Is it possible to dry chanterelles for the winter and how to do it right

With the onset of autumn, it's time to pick mushrooms. How to dry chanterelles for the winter? This question interests many mushroom pickers. Dried mushrooms are a versatile product that can be used to cook soups, cereals and many other dishes. Drying mushrooms for the winter is very simple.

How to dry

Chanterelles are not only the most delicious, but also the most useful among all mushrooms. They contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals.

As many people know, these representatives of the mushroom kingdom, about 5 hours after cutting, begin to accumulate harmful metabolites.It is for this reason that they must be processed or s alted as early as possible. Freezing is the easiest option. But what if there is no room in the freezer, and mushrooms need to be processed urgently? For example, they can be dried.

You can dry chanterelle mushrooms in several ways:

On a string;
In the oven;
In an electric dryer;
The natural way in the sun.

The last way is the most preferable.

How to dry chanterelles? In order to properly dry the mushrooms, you must adhere to simple rules. First of all, you should choose the most dense and he althy mushrooms. It is not recommended to wash them before the drying process, as they absorb a lot of water, and they will dry much longer than necessary.Mushrooms should be cleaned of leaves, needles and dirt.This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the mushroom.

Only hats are suitable for drying. The legs need to be cut off and thrown away. If you cut the caps, then you can dry the chanterelles much faster. Drying the mushrooms should be gradual, but at the same time it is desirable to do this as quickly as possible. If dried slowly, they may deteriorate.

Preparing for drying

One of the most important steps is the preparation of mushrooms. The quality of dried mushrooms depends on it. Those mushroom pickers who are well acquainted with chanterelles know that they are never wormy. They contain the substance chinomannose, which pests do not like.

Preparation process:

Mushrooms must be cleaned of blades of grass and dirt;
If the mushrooms are heavily soiled, then the caps can be wiped with a damp cloth;
If they are dried on a rope, then the chanterelles should be left whole, if not, then cut off the legs and cut the hats in half.

After that, you can start the drying process.

How to dry naturally

This method is the most preferred among all. But it also has one significant drawback - it can be dried only if the weather is warm and sunny. And autumn is most often rainy and cloudy in Russia.

Dry in this way for no more than two weeks. First, the chanterelles should be slightly dried on a newspaper in the sun in a ventilated place. Mushrooms are strung on strong threads and hung in the sun. They should not fit tightly together.

Use a thick needle for stringing. As a rule, drying on a thread takes from 6 to 9 days.

Also, special gratings are suitable for this purpose. Chanterelles need to be laid out in one layer and covered with gauze so that flies do not sit on them. They should be turned over regularly.

It is important to understand in time when they are already fully prepared. Dried mushrooms should be elastic, slightly springy, but in no case should they break. If they are not dried out, they will quickly become moldy, and if they are dried out, they will lose their taste and smell.

How to dry in the oven

Is it possible to dry chanterelles for the winter in the oven? This option is the most common because it is the simplest and most affordable. For drying in the oven, he must have a thermometer without fail. This is important because the optimum temperature should be between 50 and 60 degrees.

First, it is better to set the temperature to 40 degrees, and then gradually bring it up to 60.

Lay out on a wire rack in one layer, the mushrooms should not touch each other. Periodically, the mushrooms should be turned over and shifted so that they dry evenly.The duration of this process depends on the size of the chanterelles. Those that have already dried can be removed, and the rest left to dry further.

You can store them in a glass jar in a dark and dry place. You can also use bags made of natural fabrics or cardboard boxes. They can be stored for more than one year. If the mushrooms are damp, they should simply be dried in the oven. Throw away those that are moldy.

Drying chanterelles in an electric dryer

Another common way is drying in special dryers. Drying mushrooms in this way is quite simple. Such electric dryers are usually used for fruits and berries, but they are also perfect for mushrooms. You can also use a marinator.

The whole drying process takes no more than 10 hours. The electric dryer has several tiers, where mushrooms are spread evenly in a thin layer. To dry them faster, they can be cut.The device should be plugged into the outlet and wait until the chanterelles are completely ready.

You can also use a microwave, but this is a very long and energy-intensive way. It should only be used as a last resort.

It is necessary to use the minimum power of the microwave oven and turn it on for 20 minutes. Then take out the tiers and ventilate for about 5-10 minutes, wait until all the moisture has evaporated. Then put them back in the microwave for 20 minutes. This procedure should be repeated several times in a row until the chanterelles are completely dry.

Before using dried chanterelles for cooking various dishes, they should be thoroughly washed under running water. Then soak for several hours in water. You can cook in the same water.