The Ultimate How-To Guide For Storing Mushrooms

Storing mushrooms doesn't have to be hard. Store your supermarket-bought or freshly grown mushrooms for longer with this ultimate guide for storing muchrooms.

Knowing how to store mushrooms is your best bet for making their delicious flavor and texture last for longer. Whether grown fresh in your garden, from the store or even frozen, there are some essential steps you can take to lock in mushroom’s goodness. 

Not only will this save you money, but it will also help promote less waste and allow you to enjoy more tasty mushroom dishes more often. 

How to Store Mushrooms

To store mushrooms for the longest time, they should be kept in the refrigerator. 

The most important tip for storing mushrooms in the refrigerator is not to wash them before you do so. Simply brush off loose dirt and keep them in the refrigerator as they came. If fresh from the garden, store your mushrooms in a paper bag, or keep them in the packaging they came in from the store. Whole mushrooms will last up to one week in the refrigerator, whereas sliced mushrooms will only last two to three days. 

Avoid air-tight containers or sealed plastic bags when it comes to storing your mushrooms. These limit air flow, which causes the mushrooms to spoil faster. 

How to Store Dried Mushrooms

Unlike fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms should be stored in an airtight container. The moisture in the mushrooms has already been dried out, and so a lack of airflow to these mushrooms will not cause them to spoil. 

Place your dried mushrooms in an airtight container and store them in a cool, dark and dry space. Dried mushrooms can last for up to one whole year this way and save up lots of space in your refrigerator. 

How to Freeze Mushrooms

If you have more mushrooms than you can possibly eat in a week, freezing them is a simple way to store their texture and flavor for much longer. Frozen mushrooms can be thrown into any dish straight from the freezer, making cooking easier and more time-effective. 

To prepare your mushrooms for the freezer, you will need to cook them before in order to keep them intact while frozen and ready for immediate use afterward. Here’s how:

1. Wash and pat dry your mushrooms. Slice or cube them into your preferred size.
2. Sauté the mushrooms in oil or butter until they are cooked through and all the liquid has evaporated. This should take just five minutes.   
3. Spread your mushroom slices evenly on a baking sheet, allowing them to cool to room temperature. 
4. Once cooled, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour, or until the mushrooms are mostly frozen. Remove from the freezer and transfer the frozen mushroom slices into an airtight container. 

Frozen mushrooms will last in the freezer for up to eight months. 

How to Tell When Mushrooms Have Gone Bad

Even if you have followed this guide on how to store mushrooms, it may not stop the inevitable happening. After one week in the refrigerator, mushrooms may begin to go bad. Here are the tell-tale signs that your mushrooms have spoiled and should not be eaten:

• They are slimy or sticky.
• They are shrivelled or wrinkled.
• They are moldy.
• They have darkened in color.
• They have a strong smell.
• They are spongy.
• They have dark spots on them.

Unfortunately, if your mushrooms have developed any of these signs, they are no longer edible. 

Read more:

• How to Grow Mushrooms: A Beginner’s Guide
• Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe: Easy & Creamy Recipe
• How to Cook Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms: A Simple Recipe

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Tags: Cooking Food Food Waste Guide