Step-by-step recipes for preparing salted butter mushrooms for the winter using cold and hot methods in jars

Russian cuisine is unimaginable without mushrooms. Butterlets are among the most popular due to their excellent taste and long harvest period, which lasts from July until the coldest weather. They grow in large clusters; with luck, you can pick a large basket from a single clearing. Let's take a look. Recipes for pickled and salted butter mushrooms for the winter, as well as rules for preparation for salting.

Peculiarities of pickling butter mushrooms for the winter

Lucky individuals can harvest several baskets of butter mushrooms in a single forest trip. The dense distribution of mushrooms in the myceliums makes it possible to collect many mushrooms at once. Therefore, butter mushrooms are often used for pickling.

What you need to know – tips for experienced housewives and those preparing pickles for the first time:

1. It is better not to choose overgrown or old specimens with torn edges for cooking, as they will spoil the appearance of the finished dish.
2. Large specimens will have to be cut.
3. To remove worms, it's recommended to soak the fish in salt water for 20 minutes. Even better, carefully sort through the fish and discard any wormy ones.
4. Mushrooms shouldn't be left untreated for long. They need to be processed immediately after returning from the forest. Processing should be completed within a few hours.
5. For any type of preparation, use coarse salt without iodization.
6. Spices such as garlic, dill, currant, bay and cherry leaves help to improve and enhance the taste.

It's worth reminding everyone to carefully prepare jars and ingredients when canning and sealing. Mushrooms often cause the dangerous disease botulism, which bacteria reproduce without air and produce a toxin. Therefore, many mushroom pickers traditionally use open-air pickling—in pots, barrels, or under simple nylon lids.

How to prepare mushrooms for pickling

Preparing butter mushrooms for salting has a number of specific features, which, if known, can speed up and simplify the preliminary steps:

• Everyone knows that the butter mushroom is a sticky one. Leaves, forest debris, and small insects stick to its cap. Before washing, remove any debris with a brush before placing it in water.
• Many believe that the sticky skin on the cap spoils the flavor and makes the cooked mushrooms slippery and unpleasant. These mushroom pickers prefer to peel off the sticky layer. It's fairly easy to remove—just use a knife to lift the film at the edge of the cap and pull it toward you. Whether or not to peel the skin is the cook's choice. It doesn't affect the taste. Some people love butter mushrooms precisely for their slipperiness.

• This type of mushroom doesn't require soaking; in fact, prolonged contact with water will absorb excess liquid, impairing both appearance and flavor. Therefore, peeled boletuses should be soaked briefly to allow the sand to settle to the bottom, then rinsed under running water. Afterward, they are spread out on a table to dry.

As already noted, mushrooms need to be processed quickly, leaving all other chores and concerns aside. Worms quickly infest neighboring mushrooms in baskets and ruin the entire harvest. The maximum shelf life is about 24 hours in a cool place. Keeping mushrooms in a warm place is not recommended. They should be brought in small batches, sorted, washed, and dried immediately.

Tip: deformed and old mushrooms can be fried into delicious caviar, including for canning for the winter.

How to pickle butter mushrooms at home

There are various ways to deliciously salt butter mushrooms for long-term storage. The method of preparation itself varies, and you can also achieve a different flavor in the finished product by varying the spices. In the old days in Russia, they didn't waste time boiling the raw mushrooms; they were salted raw.

Main methods:

• cold - without boiling;
• hot – butter mushrooms are boiled in salted water;
• combined - they cook it until it is not ready, then you need to salt the semi-finished product.

Each method has its supporters, let's look at each one and choose the best.

Cold method

This pickling method has been used since time immemorial. The mushrooms are placed in containers and stored in a cool place—in a cellar. There's no need to prepare a brine, and sterility isn't required. So, here's a step-by-step, detailed recipe for a simple and quick pickling method:

1. A thin layer of salt is placed on the bottom of the container, and on top of it, caps down, the butter mushrooms are placed in a dense layer.
2. Before stacking, weigh the mushrooms and measure out the salt—50 grams per kilogram of mushrooms. Ensure the salt is evenly distributed during stacking.
3. The butter mushrooms should be layered with garlic, aromatic herbs, currant and cherry leaves.
4. Once the laying process is complete, a wooden circle or flat plate is placed on top of the top layer, pressing it down well and weighing it down with a weight.
5. Once the juices have formed above the plate (2-4 days), the mushrooms can be transferred to jars and stored permanently. The mushrooms are covered with the released juices; many add vegetable oil on top to prevent mold.

With this method, all the flavor, aroma, and nutrients remain in the mushrooms, not in the boiling water. A unique feature of this method is that the mushrooms will be ready only after a month.

Hot method

This method is used for canning with airtight lids. Remember to prepare sterile jars and lids in advance, and thoroughly sanitize the jars and all ingredients used for canning.

The following proportions must be observed:

• butter mushrooms – 1 kilogram;
• purified, filtered water – 1 liter;
• sugar, coarse salt - 2 tablespoons each;
• spices to taste.

Boil the mushrooms in cold water. When they begin to sink slightly, add salt, sugar, bay leaf, and your chosen spices, and cook for another 5 minutes.

While still hot, place the mushrooms into jars, packing them as tightly as possible. Before pouring, bring the liquid in which the mushrooms were cooked to a boil again, adding 3 tablespoons of 9% vinegar. Pour the marinade all the way to the top and seal.

If it is possible to keep the preparations in the cold, for example, if the refrigerator capacity allows it, it is better not to seal the butter mushrooms, but to store them under light lids.

Combined method

When using this method, the butter mushrooms are boiled for a shorter period; 10 minutes after boiling is enough.

Proportions:

• butter mushrooms – 5 kilograms;
• salt – 200 grams;
• water – 3 liters;
• spices – as desired and to taste (bay leaf, fragrant leaves, dill seeds or herbs).

Place the mushrooms in cold water without waiting for them to cook, removing them after 10 minutes. Place them immediately in a permanent storage container, adding spices between the layers to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the mushrooms. Season each layer with salt.

Pour the water in which the mushrooms were cooked into the filled container. The brine should be higher than the mushrooms. Spread the salt, measured by weight, throughout the mushrooms. You can sprinkle vegetable oil on the surface to create a mold-resistant film.

With horseradish

The necessary set of products for a kilogram of butter mushrooms:

• horseradish root - 2 centimeters not thick;
• onions - green feathers - 0.3 kilograms;
• water – 1 liter;
• salt – 1.5 tablespoons.

Add salt, a sprig of dill, and bay leaf to the water. Boil for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Boil for 20 minutes. One minute before removing from the heat, remove the dill and bay leaf, add horseradish, and onion, cut into medium pieces. Place the mushrooms and marinade in jars, adding a tablespoon of vinegar. Seal loosely. Refrigerate.

With garlic

Garlic is considered the best seasoning for marinades and pickles. It imparts a piquant flavor and distinctive aroma to mushrooms.

Cooking with garlic:

• butter mushrooms – 1 kilogram;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• water – 1 liter;
• dill - umbrella.

Boil the mushrooms for 20 minutes, adding 2 tablespoons of salt and sugar 5 minutes before the end of cooking. While arranging the mushrooms in the container, scatter finely chopped garlic between the layers. Pour the marinade over the top. If you're sealing the jars, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to each.

With citric acid

You can marinate mushrooms using citric acid instead of traditional vinegar. This will give the mushrooms a piquant tartness.

We use:

• butter mushrooms – 1.5 kilograms;
• water – 1.5 liters;
• citric acid – 2 teaspoons;
• herbs;
• salt, sugar – 3 tablespoons each.

Spread the spices on the bottom of the jars. Boil the mushrooms for 20 minutes, adding salt, sugar, and acid all at once. Transfer the mushrooms to the jars and pour in the broth. Sterilize for 20 minutes, cover with lids, and seal.

Tip: To protect your fingers from blackening when preparing butter mushrooms, use vegetable oil, which should be applied not only to your hands, but also to the knife.

How to properly store cooked mushrooms

Salted or pickled mushrooms should be stored cool and dark. This is the best way to preserve them. If the jars are sealed, choose a cool place in a dark cupboard. If storing them in a cellar or refrigerator is not possible, the mushrooms should be eaten as soon as possible.

The ideal temperature is considered to be 2-6°C. When salting mushrooms openly, it's important to choose the right container—wood, enamel, or glass. Glass jars are the most convenient for storing. The brine must completely cover the mushrooms, otherwise mold will develop, making the product unfit for consumption.

A lack of salt will lead to spoilage, so the proportions must be strictly adhered to. When salting in the open air, it's best not to add sugar, as it promotes fermentation.

Homemade salted and pickled butter mushrooms are strikingly different in taste and aroma from store-bought varieties. They retain a unique forest spirit, reminiscent of a walk and a "quiet hunt." All the effort put into preparing the pickles will be well worth it this winter, a wonderful addition to everyday and festive tables.