Mushrooms can be purchased in three forms--fresh, canned or dried. Dried mushrooms can be stored indefinitely if cared for properly and are simple to reconstitute to use in your favorite dishes. Purchasing dried mushrooms also gives the cook many other choices at the grocery store where button mushrooms may be the only fresh type available.
Significance
The more exotic types of mushrooms, such as the oyster, shiitake, morel and portabella, are often the better bargain if purchased dried instead of fresh. Because mushrooms can be dried easily at home, you can purchase mushrooms on sale at the grocery and store them for future use.
Function
Dried mushrooms can be used in the same way as fresh mushrooms. If the mushrooms are to be added to soups, stews or sauces there is no need to reconstitute them, as they will absorb the cooking liquid. To use in other recipes, soaking the mushrooms in hot water for 10 to 30 minutes is all that needs to be done for the mushrooms to be ready for use.
Considerations
Mushrooms can easily be dried at home using an oven or dehydrator. Slice the fresh mushrooms and spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and place the tray of mushrooms in the oven. Allow the mushrooms to dry for 8 to 10 hours. Remove from the oven, store in a plastic storage bag or other airtight container. The mushrooms are ready to store when they feel dry to the touch and are still slightly pliable. Using a dehydrator is even easier, simply slice the mushrooms and place them on the trays and run the machine for the amount of time listed in the manual that came with the dehydrator.
Benefits
Purchasing dried mushrooms of various varieties means that you will always have the type of mushroom on hand that any recipe calls for. If you can purchase fresh mushrooms at a good price, they can be dried at home to have in the pantry ready to be used anytime.
Warning
Always purchase dried mushrooms from a reputable retailer. By doing this, the consumer knows that the mushrooms are of good quality and are safe to eat. Before drying any harvested mushroom from the wild, be sure that the mushroom is edible and is safe to eat. Many wild mushrooms are highly toxic and foraging for mushrooms requires a high level of knowledge about mycelium.
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