a few minutes for the water to boil.
seven
Put the mushrooms in a small pot. If you have a steaming basket, put mushrooms in it. There should be no water in the small pot.
eight
Cover and determine the steaming time according to the size of mushrooms. Cover and keep the steam until the mushrooms are cooked. For whole mushrooms, it usually takes about 5 minutes, while small mushrooms or diced mushrooms take 3 minutes and 30 seconds. It only takes 3 minutes to shred mushrooms, and it takes even shorter time if they are thinly cut. [ 12]
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 15.
nine
Transfer the mushrooms to cold water. If not cooled in time, mushrooms will continue to mature. Put it in a pot or a bowl of cold water until you can feel the temperature.
10
Drain the mushrooms. Drain the mushrooms with a filter or colander. Putting this bowl of water directly in the refrigerator will freeze into mushroom ice cubes, which is rarely used in recipes.
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 17.
1 1
Put it in a sealed container. Refrigeration bags, bottles, plastic containers or any other sealed containers can be used as long as they do not break at low temperature. There is a space of about 1/2 inches (1.25 cm) between the mushroom and the top of the container, because the mushroom may swell slightly. [13] Sealed container, isolated from air.
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 18.
12
You can freeze 12 months. Steamed mushrooms will retain the taste and texture of mushrooms for up to a year. Try not to thaw and freeze again, otherwise the quality and shelf life of mushrooms will be reduced. [ 14]
Add quick-frozen mushrooms to any recipe that needs heating, and the mushrooms will thaw during cooking. Try not to use it when frying, so as not to lower the temperature too low [15]
The third method, a total of three:
To fry mushrooms in frozen oil, freeze them first.
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Steps 19.
1
If you like, you can get the hardest taste in this way. This method will keep the taste and texture of quick-frozen mushrooms, and it will take less time than steaming and scalding. The storage time varies from 1 month to 9 months, which probably depends on the oil or butter used. [16] [17] [18] However, this method will make mushrooms harder than other methods, and it is not necessary to season them every time with frozen mushrooms. [ 19]
Picture titled Frozen Mushroom Step 20
2
Wash and dry mushrooms. Rinse mushrooms with tap water to remove dust or moss. Then pat dry with a paper towel or a clean cloth to prevent water droplets from splashing into the hot oil.
three
Dice or shred mushrooms. You need to fry mushrooms at high temperature, but thick mushrooms will be cooked outside, but they are still raw inside. This problem can be avoided by cutting mushrooms into small pieces of the same size.
four
Add hot oil to a wok or frying pan. At this time, you can only fry the mushrooms half-cooked, and then finish the cooking process in the second half when you take them out and use them in the menu. So this time does not need to be too precise. About 1-2 tablespoons of oil (15-30 ml) should be enough for a medium-sized frying pan. [20][2 1]
If you want mushrooms to taste better, you can add chopped garlic, onions or spices to the oil.
five
Stir-fry mushrooms over medium heat. Until it is almost completely fried. It only takes 3 or 4 minutes, and the color of mushrooms will become deeper and softer.
six
Let the mushrooms cool before freezing. Mushrooms should be cooled to room temperature before packaging and storage. The fat in cooking oil and butter cools faster than mushrooms in the refrigerator, so excess oil can be stored or discarded at this time.
seven
Freeze mushrooms in a sealed container. Press the mushrooms tightly into the container without leaving any gaps to prevent the surface from freezing hard. [22] Mushrooms exposed to the air may change color and lose some flavor, but you should still leave some space in the container. Mushrooms may swell during freezing, so leave some space to prevent jars or bags from breaking.
Add frozen mushrooms directly to the recipe, and if the quantity is large, you can thaw them in a pan or microwave oven. Be careful not to cook in the microwave oven, or the mushrooms will become like rubber.