Pickled mushrooms are one of the favorite dishes of millions of people across the globe. It does not matter a lot what country you live in – pickled mushrooms are sold everywhere. They may have different look, recipes and cooking secrets, but there is one thing that is common for all the mushrooms cooked and stored this way. The thing we are talking about is… the taste! Pickled mushrooms have a peculiar taste that makes them stand out in the crowd. This is especially true when it comes to homemade dishes. So, if you are right about to cook pickled mushrooms, the following secrets may come in handy to you.
Cooking Pickled Mushrooms: What to Start With?
The process of cooking pickled mushrooms generally starts with sorting out and processing of fresh mushrooms you have either bought at the market or gathered in the forest. Make sure the mushrooms are clean and, what really matters here, safe. If you have made up your mind to pickle the mushrooms, you should know for sure what sorts are safe or poisonous. When gathering the mushrooms in a forest, you should choose only those you know. Even if you have the minor doubts about the safety or a sort of a mushroom, do not get it to prevent the potential unwanted consequences and health problems.
Another thing you should know is that it is better to pickle Polyporaceae (such as edible boletus, slippery jacks, Aspen mushrooms, birch boletus etc.), although some sorts of agaric mushrooms (honey fungus, for instance) can be pickled as well. Anyway, the mushrooms you choose should be firm, young and without any worms.
Sorting the Mushrooms
Before proceeding to the process of pickling, sort out the mushrooms first with regard to their sort. It is better to pickle different sorts of mushrooms separately because each of them has its taste, aroma and cooking peculiarities. Having sorted out the mushrooms, peel them, remove the spoiled parts and the roots.
If the mushrooms are small, it is better to pickle them as they are. Large mushrooms should be, correspondingly, cut into several pieces. To prevent the product from darkening, place it into salty water. If you wish, you can add a bit of lemon acid as well. If you are going to pickle slippery jacks, put them into the boiling water for about 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin from the cap.
Methods of Mushroom Pickling
You can pickle the mushrooms at home using one of the following methods. The first method implies boiling the mushrooms in the marinade. This gives the ready-made product peculiar bright taste and aroma, although the marinade itself will have a dull and vicious look. The second method implies placing the mushrooms into the boiling marinade. In this case, the marinade will be clean and transparent, but it will lack the specific mushroom scent and taste. So, it is up to you to decide what option to go for.
Speaking about the marinade recipes, there are plenty of them on the web. Just take your time to browse through the Internet to select the one that comes up to your taste and preferences. Another recommendation is to ask your friends or relatives to share their own mushroom marinade recipes with you. May your mushroom pickling be a success!
