Tutorials/Harvest/Drying and Storage

Fresh mushrooms are mostly water, around 90%, and start breaking down within days. Drying them properly lets you keep a harvest for a year or more. Colorado's dry air is a real advantage here.

Fresh storage

If you'll use them within a few days:

• Don't wash them. Brush off any substrate.
• Store them in a paper bag in the fridge. Plastic traps moisture and turns them slimy.
• Most keep about 5–7 days this way.

Drying

The goal is cracker dry: a stem should snap cleanly with an audible crack, not bend. Anything less than cracker dry can mold in storage.

Food dehydrator (most reliable)

1. Clean off substrate and trim any dirty stem bases.
2. Cut large mushrooms in half lengthwise so they dry evenly.
3. Spread them on the trays in a single layer, not touching.
4. Dry on a low setting, roughly 95–120°F. High heat dries faster but can cook them and darken the color.
5. Most batches take 6–24 hours, depending on size. Check by snapping the thickest stem.

Fan and air drying

Indoor air in Colorado is often 10–25% humidity, which is dry enough to air-dry mushrooms without heat.

1. Lay the mushrooms on a wire rack or screen so air reaches every side.
2. Point a fan at them. Moving air is what does the work.
3. Expect them to reach a leathery stage in a day or two. This is usually not fully dry; finish them in a dehydrator or with desiccant (below).

Desiccant finish

For a guaranteed dry, seal fan-dried or dehydrator-dried mushrooms in an airtight container with a few silica gel packets for a day or two. The silica pulls out the last of the moisture.

Long-term storage

• Airtight containers: mason jars or vacuum-sealed bags.
• Add a desiccant packet (food-safe silica gel) to each container.
• Store them cool, dark, and dry. Light and heat degrade dried mushrooms over time.
• Label each container with the strain and harvest date.
• Check jars occasionally for the first few weeks. Any softness, condensation, or musty smell means they weren't fully dry; re-dry them right away.

Dried properly and stored this way, mushrooms keep well for a year or more.

Rehydrating

Soak dried mushrooms in warm water for 20–30 minutes. Keep the soaking liquid; it carries a lot of flavor for cooking.