Fermented Mushrooms
These delicious fermented mushrooms have the option to be finished with olive oil for an Italian-style condiment or appetizer. See the section above for details on how I deal with my mushrooms after fermenting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart jar 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Fermenting
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 1/2 cups of mushrooms (single or mixed varieties)
- 2 cups of water (chlorine-free)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Additional flavors (see notes)
- 1/4 cup of olive oil (optional, for finishing after fermenting)
Instructions
- Gently wash the mushrooms, removing any dirt. Feel free to slice larger mushrooms. I find that bite-sized pieces are usually best for more serving options.
- Dissolve the salt in 1 cup of water in a 1 quart (1 L) glass jar for fermenting. Place the garlic and other flavors in the bottom of the jar.
- Pack the mushrooms in as tightly as possible, without actually damaging the mushrooms. Add a well-fitting weight to keep the mushrooms submerged under the brine. Mushrooms are a fungus and tend to mold if they are above the brine.
- If you plan on fermenting for more than 5 days, be sure to use a jar with a fermentation-specific lid to prevent contamination. Fido jars or mason jars with airlocks are two options.
Finishing With Oil
- Fermented mushrooms are delicious straight from the brine. However, if you wish to finish it in oil, I recommend waiting until you’re ready to open the jar. Properly packed fermented mushrooms should last a long time in a cool, dark location. However, once you open the jar, it will need to be stored in the fridge.
- To avoid having to use a lot of oil, I usually only pack 1 cup of mushrooms in the oil at a time. The oil can be reused 3 to 4 times.
- Using a clean fork, remove about 1 cup of mushrooms from the brine and pack them into a clean 1-cup jar. It’s fine if a bit of brine ends up in the jar. There’s no need to dry or rinse the mushrooms.
- Pour the oil over top. Cap with an air-tight lid and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- Feel free to add fresh herbs to this ferment. Place whole stalks in the bottom of the jar to prevent them from floating, and creating a potential source of contamination. A sprig of dill is a traditional flavor option. Oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme are all delicious options. For a bit of a kick, add 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes. (I like red pepper flakes, Brad prefers dill).
- If you are new to fermenting, please read up on how to ferment vegetables, especially if you plan on storing your fermented mushrooms for more than a few weeks.
Keywords: fall, winter, Italian, foraging, cremini, oyster mushrooms, shitake, chanterelles