Have you ever had a recipe ask for mushrooms and you just didn’t have any? Or have you bought them intending to use them and instead they go slimy and black in the refrigerator drawer. We don’t use a ton of mushrooms here (some family members are not big fans), but when I need some for a recipe I need them NOW. And I don’t want to have to run to the store for some. Thankfully, we can always have mushrooms ready to use by dehydrating them.
Dehydrating mushrooms is easy and produces a fantastic end product. As always, the dehydrated food is smaller and lighter weight than the original, making dried mushrooms ideal for food storage or just for having mushrooms on hand when you want some. Plus, did I mention it’s easy? Here’s how to dehydrate mushrooms.
1. Get some mushrooms. Any variety works. I had some white and some small Crimini mushrooms.
2. Prep the mushrooms. Wash them thoroughly (you don’t want dirt in your final product) and then slice or dice them the size you want them for future use. It is much easier to make them the desired size to begin with rather than breaking them up after they have dried. I did some sliced (between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick) and some diced. I can sneak the diced mushrooms into food for the picky eaters a lot easier than I can the sliced ones.
3. Lay the mushrooms on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It is not important if they are touching or if they overlap a bit.
4. Dry at 125 degrees (vegetable setting) for 4-6 hours or until thoroughly dry. When they are done they should snap when bent, not flex.
5. Store in an airtight container. Use a long term storage method and they can store up to 20 years.
Super easy dehydrating project. For all the basics on dehydrating, be sure to listen to my Introduction to Dehydrating podcast!
Keep preparing! Angela
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so how do you rehydrate them? And can they just be kept in freezer bags with the air sucked out? do they need to be kept in the freezer? How long will they stay good?
Rehydrate them in hot water. If you cook them, they hydrate faster. The lower the temperature of the water, the longer it will take. Store them on the shelf in an airtight container. Vacuum seal freezer bags would work, or a mason jar, or Mylar bag. Ziplocks are not as good. For longer term storage, you will want to suck the air out of whatever you are storing them in, so vacuum seal the bag or jar, OR put an oxygen absorber in with the dried mushrooms before sealing them.
I dehydrate them, powder them in my Nutribullet, and add them to my cream of mushroom soup mix that costs pennies, not dollars. I put the 3/4 cup of mushrooms on each tray when I make a batch, so that I’ll know how much goes into the soup mix.
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1/8⅛ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. salt (or to taste)
Pinch of sugar
8 oz. fresh or evaporated milk
Approx. ¾ cup canned or fresh mushrooms, sliced
1. Put all ingredients except the mushrooms in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Add mushrooms and pulse 2-3 times until mushrooms are chopped. (Unless using dehydrated.)
2. Pour into a 2-quart glass bowl and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, whisking well after two minutes and again at the end of cooking time. If not thick enough, add 30 seconds and whisk again.
I keep a pint jar of this mix on the shelf. It only uses 2 tablespoons of mix plus the milk to make the equivalent of a can of soup.
I made a crockpot dinner last night using this with fresh whole milk and homemade onion soup mix with beef strips and served it over mashed potatoes. Delicious! Better than canned, and it doesn’t need a lot of storage space or refrigeration.
Can you dehydrate in the oven?