How do you dehydrate and rehydrate mushrooms?

Dehydrating food is an ancient, ancient technique! As far back as the Neolithic, early humans used it to preserve what they hunted or harvested. Without refrigerators or freezers, drying food in the sun was the best way to make it last longer.

Over the centuries, this technique has been perfected. Today, we can dehydrate fruits, vegetables, meat, fish... and of course, mushrooms. It's easy, convenient and full of benefits.

Dehydrating food has many advantages:

• • They don't need cold to preserve

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• • They are light and take up very little space

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• • You can have them ready all year round
  • And all you have to do is rehydrate them for reuse

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Dehydrated mushrooms retain all their flavor and are super versatile in the kitchen. In this post, I explain how to dehydrate them at home and how to restore their texture to enjoy them as freshly picked.

How to dehydrate mushrooms

The first thing to do is to clean well the mushrooms and fungi we want to dry. We'll use a cloth and a mushroom cleaning brush.

Depending on the size of the mushrooms, we'll slice, chop or leave them whole. Chanterelles are dehydrated whole as they are small mushrooms, but boletus mushrooms should be sliced if they are large.

We can dehydrate mushrooms in the open air or using an electric mushroom dehydrator.

If we air-dry them,we'll look for an airy space with low humidity that doesn't receive direct light. The top of a cupboard may be suitable.

We'll place newspaper or kitchen paper and spread the mushrooms on it. We'll need to place the mushrooms without them touching, as they can rot, and turning them over to ensure even drying. After 5 to 7 days, we'll have our dehydrated mushrooms.

If we use an electric mushroom dehydrator, we'll reduce the drying time to around 5-7 hours. What's more, we'll get better quality dehydration without impurities (not exposed to open air)

How to dehydrate mushrooms in the microwave

Do you have fresh mushrooms and want to preserve them quickly and easily? The microwave is a great option for dehydrating them at home without the need for a dehydrator. This method is ideal if you're looking for a quick, convenient and uncomplicated solution.

Start by choosing fresh mushrooms in good condition. You can use button, portobello, shiitake or even bolets, as long as they're clean. Wash them well to remove soil and dry them with a cloth. If they're very large, cut them into thin strips to speed up drying and achieve even dehydration.

Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. It's important that they're not stacked so that the air circulates and the heat reaches them all equally. Set the microwave to low or medium power to prevent them from cooking instead of drying.

Dehydrate the mushrooms in short pulses, from 30 seconds to 1 minute, and check their condition after each interval. Turn or move them slightly for even drying. The whole process can take between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the type of mushroom and the power of your microwave.

You'll know they're ready when they have a dry, brittle, wrinkled texture. They shouldn't be wet or soft to the touch. If any remain, give them a little more time.

This method is perfect if you want to dry mushrooms at home quickly, without an oven and without special tools. Ideal for having your mushrooms ready for future recipes or enjoying their umami flavor at any time.

How long do dried and dehydrated mushrooms last?

One of the great advantages of dehydrating mushrooms is that, if properly preserved, they can last long without deteriorating.

In general, dried mushrooms and dehydrated mushrooms have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years. But if they are totally dry, stored in an airtight container and protected from the environment, they can last even longer.

How to store them properly?

To prevent them from spoiling, store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Dampness and insects are their worst enemies. A kitchen cupboard where you store spices can be an excellent option.

If you notice that dried mushrooms smell funny, have spots, are soft or show signs of mold, it's best not to eat them.

How do you know if dried mushrooms are no longer good? :

• • The smell has changed

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• • Are moist to the touch
  • Have mold or dark spots

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• Their color is very different from the original

What about pine mushrooms?

Dried pine mushrooms can also last up to 3 years or more, provided they are completely dehydrated and well preserved.

If you rehydrate and don't use them all, keep them refrigerated in a closed container and consume them within 2 to 3 days.

How to rehydrate mushrooms

As mushrooms dehydrate, they reduce in size. They lose 90% of their weight! It's important to bear in mind that rehydrating them will return them to almost their original size. This factor is important when calculating the quantity of mushrooms to rehydrate in a recipe

To rehydrate the mushrooms, simply introduce them into a container with hot water and wait between 20 and 30 minutes. Just drain the mushrooms and they're ready to be cooked.

An advantage of dehydrated mushrooms is that if we're going to use them in a stew, there's no need to hydrate them as they absorb the broth of the stew and are super tasty

Isn't that simple? Dare to dehydrate mushrooms and other foods yourself and enjoy them all year round.

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