What's the best method to make sure your mushrooms don't go bad?

Mushrooms are all vegetables whether they're psychedelic or not. So if you have any that you want to store for an extended period of time, you need to store them properly. Don't worry because there are plenty of ways for you to keep your mushrooms safe and edible.

This article is going to teach you how to store, preserve and refrigerate your mushrooms. We'll also be discussing why different mushrooms require different storage methods. 

Quick Summary 

Your mushrooms will last about a week if you store them properly in the fridge, in a paper bag. Store them in your fridge as long as you consume them within that time frame. If you want to store your mushrooms longer than that, you should dry them, powder them or can them. 

Is your fridge the best place to store your mushrooms?

In general, properly keeping your mushrooms in the fridge is the best way to store your mushrooms. However, there are certain situations where using the fridge isn’t the best choice.

The best storage method for your mushrooms is going to be affected by: 

• The type of mushrooms you want to store.
• How you intend to use your mushrooms.
• How long you want to store your mushrooms. 

Also, you need to learn how to properly store your mushrooms in the fridge. Storing your mushrooms wrongly will cause them to spoil faster.  

How long will your fresh mushrooms last?

Fresh mushrooms usually last one or two days out at room temperature. Every hour you leave a harvested mushroom out at room temperature, you’re taking off eight hours of their usable shelf life. With this in mind, try not to keep your mushrooms out at room temperature unless you want to consume them right away.

If you store your fresh mushrooms in the fridge, they’ll usually last five to seven days. 

The amount of time a fresh mushroom will last is highly dependent on a number of factors: 

• The type or variety of your mushroom.
• The mushroom’s size (larger mushrooms tend to last longer than smaller ones).
• Whether your mushrooms are whole or sliced (whole mushrooms tend to last longer than sliced mushrooms).

How should you store your magic mushrooms?

Magic mushrooms can be stored pretty much the same way as regular mushrooms. You should make sure they’re as dry as possible when being stored and that they’re stored in a cool, dark place. 

Storing them in a fridge is a great idea as long as you only plan on consuming them in about 2 weeks. Keep them in a paper bag when you store them in your fridge and not in a plastic bag.

Why should you use a paper bag instead of a plastic bag when storing your mushrooms?

Mushrooms have a lot of water in them and need air circulation to make sure they don’t get soggy and spoil faster. Using a paper bag will help absorb your mushroom’s excess moisture and prevent sogginess. 

You shouldn’t store your mushrooms in plastic bags or plastic wraps because the airtight nature will prevent air circulation and trap the mushroom’s moisture. This will cause them to get soggy and slimy fast. Remember to never keep your fresh mushrooms in any plastic, airtight container.

Is freezing your mushrooms a good idea? 

Freezing your mushrooms is possible but not recommended.  

Regular mushrooms will become less nutritious and have their texture worsen by freezing them. Frozen mushrooms will still be edible but they’ll have less nutritional value and taste worse than fresh mushrooms overall. 

Psychedelic mushrooms must not be frozen when they’re fresh as they’re psychoactive properties will diminish or flat out be nullified completely by freezing temperatures. That being said, you can safely freeze dried magic mushrooms without any problems.

How do you prepare dried mushrooms for extended amounts of time in storage? 

Whether they’re regular mushrooms or magic mushrooms, there are 3 main ways for you to dry them. These 3 methods are air-drying, desiccating and dehydrating. 

All three methods require you to remove excess water from them first. You can do this by leaving them on a dry cloth towel in a well-ventilated area and then waiting a few hours till your mushrooms look wrinkly or rubbery. Make sure your mushrooms aren’t in direct contact with sunlight.

Air-drying

Air-drying is exactly what it sounds like. It requires pretty much no equipment because all you need to do is leave your mushrooms out in a dry environment till they’re dried out. 

Dehydrating

Dehydrating is a drying method that involves the use of a dehydrator. Using a dehydrator will take less time than air drying, will ensure even drying for your mushrooms and also minimise the risk that your mushrooms come into contact with any contaminants. 

Desiccating

Desiccating is a drying method that involves the use of a desiccant. A desiccant is a substance that absorbs the water from the air around it. You can make your own homemade desiccant and then dry your mushrooms at home. 

How do you store your dried mushrooms?

Dried mushrooms can last for literal years in stable, dry and dark environments. Some can even last for more than a decade .

Dried psychedelic mushrooms can be stored for years without any noticeable ill-effects. There’s no noticeable loss in potency as long as you store them in an environment that’s not excessively hot, moist and exposed to light.  

PS: If you can, try to store your dried mushrooms in glass jars.

How do you store mushroom capsules?

Mushroom capsules should be stored somewhere with a low temperature. Storing them in your fridge or your freezer can make them last for years. Your mushroom capsules can last for about a year in your fridge but can last for about a decade in your freezer.

You should store your mushroom capsules in a dark and airtight container like a pill bottle or jar. In a pinch, you can use undamaged soda bottles. You should not store them in plastic bags which can accumulate water vapour and ruin your capsules. 

PS: It’s good practice to keep each crop of your mushrooms in separate batches of capsules while writing down the strain and preparation date on the containers you use to store them. This will ensure reliable and consistent dosages when you finally use them.

How do you store and preserve your mushrooms in jars?

There are a few ways for you to store and preserve your mushrooms in jars. Preserving mushrooms in jars is called canning and it can be done with olive oil, honey as well as other ingredients suitable for canning. 

Honey is a natural preservative that preserves mushrooms by drawing out the moisture from them while also protecting them from bacteria. Using honey to preserve psychedelic mushrooms is a popular storage and preservation method because it produces what’s known as blue honey. Blue honey is also known as shroom honey. 

FAQs

• Should you store your mushrooms in the crisper of your fridge?

No, you shouldn’t store your mushrooms in the crisper because it’ll make your mushrooms soggy.

• Are dried mushrooms better than mushroom capsules? 

Depending on your purpose, either can be the better choice. Mushroom capsules are more easily stored while dried mushrooms preserve more of the mushroom’s natural qualities.

• Is air-drying the same as air-frying?

No, air-drying is not the same as air-frying. Air-drying is when you make dried mushrooms by leaving them out to dry while air-frying is when you cook mushrooms in an air-fryer. 

Final Thoughts

Both normal mushrooms and magic mushrooms are perishable goods but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep them for an extended amount of time. While it’s best that you use them within days of obtaining them, storing your mushrooms in the fridge works great as long as you do it properly. 

If you want to store them for longer, then consider freezing, drying canning or turning your mushrooms into powder. The best method to choose from the above will greatly depend on the type of mushroom you intend to preserve.