How to freeze fresh champignons at home in the refrigerator for the winter and is it possible?

Champignons are popular mushrooms that can be found on store shelves at any time. Some home cooks prefer to make delicious preserves from them. There are several methods for preserving them: salting, pickling, and drying. For easier use and to preserve their beneficial compounds, they are often frozen. Fresh mushrooms have a relatively short shelf life, but frozen ones are always on hand. Therefore, we offer a detailed description of how to freeze fresh champignons.

Composition and useful substances of mushrooms

Fresh champignons have a rich chemical composition. They contain many B vitamins, vitamin D, tocopherol (E), and niacin. They also contain many beneficial minerals, including iron, potassium, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.

The calorie content per 100 grams of the product is 27 kilocalories. Mushrooms are the highest in protein, which serves as an alternative to meat.

The presence of acids makes this product particularly beneficial for the human body. 100 grams of the product contains Omega-6, capric, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, myristic, and palmitoleic acids.

Positive qualities of the ingredient

Thanks to its unique composition, the product has the following positive properties:

• Widely used in dietary nutrition, it helps replenish nutrient deficiencies. It can be used as a meat substitute during fasting days. Its sodium content allows it to be used in salt-free diets.
• Normalizes blood cholesterol levels. Acts as a preventative ingredient against vascular blockages.
• Lower blood sugar levels.
• Prevents headaches and migraines. Arginine and lysine, components included in the product, help improve brain function and memory.

• Normalizes the functioning of the kidneys, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract.
• Cleanses the body of toxic compounds and waste.
• Calms the central nervous system.
• It has a beneficial effect on the retina, improving the quality of vision.
• Strengthens the musculoskeletal system, improves the appearance of hair, nails and teeth.
• The juice secreted by champignons has a disinfecting effect, effectively eliminating pathogenic microflora.
• Strengthens the immune system thanks to its rich, unique composition.

Vitamin B9, or folic acid, found in champignons, influences fetal development in the womb. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to include mushrooms in their diet, but in small portions.

The product's unique, rich composition makes it popular. Scientists have also proven that champignons contain the same amount of phosphorus as fish.

Harm

Despite all the positive properties, the product is not recommended for use in the following diseases:

• Diseases of the pancreas, liver, and digestive organs. This is explained by the fact that the presence of chitin is harmful to the human body, as the substance does not dissolve in gastric juice;
• They should not be collected near roads, industrial plants, landfills, or swamps. Like any mushrooms, they have the ability to quickly absorb toxic compounds. Eating such a product will not do any good. At best, it can cause poisoning; at worst, it can be fatal.

• Should not be included in the diet of children under 5 years of age. Mushrooms are a heavy food and can impair gastrointestinal function. If you decide to give them to your child, keep the portion small; otherwise, the risk of digestive tract slowdown increases.
• Champignons reduce the body's absorption of other nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended to consume this type of mushroom in minimal quantities.

In general, mushrooms have no contraindications, except for individual intolerance to the components.

It's also worth noting that champignons are very similar in appearance to death caps and some species of fly agaric. Be careful when picking mushrooms in the forest. It's easy to confuse young champignons with poisonous varieties.

Preparing champignons for freezing

To ensure mushrooms are well preserved in the freezer, they need to be prepared properly:

1. For long-term refrigeration, choose fresh mushrooms. They should be free of bruises, signs of spoilage, or rot. They should be medium in size and bright white in color.
2. Rinse the mushrooms under running water. No need to peel them.
3. Place the mixture on a clean kitchen towel and let it sit for half an hour. It's important that the ingredient is completely dry and that any excess moisture is absorbed into the towel. For faster drying, you can use disposable paper towels.

Remove any parts of the prepared mushrooms that are inedible, such as the root attachment point and dark areas.

Let's proceed to further processing of mushrooms for storage in a home freezer.

A way to prepare raw mushrooms for the winter

To keep raw mushrooms fresh, you can freeze them. However, it's important to consider several features and rules. Let's consider the various options. Freezing mushrooms at home in simple conditions.

Whole champignons

All types of mushrooms can be frozen. Smaller mushrooms are recommended for freezing whole. Small or medium-sized ones are acceptable. Prepare the mushrooms as described above.

For freezer storage, we recommend using a steamer basket. Made of soft plastic, they allow you to not only freeze ingredients but also thaw and cook them in the microwave or steamer.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to freeze raw, undried mushrooms. The water will freeze quickly, and when defrosted, it will make the mushrooms watery and tasteless.

Place the product in a single layer at the bottom of the container. Place the container with the contents in the freezer, in the top compartment. The freezing process takes anywhere from 4 to 12 days.

After the specified period, place the frozen mushrooms in plastic bags for storage and put them on the bottom shelf of the freezer.

Whole frozen mushrooms do not need to be defrosted before cooking. Otherwise, they will turn black and ruin the appearance of the main dish.

Freezing in plates

Mushrooms are rarely frozen whole, as this requires special selection by size. However, you won't always find all the same mushrooms on the shelves. Mushrooms of any size can be frozen in slices.

Let's look at the step-by-step steps for proper freezing:

• Rinse fresh mushrooms under running water. Dry thoroughly.
• Chop into slices of equal thickness, preferably at least 3 millimeters.
• Carefully spread the slices in a thin layer on a plastic tray, making sure they don't touch each other. When frozen, the ingredient becomes very brittle and may break.

• Place the food tray in the freezer, in the top compartment, for quick freezing.
• After 3-5 hours, transfer to a plastic bag. Tie it tightly and return to the freezer.
• It's recommended to attach a small sticker to each bag with the freezing date and time. This will make it easy to monitor the shelf life.

Champignons in slices are convenient to use for making soups, sauces, potatoes and for filling in baked goods.

Mushrooms diced

Freezing mushrooms is easy, and the steps are similar to those described above. The key is in the slicing. Dice the mushrooms. Place them on a wooden cutting board or plastic tray. Place them on the top shelf of the freezer until completely frozen. Place the frozen mushrooms in a plastic bag and return them to the freezer.

Mushrooms should not be stored near meat or fish. Their spongy structure quickly absorbs odors. It is recommended to store them separately.

Do mushrooms retain their flavor after defrosting?

Having addressed the question of how to freeze fresh champignons, a new one arises – preserving their flavor. So, the product retains its properties even after defrosting, provided all defrosting instructions are followed:

1. The entire batch of mushrooms is not defrosted, only the amount needed.
2. A quick defrosting method isn't suitable for this product. It should be done slowly. To do this, place the mushrooms on a plate and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or longer.
3. Mushrooms should not be defrosted for soup or baking. They will turn black and spoil their appearance.

The shelf life directly depends on the freezer temperature. At -18 degrees Celsius, it lasts 6-8 months, and at -20 degrees Celsius, it lasts 12-18 months.

Mushrooms should not be re-frozen. They lose their shape and nutritional value. Keeping a few bags of frozen mushrooms in the freezer allows you to prepare a delicious dinner for unexpected guests.

You can bake champignons with hard cheese and some potatoes. It'll make a quick and delicious dish that the whole family will love. Don't forget prepare champignons for the winter!