How do you dry mushrooms?

Allexie

Just been reading the thread about growing your own Shi-take mushrooms and it got me thinking about having a go with a view to drying them. (I spend a fortune on dried wild mushrooms for St Delia's wild mushroom risotto!) Does anyone know how to go about drying mushrooms??

My local Tesco often sell off packs of wild mushrooms really cheaply and it would be great to be able to buy them up to dry them for later use as well.

Also, I love the idea of wandering the countryside picking wild mushrooms but would probably end up in casualty with food poisoning!

mink35

I can remember a friend of mine doing this a long time ago and it took ages.

You need good quality mushrooms, wiped clean with a dry cloth, sliced and then put in a single layer on a rack (like a cake rack) and dried on the lowest oven temperature you've got.

If I remember rightly it look several hours!

Put some meringue in at the same time!

squeaky

There's a site about mushrooms Here that has info on picking, drying etc.

skintscotsman

be warned, certain mushrooms turn into Class A drugs if dried

mink35

Hmmm - that site says never use an oven but if I remember rightly it worked for my friend (can't check I'm afraid as I lost touch years ago!). Perhaps you could leave the oven door ajar like you do for crispy meringue?

squeaky

Possible, I think. The main thing seems to be low level warmth and good air circulation. So if your oven has a miser setting, and is fan assisted(?) or you leave the door open... it might work. The thing to do would be to try it with a small amount of mushroom... and a merangue

mink35

You try it then squeaky and we'll come over for tea! Mushroom risotto and raspberry pavlova with oodles of extra thick double cream! Okay?

Allexie

Just been checking on the prices of dehydrators...... :eek:


then I found this.....:rotfl:


http://www.i4at.org/surv/soldehyd.htm

wouldn't it blow away though?

and, *ahem*, which are the 'naughty' mushrooms.....just so's I can avoid them of course!

mink35

Get ya Blue Peter badge out then Allexie... :rotfl:

Allexie

mink35 wrote:

Get ya Blue Peter badge out then Allexie... :rotfl:

that's just what I was thinking....no mention of sticky back plastic though!!

Murtle

WARNING, not designed for use in the UK

"If you use spray paint or other toxic paints, let the collector bake in the sun for a day or two before use."

It would take you all year to bake the equipment, let alone the mushrooms....

:rotfl: