Content
- Preserve fresh oyster mushrooms by freezing
- Freeze raw oyster mushrooms
- Can you also freeze prepared oyster mushrooms?
- How long are frozen oyster mushrooms?
- Thaw frozen oyster mushrooms properly
- Tips
Oyster mushrooms are best frozen raw
Preserve fresh oyster mushrooms by freezing
In nature, the oyster mushroom, also known as oyster mushroom or veal mushroom, especially in late autumn and in winter on the trunks of living and dead deciduous trees can be found. It is an excellent edible mushroom whose thick, firm flesh tastes very aromatic and mild. Like all mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, as it is known in the jargon, does not last long.
Freeze raw oyster mushrooms
However, oyster mushrooms can freeze very well and last longer. It is best to clean the fresh mushrooms carefully and to cut out damaged areas (such as bruises). Do not wash the mushrooms or blanch them - this is sometimes advised, but is not recommended in terms of taste and texture. Like all mushrooms, oyster mushrooms quickly become saturated with water, which ultimately suffers greatly from the aroma. Instead, cut well-cleaned, raw mushrooms roughly into pieces or slices and freeze them immediately after collection or after purchase.
Can you also freeze prepared oyster mushrooms?
Even prepared oyster mushrooms or mushroom dishes can be frozen well if you cool them down immediately after cooking or frying and pack them in the freezer. If such a dish is only at room temperature for some time, numerous bacteria multiply on it - which in turn can cause food poisoning, if such a dish is thawed and consumed. In addition, once frozen and thawed mushrooms must never be thawed again.
How long are frozen oyster mushrooms?
How long frozen oyster mushrooms last will depend on several factors. The fresher the mushrooms came into the freezer, the longer they stay there. Freshly collected oyster mushrooms can be stored in the freezer at a temperature of at least minus 18 ° C for about ten months, whereas mushrooms from the supermarket - of which you never know how old they actually are - should remain there for a maximum of six months. The mushrooms can only be stored for a few weeks in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator in which only a few degrees of freezing can be produced. Prepared mushroom dishes, however, last a maximum of two to three months.
Thaw frozen oyster mushrooms properly
Frozen oyster mushrooms should never be thawed and then prepared - this will quickly make them "flabby" and get a rubbery consistency. The frozen mushrooms are best thawed directly in a pan or pot of hot fat or hot broth / water.
Tips
Oyster mushrooms are especially fresh if you breed them yourself and cut them from the straw bale immediately before preparation.