How to properly dry chanterelles for the winter, is it possible
With the onset of autumn, it is time to collect mushrooms. 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, cereals and many other dishes. Drying mushrooms for the winter is very simple.
How to dry
Chanterelles are not only the tastiest, but also the healthiest of all mushrooms. They contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals.
As many people know, these representatives of the mushroom kingdom begin to accumulate harmful metabolites in about 5 hours after cutting. It is for this reason that they must be processed or salted as soon as possible. The easiest option is to freeze it. But what if there is no room in the freezer, and you urgently need to process the mushrooms? For example, they can be dried.
There are several ways to dry chanterelle mushrooms:
- On a thread;
- In the oven;
- In an electric dryer;
- Naturally in the sun.
The latter is the most preferred method.
How to dry chanterelles? In order to properly dry the mushrooms, you must adhere to simple rules. The most dense and healthy mushrooms should be chosen first. It is not recommended to wash them before the drying process, as they absorb a lot of water and will dry much longer 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 must be cut off and thrown away. If you cut the caps, the chanterelles can be dried much faster. The mushrooms should be dried gradually, but at the same time, it is advisable to do this as soon as possible. They may deteriorate if dried slowly.
Preparation for drying
One of the most important steps is the preparation of the mushrooms. The quality of dried mushrooms depends on it. Those mushroom pickers who are familiar with chanterelles know that they are never wormy. They contain the substance chinomannose, which pests do not like.
Preparation process:
- Mushrooms must be cleaned of blades of grass and dirt;
- If the mushrooms are heavily contaminated, then the caps can be wiped with a damp cloth;
- If they dry on a rope, then the chanterelles should be left intact, if not, then cut off the legs and cut the caps in half.
After that, you can start the drying process.
How to dry naturally
This method is the most preferred among all. But it also has one significant drawback - you can dry it only if it's warm, sunny weather. And autumn most often on the territory of Russia is rainy and cloudy.
Dried in this way no more than two weeks.First, the chanterelles should dry slightly on newspaper in the sun in a ventilated place. Mushrooms are strung on strong threads and hung in the sun. They should not fit snugly against each other.
Use a thick needle for stringing. Typically, string drying takes 6 to 9 days.
Also, special grilles are suitable for this purpose. The chanterelles should be laid out in a single layer and covered with gauze so that flies do not land on them. Turn them over regularly.
It is important to understand in time when they are already fully prepared. Dried mushrooms should be elastic, slightly springy, but in no case break. If you do not dry them out, they will quickly become moldy, and if you dry them out, they will lose their taste and smell.
How to dry in the oven
Can chanterelles be dried in the oven for the winter? This option is the most common because it is the simplest and most affordable. To dry in the oven, he must have a thermometer. This is important because the optimum temperature should be between 50 and 60 degrees.
First, it is better to set the temperature to 40 degrees, and then gradually bring it to 60.
They should be laid out on a wire rack in one layer, the mushrooms should not come into contact with each other. Periodically, the mushrooms should be turned over and shifted 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 natural fabric bags 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 those that have become moldy are thrown away.
Drying chanterelles in an electric dryer
Another common method is drying in special dryers. Drying mushrooms in this way is quite simple. Such dryers are usually used for fruits and berries, but they 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 spread evenly with a thin layer. You can cut them to dry them faster. The device should be plugged into an outlet 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.
Use the minimum microwave power and turn it on for 20 minutes. Then remove the tiers and ventilate for about 5-10 minutes, wait until all moisture has evaporated. Then put them back in the microwave for 20 minutes. This procedure should be repeated several times in a row until the chanterelles are completely dry.
Before using dried chanterelles for cooking various dishes, they should be thoroughly rinsed under running water. Then soak in water for several hours. You can cook in the same water.
