Fresh matsutake mushrooms need to be cleaned when freezing matsutake mushrooms, do a good job of cutting treatment, pretreatment blanching, packaging and freezing, pay attention to freezing temperature and time, do a good job of thawing preparation, and so on.
1, cleaning matsutake mushrooms
Before freezing matsutake mushrooms, the first thing you need to do is to clean them. Use water to rinse the matsutake mushrooms of soil and impurities. This step is very important as the soil and impurities will affect the taste and storage quality of the matsutake mushrooms.
2, good cutting treatment
Cleaned matsutake mushrooms can be cut into appropriate size. Before cutting, you can cut the matsutake mushrooms into thin slices or small pieces according to your personal needs. This helps in storage and accessibility when frozen. Also, cut matsutake mushrooms are easier to cook and improve utilization.
3. Pre-treatment blanching
Before freezing, there are also some pre-treatments that can be done to the matsutake mushrooms to improve the taste and quality after freezing. One common method is to blanch and cook the matsutake mushrooms before freezing. Blanching removes the astringent flavor of the matsutake mushrooms and helps to maintain their freshness.
4, packaging and freezing
Pack the processed matsutake mushrooms, and then put them into the freezer for freezing. Packaging materials need to have good sealing and cold resistance, you can use special freezer bags or sealed plastic bags. After packaging, try to remove as much air as possible.
5, pay attention to the freezing temperature and time
In the freezing of matsutake mushrooms, the temperature and time is also need to control. Generally speaking, the low temperature below -18℃ is the best choice for matsutake mushroom freezing. As for the freezing time, if the matsutake mushrooms are cut into slices, the freezing time can be around 3 months. If it is cut into small pieces, it can be frozen for about 6 months.
6. Prepare for thawing
When you need to use frozen matsutake mushrooms, you can take them out of the freezer and thaw them. When thawing matsutake mushrooms, you can either leave them at room temperature or thaw them in a microwave. Thawed matsutake mushrooms should be used as soon as possible after thawing to avoid refreezing them and to maintain their freshness and flavor.