How to freeze champignons for the winter

Summer is the time for harvesting, preserving and making jam. Nature gives us a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and mushrooms, which you can not only feast on, but also stock up for the winter. Modern refrigerators and freezers are able to keep the product almost intact. Freezing is one of the safest, most useful and effective ways to store fruits and vegetables. And even though after low temperatures the products lose their crispness and original appearance, but their vitamins are preserved almost completely. Today you will learn how to freeze champignons for the winter, how to do it correctly, preserving the taste and benefits of the product.

The benefits of champignons

Mushrooms, along with potatoes, meat and pasta, are the main dish on the Russian table. Mushrooms are boiled, fried, pickled and made from them all kinds of pies and casseroles. In a successful mushroom year, you can collect up to one hundred kilograms of this useful product, and almost for free. You will only have to spend money on a trip to places remote from highways and cities. After all, as you know, mushrooms absorb toxins, and it is extremely undesirable to collect them along busy roads.

Champignons are characterized by high nutritional value and low calorie content. Regular consumption of champignons normalizes metabolic processes. These mushrooms are enjoyed by people who monitor their weight. Champignons effectively lower blood cholesterol. There is a lot of easily digestible protein in such mushrooms, which serves as the basis for the growth of muscles, teeth and bones. By the way, there is more protein in champignons than in eggs and even meat.

A large amount of potassium in champignons has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The fungus has a wonderful effect on the nervous system - it calms, relieves depression and obsessive thoughts. Champignons contain the same amount of phosphorus and calcium as in fish. This mushroom is saturated with folic acid, which is very small in other plant and animal products. Dried champignons serve as an excellent antioxidant in case of food poisoning. Mushrooms also affect mental ability, activate memory. You need to eat mushrooms at least once a week. But to enjoy this product all year round, you need to freeze it properly.

How to freeze champignons

It is best to pick mushrooms for freezing yourself. In this case, you will be sure of the origin of the product. As noted, it is better to collect mushrooms for freezing in ecologically clean areas, away from highways, factories and cities. Mushrooms should be frozen as soon as possible after collection - the fresh product is stored for longer.

1. To begin with, the mushrooms are washed in warm water so that the legs and hats are slightly steamed. As such, they will be easier to clean.
2. After washing, mushrooms should be laid out on a paper or cloth towel to get rid of excess fluid. This is very important - mushrooms with excess moisture will not be stored for a long time, and after defrosting they will be dark and spoiled. Mushrooms should be dried for at least 20 minutes.
3. When the mushrooms dry out a little, they should be cleaned. Scrape off all the dark spots from the mushroom cap. The leg is better to separate from the cap. Firstly, peeling mushrooms is so much more convenient. Secondly, having separated the leg, you can not worry that the mushroom will break. And thirdly, crushed mushrooms are much easier and quicker to defrost. Be sure to cut off the bottom of the stalk that is in contact with the ground.
4. Cut the mushrooms into cubes or slices, the size you need.Focus on the fact that after defrosting you will no longer have the opportunity to grind mushrooms, it is better to immediately cut them in such sizes that are suitable for cooking this or that dish.
5. Mushrooms can be frozen in plastic containers or plastic bags. Dip the mushrooms in a bag, if possible remove excess air and tightly dress the neck so that the mushrooms do not absorb extraneous odors. Freeze the mushrooms in portions to thaw the amount of product needed for one dish. Do not completely freeze the mushrooms - repeated freezing will deprive them of taste, good and smell. If you freeze mushrooms in plastic, rinse thoroughly and dry the container.
6. There is one very subtle nuance when defrosting mushrooms. Most products are recommended to first be thawed in a refrigerator and then added to dishes in order to preserve the benefits. Mushrooms should not be thawed, otherwise they may turn black. Just get a bag of mushrooms and pour them into the soup, in the pan or in the oven.
7. Mushrooms can be frozen not only fresh, but also fried and boiled. Boiling mushrooms is not difficult - add the peeled mushrooms in boiling water and cook 10 minutes after boiling. Then the mushrooms need to be cut (if necessary), wait until they cool and freeze. Mushrooms are fried in the same way as other mushrooms - with the addition of oil and until the liquid evaporates completely. Freezing boiled and fried gives a clear advantage - champignon after defrosting does not need additional heat treatment - it can simply be heated and eaten.
8. Frozen mushrooms can be stored for about six months.

In addition to freezing, mushrooms can be salted, pickled or dried. However, remember that only freezing will allow you to preserve all the vitamins and beneficial properties of this protein product.

Having in the freezer several packs with frozen champignons, you can not be afraid of sudden guests or quick dinners. Ready mushrooms can be added to the broth, mixed with potatoes or baked with cheese. As a result, you will get a quick, tasty and rich dish for the whole family. Prepare a sled in the summer, do not forget to make preparations from tasty and healthy champignons!

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