Dehydrating Mushrooms

Dried mushrooms will last for years and retain an intensified form of their intrinsic flavor and vital properties. You could try spreading the mushrooms on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper and bake them in your oven at 140°F. (as low as many ovens will go) until they’ve dried, but the mushrooms are likely to partially bake in the process. Using an actual dehydrator machine, which dehydrates at a low temperature, better preserves the mushrooms’ flavor.

To prep:

For thinner, smaller varieties like chanterelles, black trumpet mushrooms, and hedgehog mushrooms, lightly rinse, pat dry, and dehydrate them whole. If you find any particularly large or thick examples you may want to halve them first so they’re similar in size to the others. Thicker, meatier mushrooms like lobster mushrooms, portobellos, and porcinis should be sliced before drying. We recommend slicing them about 1/4″ thick.

To dry:

You shouldn’t need to use any special tray liners; the basic plastic grates work just fine. Set the dehydrator very low (80-90 degrees) for the first few hours, then turn the heat up to 120-125 degrees. It could take anywhere from four to eleven hours to dehydrate your mushrooms. The time can vary quite a bit depending on their moisture content, how much you’re drying, and the ambient humidity. A good rule of thumb is to check them every hour or so until they start to dry out, check every half hour. The mushrooms are done when they’re completely dry throughout and hard. Smaller mushrooms may finish drying faster. If so, remove them as you notice them. Over-drying can damage their quality. Once you’ve established a baseline for your dehydrator and each type of mushroom you likely won’t need to check on them as often in the future.

To store:

Put them in an air-tight container in a cool, dry cupboard. Read How to Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms for tips on making them soft again. NOTE: Chanterelles often become woody when reconstituted so we prefer to puree them for use in soups and sauces rather than use them whole in recipes.

Freezing Mushrooms

In general, when freezing anything, the smaller the pieces the better. But if you plan to use the mushrooms whole or need larger pieces, you can freeze them that way. You can also partially cook (sauté) fresh mushrooms in oil and then freeze them, which will save cooking time later on.

To prep:

For most varieties, you can simply brush off the clinging dirt. Mushrooms with a lot of nooks and crannies might need a gentle rinse, and then carefully dry them as thoroughly as possible.

To freeze:

Put a sheet pan in your freezer until it’s good and cold. Place the mushrooms on the sheet pan in a single layer so they don’t touch each other. Freeze them solid, uncovered.

To store:

Move the frozen mushrooms to a freezer bag or (even better) a vacuum pack bag. Get as much air out as possible, seal. They will keep frozen for up to 12 months. Only thaw mushrooms when you’re ready to use them, as refreezing can damage their flavor/texture.