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Can You Dehydrate Mushrooms?

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Immad Amir
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Immad is a talented home cook and editorial director at Specially Fried. With his culinary expertise, love for gadgets and creative flair, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of food blogging.
Reviewed by

Lisa is a nutritionist with a passion for promoting healthy eating habits. With her expertise, she meticulously cross-checks the content on Specially Fried, ensuring accurate and reliable nutrition information.

Can You Dehydrate Mushrooms
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Mushrooms are considered universally loved fungi. These tiny bell-shaped toadstools are rich in fiber and antioxidants. In addition, mushrooms serve as an additional ingredient for various dishes. People who enjoy consuming mushrooms are continually looking for different ways of eating them. Hence, a lot of people wonder can mushrooms be dehydrated?

Read through the article below in order to get your answers to all queries related to the dehydration of mushrooms!

Yes, you can easily dehydrate mushrooms. You need to slice the mushrooms and dry them at 110-120°F until they turn crispy brown. Drying of mushrooms typically takes 6-8 hours for a ¼ inch slice. Thicker slices might take up to 10 hours in order to dry completely.

Just like dehydrating dates or pickles, one needs to slice the mushrooms thinly; this will enable them to dry quickly.

How to dehydrate mushrooms?

There are multiple approaches that one can employ in order to dehydrate mushrooms. We have discussed 3 effective methods in detail that will aid you in dehydrating your mushrooms!

Method 1: Dehydrating mushrooms in a dehydrator

Dehydrating mushrooms in a dehydrator is one of the easiest methods, plus this method ensures that all slices of mushrooms get evenly dried.

Step 1: Wash the mushrooms

  • Take a huge bowl of water and fill it to the brim with fresh water.
  • Now, submerge mushrooms in this bowl filled with water.

Tip: Do not submerge the mushrooms for too long, or else it will take longer to dehydrate them.

  • Take a knife and remove any excess particles that you spot inside the mushroom gills.
  • Lastly, drain out the water from the bowl.

Tip: Use a strainer or a filter in order to easily drain the water from the bowl.

Step 2: Slice the mushrooms

Fresh mushrooms are 70% – 90% water. Hence, it is nearly impossible to dehydrate the mushroom as a whole.

  • After you have washed the mushrooms, arrange them on a flat surface, ideally a clean tray.
  • Now, grab a knife and slice down each mushroom into thin slices.

Tip: Make sure to cut the slices very thinly; this will ensure that the mushrooms get dehydrated quickly.

Step 3: Place mushrooms in the dehydrator

  • Arrange the first batch of thinly sliced mushrooms on the first rack of the dehydrator. You need to make sure that you have spread them evenly and without any overlap on the tray.
  • If you are left with more sliced mushrooms, use another rack and place them in the dehydrator. Ensure that all the racks have the same quantity of sliced mushrooms to dry them uniformly.
  • Now, set your dehydrator’s temperature to 115°F or lower. It is recommended to use low temperatures to avoid burning the mushrooms.
  • Dehydrate the mushroom slices for 3-4 hours or until you see them becoming crispy.
  • Make sure to examine the mushroom slices every hour while they are in the dehydrator. In case the slices bend easily instead of breaking, it means the mushrooms are still moist and require further dehydration.

Even a little bit of moisture can result in molding or rotting. Hence, you need to make sure that every slice is dried completely.

Method 2: Dehydrating mushrooms in an oven

In case you do not own a dehydrator, you can simply dehydrate mushrooms in an oven!

Step 1: Washing the mushrooms

  • Wash the mushrooms thoroughly, ensuring that there is no dirt left on them.
  • Slice each mushroom into thin slices. Do not slice mushrooms that are already too small.

Step 2: Placing mushroom slices in the oven

  • Arrange all the sliced mushrooms on a baking sheet or a pan. Make sure that you do not use oil.
  • Place the baking sheet or pan with sliced mushrooms in the oven and set the optimum temperature.
  • You need to flip the sliced mushrooms now and then to ensure that both sides are dried evenly instead of just drying of exposed side.
  • Bake the mushrooms until you get the desired color and texture.

Dehydrating mushrooms in an oven might take more time; however, it works sufficiently in drying mushrooms.

Method 3: Dehydrating mushrooms under the sun

If you do not possess any of the appliances mentioned above, you can resort to drying mushrooms in the sun. However, this will only work if the weather conditions are ideal, and it will take a longer time as compared to the other two methods.

Step 1: Slice mushrooms in half

  • Slice the mushrooms in the middle. Unlike the other two methods, you do not need to slice the mushrooms in thin slices. Slicing the mushroom in half will work perfectly.

Step 2: Find a spot to sun-dry mushrooms

  • Place the half-cut mushrooms in a tray. Make sure there is enough room among half-sliced mushrooms.
  • You need to find an ideal spot to lay down your half-cut mushrooms. You can either select a rooftop or any place besides a window where there is direct sunlight.
  • After you have finalized a spot, place the tray in direct sunlight and keep checking on it until the mushrooms have dried completely.

This method is the most time-consuming one among all the methods. Drying mushrooms in the sun can take up to 2-3 days.

How do you rehydrate mushrooms?

In order to rehydrate mushrooms, you simply need to soak them in either cold or hot water for 10-30 minutes. While the mushrooms are being rehydrated, they will produce a dark broth. Do not dump it; this broth can be used in homemade soups and stock to give extra rich mushroom flavor.

How do you store dried mushrooms?

To store the dried mushrooms, place them in a firmly-sealed glass container. In case you do not have a glass container, you can place the dried mushrooms in air-tight plastic wares or zip locks. Store the container which contains dried mushrooms in a cold dark place or cabinet. These conditions contribute to the longevity of shelf life.

Should you dehydrate your mushrooms?

Dehydrating your mushrooms isn’t necessary. However, if you wish to increase the shelf-life of your store-bought mushrooms for future use, we recommend you dehydrate them. Dehydration of mushrooms will prevent them from rotting in case you have stored them.

How long do mushrooms last after dehydration?

If you have stored dried mushrooms in ideal conditions, which in this case are air-tight containers and dark places, they will last for years to come.

Do dried mushrooms need to be cooked?

Yes, dried mushrooms need gentle cooking. After soaking in the water, you can simply saute or simmer dried mushrooms in a frying pan.

Do dried mushrooms need to be refrigerated?

Heat and moisture are an enemy of dried mushrooms. Hence, it is best to store the dried mushrooms in cold conditions, such as in a refrigerator. Storing dried mushrooms in the refrigerator will maximize their shelf life.

Can I grow mushrooms from dried mushrooms?

No, you can’t grow mushrooms from dried mushrooms. This is because, unlike most plants, mushrooms do not grow out of seeds. Instead, they grow out of spores. During dehydration, spores are destroyed due to excessive heat; hence they become dead and more mushrooms cannot be grown out of them.

Does dehydrating mushrooms remove toxins?

Dehydrating mushrooms will result in getting rid of the water present in them. However, there is no such effect of dehydration on the toxicity of mushrooms. Drying the mushrooms will remove water, yet the poison in them will remain.

Concluding our thoughts on dehydrating mushrooms!

Dehydration prolongs the life of your mushrooms. You can rehydrate them whenever the need arises; they’ll be as good as new!

You can dry mushrooms using a dehydrator, an oven, or even the sun. All three of these methods work sufficiently. However, there is a difference in time consumed by each of these methods respectively. Choose the one that suits you best!

We hope that this article guided you well regarding all aspects of dehydrating mushrooms!

Check our article on dry olives to learn more about dehydrating!


Immad Amir
Written by
Immad is a talented home cook and editorial director at Specially Fried. With his culinary expertise, love for gadgets and creative flair, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of food blogging.
Reviewed by

Lisa is a nutritionist with a passion for promoting healthy eating habits. With her expertise, she meticulously cross-checks the content on Specially Fried, ensuring accurate and reliable nutrition information.

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