Preserving vacuum-packed mushrooms

Vacuum packing mushrooms has become one of the best ways to preserve mushrooms. We explain why

Edible mushrooms have gone from being an ingredient used by a few to being part of most recipes today. Today, it's not at all strange to find in any restaurant scrambled eggs with ceps, a carpaccio of amanite des Césars or a stew with milk caps.

But to enjoy them all year round, we need to know the best ways to preserve them. When it's peach or medlar season, in the areas where they're grown, these fruits are preserved. Well, the same goes for edible mushrooms.

When it's oronge or morel season, and we're lucky enough to find a good number of them, we should also know that all mushrooms can be preserved.

Buying a vacuum packing machine, a good option for preserving food

In our online store, we have a section dedicated to appliances we can use to preserve mushrooms. Electric dehydrators and vacuum packing machines are the 2 main appliances that will help us preserve our harvested mushrooms. They are undoubtedly the best option for preserving mushrooms.

Best ways to preserve mushrooms

In other posts on our blog, we've already talked about the best ways to preserve mushrooms, dehydrate mushrooms and even freeze them. Today, we want to do so in a new way of preserving mushrooms. It wouldn't really be anything new, but an improvement to add to the other forms of preservation. We're talking about vacuum packing of ceps and mushrooms.

Edible mushrooms = delicate food

The mushrooms we can buy in the market or in a fruit shop specializing in mushroom sales, will normally be fresh. For this reason, the best option will always be to cook them fresh. But we may not use them all. Or even that we've gone into the woods in search of delicious thistle mushrooms or milk caps and harvested a good quantity of them. So what should we do to preserve them?

Methods for preserving mushrooms and fungi

The possibilities are many, drying mushrooms, canning them, making preserves, grinding them, preserving in oil or brine, freezing them... But even so, we can improve durability and preservation quality if we use a vacuum packing machine.

Vacuum packing mushrooms

If we opt for this method, we'll need the help of a vacuum packing machine. This type of household appliance is becoming increasingly popular, as the advantages of using it are many and varied.

To vacuum-pack food and mushrooms, we need vacuum bags. Normally, each vacuum packer uses a specific type of bag, which can be purchased from a specialist retailer or via the Internet.

Once we have these two essential elements in our possession, the next step is to prepare the mushrooms in the best way to ensure optimal preservation.

Conserving vacuum-packed mushrooms, step by step

Depending on the type, we'll need to cook or blanch the mushroom slightly. Porcini mushrooms don't need prior cooking before freezing, while chanterelles or milk caps do.

In any case, if we opt to blanch or lightly cook the mushrooms, even the porcini will appreciate it. To do this, we'll use the cooking water to keep the mushrooms in the best condition and add it to the inside of the vacuum bags.

Process of vacuum-packing mushrooms for preservation

1. 1. First, we'll cut the mushrooms into appropriately sized cubes. Beforehand, we'll have washed them thoroughly to remove any remaining dirt.
   2. If the species requires light cooking, we'll pass the mushrooms through a frying pan and when they start to release liquid, we'll stop cooking.
   3. We'll place the mushrooms with a little of their juice in the vacuum bag and proceed to vacuum pack them.
   4. Once packed, we'll be able to freeze them and keep them longer than if we freeze them in a normal bag

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Now that you know the benefits of vacuum packing mushrooms and other foods, what are you waiting for to get your own electric vacuum packer. In our mycological cooking section, in addition to mushroom recipes, you'll find vacuum packers, dehydrators and other useful kitchen accessories.

Already have a vacuum packer? Tell us how you preserve mushrooms and if you send us a photo, we'll include it in updates to this article.

Healthy, vacuum-packed mushrooms!