How to freeze mushroom mushrooms, storage period, and 5 recipes! [Explanation with photos! ]

``I didn't use up all the mushroom mushrooms in one cooking session, so I thought I'd use them right away, so I put them in the refrigerator, but they turned out to be rotten after a few days.''
Have you ever had this experience?

I buy it in a bag at the supermarket, use only half of it, and store the rest in the fridge. When I noticed it a few days later, it had already darkened. Mushrooms are fast-growing food items, and they can go bad even after just a few days.

Today, I would like to tell you how to freeze mushroom mushrooms packed in such packs, and how to preserve them in their raw state, so-called with stocks.

Some of you may be worried that if you freeze mushroom mushrooms, won't the slimy ingredients go bad?​

We will answer these questions, so please read on.

Advantages of freezing nameko mushrooms

Can be stored for nearly 10 times longer than normal storage

Nameko mushrooms are a perishable food, so even if you store them in the refrigerator, they may darken or become sour after about 3 days.

However, by freezing it, it is possible to preserve it for nearly 10 times that amount of time, or nearly a month.

When you receive a large amount of mushroom mushrooms with a stock, or when you can't use all the mushroom mushrooms in a package, you can freeze them to avoid the situation where you realize they're rotten and throw them away. You will be able to do it.

The slimy ingredients are not lost even when frozen

Speaking of mushrooms, their characteristic is their slimy texture.

If you freeze it, won't it lose its texture? You may be worried, but it's okay. Even if you freeze Nameko mushrooms, the slimy ingredients will not disappear.

When you look at frozen Nameko mushrooms, they don't look slimy at first glance, but as you thaw them, the familiar slimy texture gradually appears.

This slimy component is also contained in the mucous membranes of the human body, and it seems that ingesting it from outside the body is good for health, so we would like to proactively ingest it using frozen storage.

Freezing storage method

Next, we will talk about the specific method of freezing mushroom mushrooms.

First, I will explain how to freeze mushrooms packed in bags, which are often found in supermarkets, and then how to freeze nameko mushrooms with stocks, just like other mushrooms.

When freezing in a bag

1) Place the bag directly into a freezer bag and freeze it. At this time, it is convenient to fold it in half so that you can use only half of it when cooking.

*Freezing time can be shortened (rapid freezing) by placing the food on a metal tray or on aluminum foil. By doing this, the destruction of the cells within the nameko due to freezing can be minimized, and the flavor can be maintained close to that before freezing.

When freezing raw food

1) Cut off the stones and wipe off dirt and moisture.

2) Separate each piece and put it in a freezer bag and freeze. At this time, if you wrap the amount of mushroom mushrooms you will use up in plastic wrap, you can preserve the quality of the unused mushroom mushrooms for a long time.

Thawing method and storage period

How to thaw frozen mushroom mushrooms

It differs depending on whether you are defrosting something that is packed in a bag or something that comes with stocks.

First of all, nameko mushrooms are packaged in bags, but you can thaw them in three ways: in the refrigerator, thawing them under running water (the whole bag), or using them as is for cooking.

For example, if you want to use it as an ingredient for miso soup or soup, you can use it frozen; if you want to use it as an ingredient for aemono, udon, or soba noodles, you can thaw it in the refrigerator; if you want to thaw it quickly, you can thaw it under running water. Recommended.

Next, there are two ways to thaw the raw mushroom mushroom mushrooms: thaw them in the refrigerator or use them for cooking (if you keep exposing them to water, the slimy mushroom mushrooms will run off). (For this reason, thawing under running water is not recommended.)

Storage period of frozen mushroom mushrooms

Frozen Nameko mushrooms can be stored for 3 to 4 weeks.

It's no good unless it's strictly within this period! Although this is not the case, we recommend using it as soon as possible to preserve its texture and flavor.

>> [Freezing for a long time] 3 points to keep in mind when preserving vegetables

A nutritionist explains! About nutrition

Nameko mushrooms are rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

Also, like other mushrooms, nameko mushrooms contain beta-glucan. Beta-glucan has an immune-boosting effect, so it can be expected to improve allergic symptoms.

How to choose mushroom mushrooms
1. Meat that is firm and thick overall
2.The cap is not cracked and the size is uniform.
3. Something that is glossy overall and has little cloudiness in the jelly-like part

Recommended way to eat
Nameko mushrooms are rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. This time, we will talk about [improving immunity and regulating intestinal function] and [preventing high blood pressure].

[Intestinal regulating effect] Mucin and pectin, which are the slimy components of nameko mushrooms, have the function of protecting the mucous membranes of the digestive organs and contribute to improving immunity. Pectin is also a water-soluble dietary fiber that has the effect of suppressing rapid increases in blood sugar levels and improving the intestinal environment.

[Prevention of high blood pressure] Nameko mushrooms also contain potassium. Potassium has the function of excreting sodium, which is salt, and is said to be effective in preventing high blood pressure. Also, eliminating sodium from the body is effective in preventing swelling.

Nutritionist Ruri

Obtained nutritionist qualifications from Toita Women's Junior College and graduated from the same university. After graduating from Kyorin University, he also obtained a qualification as a food hygiene manager. Currently at Daybreak Co., Ltd., he oversees various food freezing experiments while disseminating food freezing information. My hobbies are traveling and hula dancing.

5 easy recipes using frozen nameko mushrooms

Before introducing cooking examples, there are some things you should be aware of when cooking mushroom mushrooms.

This means that when using mushroom mushrooms in cooking, you should always heat them at least once.

This is because there have been reports of people who have eaten mushroom mushrooms without heat treatment in the past, developing symptoms similar to food poisoning. It is considered food poisoning).

Therefore, when cooking nameko mushrooms, be sure to heat-treat them by blanching them.

Please enjoy some easy recipes using nameko mushrooms below.

Easy and delicious nameko miso soup

☑材料（2人分）
・なめこ 100g（1パック）
・長ねぎ　　5cm程度
・だし汁　　300ml
・みそ　　適量

<How to make>
1) Cut the green onions into small pieces, and use the nameko mushrooms either frozen or thawed naturally in the refrigerator, opened in a colander, and rinsed with water.

2) Heat the dashi stock in a pot, and when it boils, add (1). When it boils again, dissolve the miso and turn off the heat.

If you like, please add toppings such as wakame or tofu to arrange it.

When you want to add one more item to your lunch box! Nameko and Komatsuna Ohitashi

☑材料（4人分）
・なめこ　　1パック（100g）
・小松菜　　1束
・だし汁　　1カップ
・しょうゆ　　大さじ1.5
・みりん　　大さじ1

<How to make>
1) Thaw the nameko mushrooms naturally in the refrigerator, then drain them in a colander and rinse with water. Wash the komatsuna at the same time.

2) Boil water and blanch the komatsuna, then blanch the nameko mushrooms in the same water.

3) Drain the water from the komatsuna, cut it into 4cm lengths, and squeeze out the water.

4) Combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, and mirin, add the komatsuna and nameko mushrooms, and mix to complete.

Full of nutrition! Wild vegetable udon

☑材料（2人分）
・うどん　　2人分
・なめこ　　1パック（100g）
・とろろ　　適量
・小ねぎ　　適量
・かけつゆ　　2人分

<How to make>
1) For nameko, thaw it naturally in the refrigerator, open it in a colander, and rinse it with water. Rub the grated yam in advance and chop the green onions into small pieces.

2) Boil water in a pot, and once it boils, lightly blanch the nameko mushrooms.

3) Once the udon is boiled, place the nameko mushrooms, grated yam, and green onions on top of it, then pour the soup over it and it's done.

Being slimy becomes a habit! Nameko soba

☑材料（2人分）
・なめこ　　1パック（100g）
・長ねぎ　　1/2本
・ほうれん草　　3束
・卵　　2個
・そば　　2束
・水　　600㏄
・めんつゆ　　80㏄

<How to make>
1) Put water and mentsuyu in a pot and heat. At the same time, boil water in another pot and boil the buckwheat.

2) Use green onions cut diagonally into 2cm pieces and nameko mushrooms that are either frozen or thawed naturally in the refrigerator, and place them in the pot next to the soup in step (1).

3 Blanch the spinach and cut it into 2cm lengths.

4) Once the soba is boiled, put the soba, spinach, and the soup from (2) in a bowl, and add the egg at the end and it's done.

Grated radish and nameko snacks

☑材料（2人分）
・なめこ　　1パック（100g）
・大根　　適量
・しょうゆ　適量

<How to make>
1) Use the nameko nameko that has been thawed naturally in the refrigerator and then quickly blanched in hot water.

2) Grate the radish and mix with the mushroom mushrooms and grated radish.

3) Season with soy sauce and it's done.

Although it is very simple, it is a dish that can be served as a side dish with rice or as a snack with alcohol.

Conclusion

So, how was the frozen preservation of mushroom mushrooms?

Nameko mushrooms, which would not last for a week with normal storage, can last for nearly four weeks if frozen.

Therefore, it may become less common in the future for Nameko mushrooms to go bad without being able to use them up.

Whether you want to freeze packaged items or items with stocks, the steps are very simple, so you can quickly freeze them even when you're busy and don't have much time.

Mushroom mushrooms are expected to be effective for both diet and beauty, so please try using them wisely using the methods introduced here.

>> Click here for how to freeze meat

>> Click here for how to freeze fish

>> Click here for other ways to freeze vegetables