Ways to Store Mushrooms
The optimal storage method depends on when you plan to consume your mushrooms and whether or not your mushrooms are fresh or dried.
Fresh Mushrooms:
If you bought or picked your mushrooms fresh, and want to eat them soon, keep them whole in the fridge without cleaning or cutting them. Avoid using plastic bags or sealed containers when storing mushrooms, since a lack of airflow will cause them to spoil quickly.
Dried Mushrooms:
Dried shrooms can last up to at least a year in storage. Keep them in an airtight environment without heat, light, or moisture exposure. Since plastic lets air in faster, use a more airtight container like a glass jar. To help keep moisture out of the air, tape a desiccant, like silica gel packets, to the top of the jar.
Three methods to dry mushrooms:
1. Air-Drying Mushrooms:
Air-drying is the simplest way to dry mushrooms, requiring almost no special tools or setup beforehand. However, this process is only successful in environments with a humidity level of 55% or less and can take up to two days.
To air-dry mushrooms, lay them out on a wire rack or a cloth so they can dry evenly on all sides. You may need to flip the mushrooms over a few times.
Keep checking your mushrooms periodically during the drying process until they are dry enough to snap when bent.
To make the process faster, consider using a fan to increase air circulation.
2. Dehydrator:
Using a dehydrator will ensure that the mushrooms dry out evenly in less time while reducing the chances of contamination.
Dehydrate for four to eight hours, checking every hour, until the mushrooms are completely dried.
3. Oven Dry Mushrooms
If you don’t have a food dehydrator, you can also use the oven to dry your mushrooms. Ensure the temperature is not higher than 110°F to keep the psychoactive compounds intact.
The process may take a bit longer than a dehydrator. Check the mushrooms regularly and turn them over until they are completely dry.
Mushrooms should be breakable when they have been fully dried. If they snap easily, then they are finished. If the pieces bend, then they aren’t completely dry.
Canning Mushrooms
Another way of preserving fresh mushrooms is by canning them in jars with olive oil and other ingredients that give them flavor.
You can also preserve psychedelic mushrooms in liquid honey, known as “shroom honey” or “blue honey.” This technique has been used as a natural preservative for thousands of years. Honey draws moisture from the mushrooms through osmosis, and its high sugar content protects against bacterial contamination.
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