Can You Freeze Reishi Mushrooms?
Can you freeze reishi mushrooms?
Yes, you can freeze them raw. However, it is preferable to blanch or sauté them before freezing so that the texture is better. To prevent mushrooms from clumping together while being frozen on a tray individually, wrap them in airtight plastic bags before sealing them up in freezer bags.
Freezing them is a fantastic method to store them for future use.
Fresh mushrooms will only keep for about a week in the fridge. So, if you don’t think you’ll be able to eat all of them within a week, it’s best to plan ahead and start thinking about freezing some of them.
Mushrooms should be frozen as soon as possible after picking, since this will keep their flavor and nutritional value. If you freeze shriveled and dried out mushrooms that are a day or two away from going rancid, they’ll taste the same when you defrost them.
To preserve them, select mushrooms that appear and smell fresh. Remove any that have developed dark spots.
When purchasing mushrooms, look for a fresh and woodsy aroma. They should not have a moldy or musty odor. Firm, not flaky texture is essential. They shouldn’t be discolored or damaged in any way.
If you can, try to get mushrooms with gills that are still closed and not black when you’re purchasing them.
In the meantime, place them in a paper bag in the refrigerator to absorb any extra moisture they may produce.
If you buy them already wrapped, keep them in their packaging until you’re ready to freeze them.
How Do You Preserve Reishi Mushrooms?
Reishi mushrooms may be dried in the sun. If you have a food dehydrator, drying them in there will provide the fastest and most consistent results. If you don’t want to wait for them to dry naturally, placing them in an oven on the lowest temperature can also dry them out fast.
After your reishi mushrooms are dried, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dark location. The shelf life of powdered reishi mushrooms is one year or more. To further extend their storage life, add a desiccant or oxygen limiter to the container to absorb any remaining moisture.
Reishi may be dried or turned into a tincture, and the latter is actually preferred. Fresh reishi mushrooms can be used to produce a tincture without requiring any drying.
You can find our favorite capsules, powders, and tincture’s on the following pages of our website and learn more about each individually:
Best Reishi Mushroom Supplement
Best Reishi Mushroom Mushroom Gummies
Additional Resources:
Updated 10/19/2022
