Can You Freeze Portobello Mushroom?
Mushrooms are considered the perfect alternatives to meat. Vegans who do not eat beef and pork can consider portobello mushrooms as excellent alternatives because of their chewy texture and meaty flavor. In addition, these mushrooms have a denser texture making them durable with a longer shelf life. However, storing mushrooms is always an issue because they can turn slimy if stored improperly. So, if you have them in bulk, what would you do?
Can You Freeze Portobello Mushroom?
Yes, you can freeze portobello mushrooms. However, you need to pepper them adequately to minimize the textural and flavor changes. Prepping is essential because portobello mushrooms contain deep-seated dirt.
How do you freeze portobello mushrooms?
Here are some points to consider when freezing portobello mushrooms.
Note – Clean The Mushrooms Well Before Freezing
Rinsing the mushrooms should not suffice because the mud content can be more. So, we recommend using the brush specially prepared for cleaning mushrooms.
Preparing The Portobello Mushrooms
You can prepare the portobello mushrooms in various ways before freezing them. A crucial aspect to note is that freezing fresh portobello mushrooms enables retaining their natural flavors. However, frozen mushrooms should be used for preparing stews, soups, and casseroles alone.
Before freezing, you can steam, sauté, or blanch the portobello mushrooms. It enables you to use them in various recipes not restricted to stews, soups, and casseroles.
Freezing Raw And Chopped Portobello Mushrooms
- Clean the mushroom to remove all debris. A sharp knife can prove helpful for cutting off its stem and removing the gills. On cleaning the portobello mushrooms, you can chop them into consumable portions.
- Line the mushroom pieces on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Please ensure that the portobello mushroom pieces do not touch each other.
- Flash freeze the mushroom pieces by placing the baking tray inside the freezer for two hours.
- Transfer the rigid mushroom pieces to a resealable freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Seal the bags, note the freezing date, and continue with the freezing process by placing the bags inside the freezer.
Freezing Raw And Whole Portobello Mushrooms
- The mushroom cleaning process is the same as described above. Remove the stem and the gills.
- You can place the whole mushrooms inside the freezer to freeze them. Flash freezing is also a viable option.
- A better way is to wrap each portobello mushroom in cling wrap and place them inside freezer bags. Squeeze the air and note the freezing date before sealing the bags.
- Flash freezing requires lining up the portobello mushrooms on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Please make sure that the mushrooms do not touch each other. Push the baking sheet inside the freezer to freeze the mushrooms. Transfer the frozen portobello mushrooms to a freezer bag and freeze them after removing excess air and sealing the bags.
Freezing Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms
- Clean the mushrooms as described earlier in the article. Then, chop off its stem and gills.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the mushrooms into equal sizes. Sauté them in butter over high heat using a skillet. Please ensure that the mushrooms do not cook thoroughly.
- Place the sauteed mushrooms on a plate and use a paper towel to remove excess fat. Allow the portobello mushrooms to cool to room temperature.
- Place them inside freezer bags and seal them after removing the excess air from the bags. Label the bags and push them into the freezer.
Freezing Steamed Portobello Mushrooms
Steaming the portobello mushrooms is the ideal preparation for freezing portobello mushrooms because it guarantees to preserve their flavor and taste. Start by cleaning the mushrooms and chopping off the stems and gills.
- You can chop them or freeze them whole, depending on your preferences.
- Place the mushrooms in a double boiler or a steamer basket and steam them for some time. The ideal steaming time is five minutes for whole mushrooms and three minutes for the chopped pieces. Once steamed, place the mushrooms in ice water to arrest the cooking process. We advise soaking the mushrooms in lemon water before steaming to help preserve their color.
- Remove the mushrooms from the ice water bowl and dry them using paper towels. Place the portobello mushrooms in a heavy-duty freezer bag and remove excess air before sealing it. Write the freezing date and freeze the mushrooms.
Freezing Blanched Portobello Mushrooms
Blanching portobello mushrooms extends their shelf life the longest. The blanching process is simple. First, however, clean the mushrooms and chop their stems and gills. Next, place the portobello mushrooms in a colander inside a pot of boiling water for two minutes. The idea is to heat them and not cook them entirely.
Transfer the mushrooms into an ice water bowl to stop the cooking process. Remove the mushrooms and pat them dry using paper towels. Place the portobello mushrooms in heavy-duty ziplock bags and seal them after removing excess air. Note the date before freezing the mushrooms in the freezer.
How To Defrost The Portobello Mushrooms?
The recommended defrosting method transfers them to the refrigerator and leaves them to defrost overnight. The mushrooms should be fit for adding to any recipe after defrosting.
Can You Freeze Portobello Mushroom Pizzas?
Portobello mushroom stuffed pizzas are delicious. The best aspect is that you can make them in advance and freeze them for serving later on.
Can You Freeze Baby Portobello Mushrooms?
You can freeze baby portobello mushrooms the same way you freeze the bigger ones. They can last in the frozen state for two months.
How Long Can The Frozen Portobello Mushrooms Last?
Raw portobello mushrooms can last in the frozen state inside the freezer for ten months. The steamed and blanched mushrooms last for a year, whereas the sauteed mushrooms last for three to six months.
Can You Refreeze Portobello Mushrooms?
We do not recommend refreezing portobello mushrooms because it can damage their flavor, texture, and taste.
Final Thoughts
Portobello mushrooms are the perfect vegan alternatives for beef and pork. So, if you have adequate portobello mushrooms stacked up in the kitchen, you can freeze them in various ways to extend their shelf life without any discernible change in their texture, flavor, and taste.
