Wait, you can freeze mushrooms? Yes! But how do you know if they can be frozen and what should you look for when buying them at the grocery store? Read on.
Mushrooms are a notoriously perishable item in the produce department. They’re very delicate and oftentimes sold for just one to two days before they go bad (we’ve all seen those sad brown mushrooms!). So freezing them is a good way to stop all that happening and having to eventually throw them out.
So yes, they can be frozen – but there are a few key points to take into consideration before doing so.
How Do I Freeze Mushrooms Correctly?
There are a few simple steps required for freezing them so that they last longer in the freezer and don’t end up getting too mushy or browned due to water inside of their cells being converted into ice crystals resulting from high-pressure cell rupture during quick cooling.
It should go something like this:
- Place the mushrooms in a single layer on the surface of cookie sheets and then frozen until they’re solid.
- Once that’s done, transfer them to freezer bags or airtight containers so you can keep stacking up more jars without having any contact with one another (so as not have anything slide off).
- When ready for use simply thaw whatever amount is needed out at room temperature – which usually takes about an hour.
- Just before cooking rinse well under cold water!
Wha-laa, hey presto, you’re done!
Mushy Mushies Are Not Fun
The problem is, that if you freeze them incorrectly, or don’t use them immediatly after thawing, they will be all mushy.
It’s important to freeze them in the right way so they won’t turn out bad.
To be safe, it is best not to thaw any frozen mushrooms until you are ready for use – meaning don’t leave a whole package of mushy ones sitting on your countertop waiting!
All this is because of their cell structure. Meaning that when you freeze it solid with ice crystals like other veggies/fruits without enough moisture inside or outside its cellular matrix will be destroyed when quickly heated back up again. This means that using frozen mushrooms will ruin your mushroom’s texture! So if there isn’t sufficient internal hydration OR external barrier preventing dehydration from happening then even refrigeration won’t do much good against mushroom mushiness. So defrost just before putting in your favourite mushroom dish.