How to dry mushrooms at home

Nutrition

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather mushrooms in unpolluted places: away from roads, factories and farmland. Read the recipe notes to learn which mushrooms suit drying.

   
2. 2

   Ceps of any size suit drying, but large, clean, firm ones are most convenient.

   
3. 4

   Clean the mushrooms of forest debris without washing them. Scrape off any dirt with a knife. Check for worms: there should be no worm traces on the cut surface.

   
4. 5

   Cut the mushrooms into large slices 1–1.5 cm thick.

   
5. 6

   Line a baking tray with parchment and spread the sliced mushrooms over it in a single layer.

   
6. 7

   Put the mushrooms in the oven, preheated to 50 °C, for about 2 hours. Leave the door ajar by 5–7 cm so the steam can escape. If the oven has no fan, swap the trays around.

   
7. 8

   After 2 hours, raise the temperature to 65–70 °C and dry for about 2 more hours. Then lower it to 50 °C and dry for a further 3–8 hours, stirring occasionally, until completely dry.

   
8. 9

   There are other ways to dry mushrooms — read about them in the recipe notes.

   
9. 11

   Break a dried mushroom: it should be dry inside. Turn off the oven and leave the mushrooms until completely cool.

   
10. 12

    Store dried mushrooms in a tightly closed container — a glass jar with a screw lid or vacuum bags.