It’s always worth having a jar of dried mushrooms in the cupboard. There’s no better way of adding that delicious umami taste to a dish. Here is a complete guide to dried mushrooms.
Dried Mushrooms
You’re missing out if you haven’t tried dried mushrooms in your recipes.
These umami flavour bombs are rich and help elevate your dishes: mushrooms are known for having a meaty texture, and are a good way to swap out or reduce meat in the ingredients for a more healthy alternative.
One important point with dried mushrooms is that they need to be rehydrated before eating. And it’s because of this soaking, dried mushrooms provide an opportunity to open a new dimension in your favourite dishes.
Fresh Mushrooms vs. Dried mushrooms
Fresh mushrooms are a good option for anyone who wants to cook them fast. However, their shelf life isn’t as long; hence, the alternative to this would be to go for dried mushrooms or canned mushrooms.
Dried mushrooms are preferred by many because of their prolonged shelf life. They last as long as a year from drying, which makes them suitable for stocking in your pantry.
Dried mushrooms have a stronger flavour than fresh. The drying process concentrates the rich umami flavours as the moisture is removed.
If you’re looking to cook faster, go for fresh mushrooms, or those in brines. But if you want more flavour, go for dried mushrooms.
What mushrooms are good for drying?
The most common mushrooms for drying include porcini (also known as ceps), shiitake, morels, black trumpets, and wood ear.
Particularly the dried porcini, this mushroom variant is easy to blitz in a food processor to turn into mushroom powder, which you can use as seasoning.
Meanwhile, dried shiitake mushrooms are often used in soups, stews, and many oriental dishes. It’s also a good option to make mushroom stock that you can use for other recipes later.
How to cook dried mushrooms?
To cook dried mushrooms, you must rehydrate them first.
While many chefs prefer reconstituting mushrooms in hot water, this option is best if you’re in a hurry. Unfortunately, using hot water takes away some of the flavours and, in some cases, prematurely cooks the mushroom with its heat.
If you’re not in a hurry, simply soak the dried mushrooms in cold water to rehydrate them.
How to prepare dried mushrooms?
Before soaking your mushrooms, please give them a good rinse to remove any dirt that may still be stuck. After that, you can wash the dried mushrooms and wait for them to soften, which should take 30 – 60 minutes.
It might take a little longer than hot water, but it does maintain the flavour.
Once they become soft, remove the mushrooms and give them another rinse. Pat dry with paper towels or let them dry, especially if you plan to stir-fry or fry them for cooking.
Don’t discard the soaking liquid you used for your dried mushrooms. That liquid contains a delicious flavour flavuor and may be reused for broths and sauces.
Uses of dried mushrooms
Because dried mushrooms are very flavourful, you can create many dishes with them.
For instance, you can use dried mushrooms to flavour your favourite stews and soups. You can even add that soaking liquid to add mushroom flavour. The mushroom is aromatic, which you may use even when preparing stock or broth.
Likewise, you can use dried mushrooms to add more flavour to cream sauces and gravies. Add them to your favourite roasted dishes to give them another dimension.
How can you dehydrate mushrooms?
If you have an overabundance of mushrooms, dehydration is an excellent way to preserve them.
First, clean the mushrooms and remove any dirt that you may find. You may opt to slice them or keep them as it is. Remember that you’re trying to remove as much moisture as possible, so cutting them will allow more water to escape.
Put your mushrooms in a single layer on a dehydrator tray. Ensure that there is space between each piece of mushroom.
Set your dehydrator to 52 degrees Celsius and let the mushrooms dehydrate. This process should take between 3 – 8 hours, depending on the size of the mushrooms. Dehydrated mushrooms should be brittle when they are dry.
Store your mushrooms in an airtight container and keep them in cool and dark storage for up to a year. Add a moisture absorber if you plan to open it or are in a humid area.
You can use an oven instead if you don’t have a dehydrator. Set your range to around 77°C and follow the process above. You will, however, let the steam vent out now and then .
What to substitute for dried mushrooms?
The only real substitute for dried mushrooms are fresh mushrooms. But sometimes, fresh mushrooms are too inconvenient. It’s why, once you’ve discovered the numerous uses of dried mushrooms, you’ll always want to keep a jar in your store cupboard.
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