# How do you store mushrooms?



## dolphinesque (Dec 13, 2004)

does anyone have any ideas of how to store mushrooms? I always seem to buy too many and they go off before I get a chance to use them all up.


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## mudbug (Dec 13, 2004)

Saute them and then freeze 'em.


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## dolphinesque (Dec 13, 2004)

thanx mudbug  shall try it out


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## cats (Dec 13, 2004)

I've read that mushrooms should be stored in a brown paper bag and refrigerated to help them last longer. I only buy whole fresh mushrooms and I think the precut ones would have a shorter shelf life.  Around here, I use them so often that they usually don't last especially long anyhow. I don't think canned mushrooms really have any flavor and are basically worthless. One fast food chain has a hamburger with bacon and mushrooms, but when I tried one, the mushrooms were just the tasteless canned ones. Don't plan to order that again.


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## choclatechef (Dec 13, 2004)

See the thread, "Lazy Food Prep".


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## CharlieD (Dec 14, 2004)

What kind of mushrooms are you talking about? I just freeze the ones I buy. Have not had any problem and do not see/taste any difference after they’ve been cooked.


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## PolishedTopaz (Dec 14, 2004)

Charlie.....Freezing doesn't affect texture? I tried freezing ginger and was wholeheartedly disappointed with the result. I would think that the high water content would be compromised in a mushroom. No??


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## choclatechef (Dec 14, 2004)

Freezing affects texture, but that does not make a lot of difference in cooked dishes.


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## norgeskog (Dec 22, 2004)

I Think the brown paper bag wins.  The market where I shop here provides paper bags with a mushroom printed on them and handles for mushrooms, the instructions say leave open so they do not sweat and get slimy.


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## dolphinesque (Dec 22, 2004)

how long will they last in the brown bag???????????????


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## Lifter (Dec 23, 2004)

Usually about a week, in the veggie drawer, depending on your fridge and what else is there with them...sometimes longer, sometimes less...

Lifter


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## Otter (Dec 23, 2004)

They are supposedly best stored in a brown paper bag. They never last long around me, so I never bother to liberate them from the poly wrapped carton. If I buy a couple cartons and don't use the second one promptly I have noticed that the sliced ones do get gimpy faster than the whole ones.


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## norgeskog (Dec 23, 2004)

dolphinesque said:
			
		

> how long will they last in the brown bag???????????????



Usually 4-6 days, but most of the time I eat them because they are my favorite thing.  When they start to look old, I carmelize them with some white vermouth butter and/0r evoo and use as a garnish for vegies or meat.


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## balibar (Dec 29, 2004)

Hello, everyone.
I buy mushrooms regularly from a real expert and here is the advice he's given me with excellent results:
- do not keep mushrooms in a paper bag because they will end up tasting slightly of paper. Keep them in the refrigerator in a crockery or plastic container without the lid on it or they'll get slimy. It could be though that your paper bag has been designed specially for that purpose and wouldn't make the mushrooms taste of paper;
- never freeze raw mushrooms as they'll become horribly mushy and retain water, and believe me, I just experienced this at Christmas: I put a mushroom in my mouth (should have known better as the cook is a darling but really appalling in the kitchen) and the feeling was like biting into  a slimy sponge with a large  quantity of water then oozing into my mouth (it was a large mushroom). Probably one of the worse culinary experiences in my life.  
In other words, cook, then freeze;
- some wild mushrooms you can dehydrate rather easily before putting in the fridge if you need to keep them for a longer period.

Happy holidays to all.


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## dolphinesque (Jan 3, 2005)

thanx balibar


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