Canning Mushrooms:Easy Process

Canning is an excellent way of protecting the taste, freshness, and nutrition of fruits and vegetables for an extended period. Mushrooms contain essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. These go well with many recipes, like pizza, salads, pasta, etc. Store-bought canned mushrooms lose their flavor and texture. You can maintain the rich flavor and texture by preserving them in cans at home.

Canning mushrooms at home is a safe and easy method to keep them fresh without lessening their flavor. You can also enhance the taste of raw mushrooms by adding a few herbs and spices to the can. Here is the step-by-step process of canning mushrooms at home.

What types of mushrooms are suitable for canning?

White button mushrooms are best for canning. Dehydrating or freezing techniques are better for other types of mushrooms. Choose fresh mushrooms with unopened caps.

Note: I do not recommend canning wild mushrooms. The reason is that some variants of wild mushrooms are not safe for consumption and could cause severe damage to your organs.

Ingredients and Tools

Wash your canner, jars, and lids thoroughly.
Small or medium-sized mushrooms with short stems; verify there is no discoloration. You can save as much as you want. Two pounds of mushrooms can fill up a pint jar of canned mushrooms.
Hot water.
Herbs and spices are optional. Marinate your mushrooms for enhanced flavor with salt, garlic, basil, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, etc.
A pressure canner. It ensures safe and appropriate canning as mushrooms have low acidity.
Canning jars with lids closing in two parts; you can use pint or half-pint canning glass jars.
Jar lifter for safe removal of jars from the canner.
A spoon for ladling mushrooms into the jars.
Pots for cleaning and boiling the mushrooms.

Canning Mushrooms: Method

Prepare your mushrooms for canning by cleaning them. Soak them in a water bowl, then wash them thoroughly to remove dirt and traces of produce. You can rinse them in the sink with cold water if you do not want to soak them.
Slice your mushrooms and trim the stems. Sliced mushrooms maintain the texture, and you can directly add them to different recipes.
Blanch your mushrooms in boiling water for about five minutes. You can also add lemon juice to the boiling water. It preserves the color and prevents them from floating after canning.
Transfer the mushrooms to an ice bath.
Wash your jars, canner, and lids thoroughly. Sterilize them in boiling water for about ten minutes.
Add your favorite spices or herbs to the jars and ladle them with mushrooms. Make sure to leave a one-inch head space.
Fill the jars with boiling water, check for air bubbles, and remove them. Make sure to fully submerge the mushrooms without compromising the headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a washcloth soaked in vinegar, then fix the lids.
Fill the pressure canner with water. There should be 2/3^rd water in the bottom of the canner. Heat it on low-medium heat.
Place the filled jars in the center of the canner using the jar lifter and close the lid. Make sure to tighten it correctly.
Wait until you notice a steady stream flowing out of the vent. Wait for another ten minutes, then place the weight on the top.
Select the appropriate pressure depending on the altitude of your region. Ten pounds of weight is suitable for elevations 1000 feet and less. Apply fifteen pounds of pressure for 1001 feet and above.
Let the cans process for 45 minutes, or you can check the processing time for your specific pressure canner and process accordingly. Turn off the heat when done and allow the canner pressure to depressurize naturally.
Carefully remove the lid and weight. Before removing the jars, let them sit in the canner for a minute or two.
Leave the jars on a kitchen towel or a cooling rack overnight. Remove the rings the next day and clean and label the jar.
Check the seals after twenty-four hours and store the jars in a cool, dark place. If, for some reason, the jar did not seal, then refrigerate the mushrooms and use them within a few days.

And it is as simple as that. You now have delicious canned mushrooms that taste far better than the ones stored in metal cans. You can use them for up to eighteen months. Use fresh, high-quality mushrooms and date your jars to prevent foodborne illnesses.

Unopened can of mushrooms will generally stay at best quality for about 3 to 5 years.

Follow the appropriate canning technique to prevent your mushrooms from rotting. You can experiment with different seasonings depending on how you want to use them later.