Dehydrating mushrooms is a practice that has been going on for many centuries. It is because mushrooms are full of moisture and keeping them unattended can make them stale quickly. So dehydrating mushrooms has to be done no matter what if you want them to last longer. If you do not know how to dehydrate mushrooms without burning them, this article is for you. Do you have an air fryer? Yeah, take it out. Because an air fryer can help you to dehydrate mushrooms without any trouble.
Read this article further to know how can you dehydrate mushrooms in an air fryer!
Why To Dehydrate Mushrooms?
Mushrooms belong to the fungus family and have a lot of water in them. Fresh mushrooms do not last too long because the water in them makes them stale fastly. That is why dehydrating or drying out mushrooms is necessary. This makes them last longer and you can use them however you want for a long time.
Getting Mushrooms Ready For Dehydration
Before making them dry, you have to clean them from any dirt or impurities. Washing them with water will not bring any good results. So cleaning them without any water is the only option.
For this, you can use a clean cloth to wipe out any excessive dirt. This way some moisture will also getaway. After this, the mushrooms will be all ready to dehydrate in the air fryer.
Steps To Dehydrate Mushroom In Air Fryer
For dehydrating mushrooms in an air fryer, you can follow the below-mentioned steps.
- Make sure that the mushrooms are fresh and clean.
- After they are all ready, cut them into small slices.
- Now take the air fryer’s tray out and put those cut slices on the tray.
- You have to set the temperature of the air fryer up to 100-150 Fahrenheit. You can turn on the dehydration function in your air fryer too.
- Dehydrate them for up to 1 hour and then see if they are crispy enough. Just keep the air fryer going until the mushrooms turn out crispy.
Advantages Of Dehydrated Mushrooms
You can dehydrate mushrooms for many purposes. We have listed down some of the advantages of dehydrated mushrooms.
- You can store dried or dehydrated mushrooms to use in soups and garnishing.
- If we talk about their health benefits, dried mushrooms are great antioxidants.
- Mushrooms have an abundance of vitamin D in them so you can easily fill up your Vitamin D deficiency by eating them.
- You can eat dry mushrooms just like you eat dry fruits. Especially in winter, dehydrated mushrooms are good for your health.
- Mushrooms have a high percentage of proteins. It is also known that mushrooms contain protein equivalent to beans.
- Recent research has also shown that using dried mushrooms can treat some mental illnesses.
As we know that there are many types of mushrooms out there. Some are poisonous and some have various health benefits. Using healthy mushrooms is never harmful. You can use whatever quantity of it you want. But if you are having any mental disorder symptoms, do check in with your doctor first.
Different Types of Mushrooms Suitable for Dehydrating in an Air Fryer
| Mushroom Type | Description | Flavor Profile | Best Uses | Dehydrating Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiitake | Meaty texture and earthy flavor | Umami, woodsy, savory | Stir-fries, soups, stews, sauces | 120 |
| Portobello | Dense and meaty texture with a rich flavor | Earthy, slightly sweet, nutty | Grilling, roasting, burgers | 150 |
| Oyster | Tender texture and delicate flavor | Mild, sweet, delicate | Stir-fries, soups, salads | 90 |
| Enoki | Delicate and crisp texture with a mild flavor | Nutty, slightly sweet | Salads, sandwiches, stir-fries | 60 |
| Button | Mild and versatile mushroom | Mild, slightly earthy | Soups, sauces, stuffing | 90 |
Temperature and Time Settings for Dehydrating Mushrooms in an Air Fryer
| Mushroom Type | Dehydrating Temperature (°F) | Dehydrating Time (Minutes) | Recommended Texture | Recommended Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiitake | 160 | 120 | Leathery and chewy | Snacks, toppings, seasonings |
| Portobello | 170 | 150 | Leathery and chewy | Toppings, seasonings, trail mix |
| Oyster | 150 | 90 | Crispy and crunchy | Snacks, toppings, garnish |
| Enoki | 140 | 60 | Crispy and crunchy | Snacks, toppings, garnish |
| Button | 160 | 90 | Leathery and chewy | Snacks, toppings, seasonings |
Comparison of Dehydrated Mushrooms in an Air Fryer vs. Other Methods
| Mushroom Type | Air Fryer Dehydrating Time (Minutes) | Oven Dehydrating Time (Hours) | Sun Dehydrating Time (Days) | Microwave Dehydrating Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiitake | 120 | 4-6 | 1-2 | 20-30 |
| Portobello | 150 | 5-7 | 2-3 | 25-35 |
| Oyster | 90 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 15-25 |
| Enoki | 60 | 2-4 | 1 | 10-20 |
| Button | 90 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 15-25 |
Nutritional Information for Dehydrated Mushrooms in an Air Fryer
| Mushroom Type | Serving Size (1 oz) | Calories | Carbohydrates (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiitake | 28 g | 80 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| Portobello | 28 g | 25 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Oyster | 28 g | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Enoki | 28 g | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Button | 28 g | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Recipes Using Dehydrated Mushrooms in an Air Fryer
| Recipe | Ingredients | Preparation | Cooking Time (Minutes) | Serving Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mushroom Powder | Dehydrated mushrooms, blender or food processor | Grind dehydrated mushrooms into a fine powder | 5 | 1/4 cup |
| Mushroom Jerky | Dehydrated mushrooms, olive oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder | Mix olive oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke, and garlic powder in a bowl, add dehydrated mushrooms and coat evenly, air fry | 25 | 1 oz |
| Mushroom Trail Mix | Dehydrated mushrooms, mixed nuts, dried fruit, seasoning | Mix all ingredients in a bowl, air fry | 15 | 1/4 cup |
| Mushroom Toppings | Dehydrated mushrooms, cheese, bread, tomato sauce | Grind dehydrated mushrooms into small pieces, top bread with tomato sauce, cheese, and mushrooms, air fry | 10 | 1 slice |
| Mushroom Soup | Dehydrated mushrooms, vegetable broth, garlic, onion, cream, thyme | Soak mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes, saute garlic and onion, add mushrooms and thyme, pour in vegetable broth, let it simmer for 20 minutes, add cream, blend in a blender or food processor, air fry | 40 | 1 cup |
Where To Use Dehydrated Mushrooms?
You can say mushrooms are an all-rounder as they fit in with everything. If you have dried-up mushrooms but do not know where to use them, we have got you covered. Following are some ways where you can utilize your dehydrated mushrooms:
- You can use dried mushrooms in soups and stews. It doesn’t matter what type of soup it is, a mushroom can get along with anything.
- If you do not want to add mushrooms to anything, just coat them with cheese and enjoy the heavenly taste.
- You can make mushroom powder from it and use it as a spice in many dishes.
- You can also use them as dry fruit and put them in a bowl and enjoy your snacks.
Why Does It Important To Dehydrate Mushroom In Air Fryer?
We all know how air fryers function. They use hot air that surrounds the fryer and fry up things without any unhealthy means. Mushrooms have a lot of moisture in them and straight-up drying them in the fryer can burn their nutrition and other qualities. So air frying them is the best option. Not only the air fryer can easily and quickly dry mushrooms free of any moisture but it can also preserve the nutrition in the mushrooms.
When you dehydrate mushroom in air fryer, make sure that they do not get burned or you will not get any advantage from their dehydration.
Where Can You Dehydrate Mushroom If You Do Not Have An Air Fryer Available?
If you do not have an air fryer, it is okay. You can still dry mushrooms by other means. If you have an oven, you can easily do so. For doing this, cut small slices of mushrooms and put them in the oven tray. Set the temperature to 125 Fahrenheit and dehydrate them for up to 5 hours. Do check them in between. Some mushrooms take more time than others to dehydrate.
If you do not want to store mushrooms, you can dehydrate them on the spot in a pan on high heat. Make sure to saute them every now and then so they do not get burnt.
Where To Store Dehydrated Mushrooms?
You have to store dehydrated mushrooms in a place that is dry and does not have moisture. For this, you can put them in an air-tight jar and place them somewhere dark where the sunlight cannot reach them. This can preserve the dehydrated mushrooms for a long time.
Another thing you can do to store dried mushrooms is to put them in the freezer. Frozen mushrooms will stay fresh for so long and you can always use them for many purposes.
Recipes For Dehydrated Mushrooms
Dehydrated mushrooms can make up delicious recipes. The recipes are easy and you can make them quickly in a blink. We have mentioned some of the recipes you can make with dehydrated mushrooms. Let’s try them out.
Sweet Crispy Mushrooms
This mushroom recipe is widely cooked and liked in Korea because of its sweet and spicy taste. This is easy to make so you should define the try it.
Ingredients:
- Dehydrated Shiitake Mushrooms
- Bell Pepper
- Potato Starch or Corn Starch
- Soy Sauce
- Vinegar
- Rice Wine
- Red Pepper
How To Make:
- Take the dehydrated mushrooms and add the potato or corn starch to them.
- Make sure you mix the starch thoroughly on the mushrooms.
- Now take a pan and put vinegar, soya sauce, rice wine, and red pepper and make an even mixture.
- When the sauce is done and has been boiled one time, take the mushrooms and put them into the sauce.
- You will see when the mushrooms are fried.
- Take them out when they are brown enough.
- Now you can serve them with bell pepper at the top.
- Enjoy the delicious meal.
Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Vinegar or lemon juice
- Onions
- Garlic
- Dehydrated Mushrooms
- Herbs
- Cheese
How To Make:
- Take the dehydrated mushrooms out and put them in boiling water.
- After they are rehydrated, thoroughly strain them.
- Heat butter or vegetable oil on a pan and then sprinkle all the above-mentioned spices(vinegar, onion, garlic, herbs, etc) in it.
- Now add the mushrooms to that mixture and saute it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- When you feel like the mushrooms are done, add rice to them.
- Again mix all these ingredients well.
- You will start to see a creamy mixture.
- When the mixture is creamy enough for your liking, turn off the heat.
- Add some cheese to it and you are done.
- Enjoy this delicious dehydrated mushroom recipe.
Cream Mushroom Soup
What’s the advantage of dehydrated mushrooms if you cannot use them in the soup? This creamy mushroom soup is pretty well known and you can make it for your meals.
Ingredients:
- Dehydrated Mushrooms
- Hot Water
- Butter
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Flour
- Dried Sherry
- Salt
- Pepper
- Herbs
- Cream
How To Make:
- Rehydrate the dried mushrooms and strain them after they are done.
- Now put butter in a saucepan and turn on the flame.
- Put shallots, garlic, and mushrooms in that pan and saute them until they start turning brown.
- Now include dry sherry in the pan and turn the heat high.
- You have to do all the work quickly.
- Add more of the butter and start mixing all of the ingredients well.
- Now add the herbs according to your taste.
- Whip the cream and add it to the mixture.
- Saute them well.
- You will see the mixture getting thick.
- When the mixture becomes creamy, turn off the flame.
- Now serve it and add some herbs at the top.
- Enjoy a healthy delicious mushroom soup.
Conclusion:
Dehydrated mushrooms have endless advantages, especially if you dehydrate mushroom in air fryer. Mushrooms are in itself a healthy meal if you properly use them for your meals and soup. Now whenever you have fresh mushrooms but do not know how to properly dry them, take your air fryer out and get to work.
