Lions Mane Mushroom is not as powerful as its name suggests. It is a delicious mushroom, but its texture is just as mild as its flavor, and that may be why you are wondering can you freeze lion’s mane mushrooms.
Can You Freeze Lion’s Mane Mushroom? The Quick Answer:
Yes, you can freeze lion’s mane mushrooms for about 12 months. There is one thing about freezing these mushrooms. You will need to make sure to blanch them first. Failing to do this will result in limp mushrooms that taste like they were froze. So, yes, you can freeze lion’s mane mushrooms, but there are some caveats that you will want to know about before doing so.
What you cannot do is freeze them raw. Mushrooms are far too delicate, and it is very possible that they will turn into a mushy mess once thawed. But there is a way to get around that.
You can blanche your mushrooms prior to freezing, which gives them a much better chance to survive the freezing process. Blanching is a way to par-cook mushrooms without cooking them overly hot, and this really helps when you are trying to freeze certain vegetables and mushrooms.
How To Freeze Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
The process for freezing Lions Mane Mushrooms is not difficult, but takes some time.
1. Clean first
Wash mushrooms well to remove all the dirt and debris. Let them dry out while you prep all the things needed to par boil. To blanch mushrooms, you will need a large baking pan filled with boiling water, a strainer, and some ice-cold water that has been prepared.
The ice water can either be a bowl of water that is been chilled in the refrigerator, or you can drop some ice into a bowl of water. Drop the mushrooms in the boiling water for 90 seconds, strain, then immerse them in ice water, then strain again. Allow your Lions Mane mushrooms to dry out. Once the mushrooms are dry and draining, then you can proceed with the freezing portion!
2. Blanch
Fill a large cooking pot with boiling water, and have another container with ice water prepared.
Throw your mushrooms into the boiling water for 90 seconds, then drain or strain them from the boiling water, the submerge them in ice water for 30-90 seconds, and strain again.
After this, let the mushrooms dry completely.
3. Freezing The Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
You want to make sure the mushrooms do not stick together, so you’ll want to first freeze them on a pan or tray, spread out so each mushroom is not touching. Once they have frozen after about an hour, you can place the frozen mushrooms together in a bag, and then put back in the freezer. Just be sure to label the bag with the date you froze them.
How Long Do Frozen Lion’s Mane Mushrooms Last?
Technically, you can store mushrooms safely in your freezer up to twelve months, but you should aim to use them earlier than that, if possible. This is to make sure that you are getting the most flavor out of the mushrooms.
For the best results, you might not need to defrost your Lions Mane mushrooms at all when using them. If you are frying, or adding mushrooms to a recipe, you may be fine just putting them in when still frozen. If you really need to defrost your mushrooms instead, you can pop them into a bowl and let them defrost in the fridge for a couple hours.
Can You Refreeze Lion’s Mane Mushrooms?
We would not advise re-freezing Lions Mane Mushrooms. Once you have defrosted them, you will probably find they are slightly altered in texture, being more limp than they might be when they were fresh. If you try freezing them again, then there is no way the mushrooms will survive the process and will be edible anyway. On top of that, you are allowing germs to grow that can make you sick.
Do Lion’s Mane Mushrooms Freeze Well?
As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, mushrooms can be a little tricky to freeze. They are a delicate structure, and they contain high levels of water. This makes mushrooms a mushy texture, they may also sometimes become mildewy after being frozen. All this adds up to a food that does not freeze very well, and it is not likely that you will find that your frozen mushrooms are as good as if they were fresh. They do retain their flavors, though, so once you add them to your recipe, you shouldn’t really notice the difference.
Additional Resources:
Can You Eat Lion’s Mane Mushroom Raw?
Can You Take Lion’s Man Mushroom at Night?
You can find our favorite capsules, powders, and tincture’s on the following pages of our website and learn more about each individually:
Updated 10/4/2022
