How to keep mushrooms fresh and appealing: Simple kitchen tips

The darkening of mushrooms is a completely natural process. However, it is not necessarily a desirable one. To maintain the mushrooms' appealing color, there's a simple trick you can use.

The delightful smell and taste of mushrooms are important, but their presentation also counts. The effort put into preparing these delicacies can be marred if the mushrooms begin to darken, whether after being sliced or dried. Why does this happen, and how can you prevent it?

Mushrooms lose their color and darken due to oxidation. It's a natural process that occurs when mushrooms come into contact with oxygen. The same thing happens with potatoes; they tend to turn gray when grated for potato pancakes.

You can prevent this darkening in both cases. To keep mushrooms' beautiful color, try using the same method you would for potatoes: treat them with citric acid or lemon juice during soaking or boiling. Another tried-and-true method is to add a tablespoon of vinegar to the boiling mushrooms. Additionally, when pickling mushrooms, add some citric acid or lemon juice to the vinegar marinade to ensure your preserves remain visually appealing.

Dried mushrooms are expected to change color slightly, which is normal. However, if they turn very dark or almost black, it could indicate an issue during the drying process. This may mean they were dried at too high a temperature, specifically above 140°F.

The optimal temperature for drying mushrooms ranges between 104°F and 122°F. Mushrooms with water content, such as slippery jacks, should be dried at even lower temperatures, around 86°F. The temperature can gradually increase as they lose moisture, but it should never exceed 122°F.