John Myers
If your mushroom hunt was particularly successful, fermenting the mushrooms is a very good way of preserving the small delicacies. Fermented mushrooms not only taste delicious, but they can also be stored for a comparatively long time and, above all, uncomplicatedly.
Fermenting mushrooms – how to do it
Fermented mushrooms are definitely an enrichment in the kitchen because with the help of the tasty mushroom side dish you can transform simple dishes into a small gourmet meal in a flash. And there is hardly anyone who does not appreciate the mushrooms they collect themselves.
- To ferment your mushrooms, you hardly need any ingredients and the time is also limited. Basically, a little salt and a little sugar are enough to ferment the mushrooms. Depending on your taste, enrich the brine with other ingredients such as garlic, rosemary, mustard seeds, thyme, pepper, or parsley.
- To prepare the brine for one kilogram of mushrooms, you need around 70 grams of salt and about the same amount of sugar. You will also need sterilized preserving jars and, if necessary, stones to weigh down the mushroom jars. It is advantageous to choose the size of the glasses so that you can prepare the mushrooms in portions.
- First, wash the mushrooms under running water, and then boil them. Then fill the cooled mushrooms into the prepared mason jars and pour the broth over them. Make sure that you leave about two centimeters free at the edge of the glass so that the brew does not overflow during fermentation. If necessary, place glass stones on the mushrooms before closing the jars.
- For the first two weeks, place the jars in a room with a temperature of around 20 degrees. If necessary, also place a cloth over the glasses so that they are protected from strong sunlight. Then keep the jars in a cool place, such as the basement or pantry, for about two to three weeks.
Preserve mushrooms – you should know that
Fermented mushrooms will easily keep for six to seven months as long as the jars are tightly sealed. Once you open the jar, you should use the mushrooms within about four weeks. However, you must store the opened jar in a cool place.
- If you only want to store the mushrooms you have collected for a short time, the cool basement is a good choice. However, the room where you store the mushrooms for a short time must be dry. Mushrooms do not tolerate moisture well.
- Alternatively, the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator is ideal for the short-term storage of mushrooms. However, make sure that the mushrooms are not wrapped in plastic. If necessary, place kitchen paper or a kitchen towel over the mushrooms.
- Incidentally, mushrooms can also be preserved longer by freezing, drying, or smoking.
