How to dehydrate mushrooms + easy umami stock powder

Add instant flavour to so many dishes

If you are blessed with an abundance of springtime mushrooms or just love to buy unique varieties, dehydrating is a great way to preserve them. Many specialty mushroom varieties can only be harvested during certain times of the year, so stocking your pantry with dried mushrooms means you can add them to your favourite meals all year round.

Mushrooms pack a hearty nutritional punch & dry beautifully in the Breeze food dehydrator, locking in all the benefits and not only retaining, but even gaining flavour in the process. When rehydrated in hot water, the texture is almost identical to that of fresh.

UMAMI STOCK POWDER

One of the easiest ways to add flavour to a dish is to add some stock or broth. Mushrooms make a great stock base for meals because they have a deep bold flavour that's similar to beef, which makes them popular in vegan and vegetarian dishes. Dehydrated mushrooms can be easily blended into powder and mixed into your meals for a boost of plant-based umami flavour or added to water to replace liquid stock.

Mushroom powder will instantly elevate a range of dishes, from breakfasts and burgers to soups and stews. The versatility of mushroom powder makes it such an amazing condiment to keep in your pantry. 

For variations on this basic mushroom powder see our dehydrator veggie stock powder recipe. For a less mushroom tasting stock you might like to include onion, garlic, leek, tomato, or herbs. Your imagination and creativity are the only limits to this awesome powder. 

WHAT HOW HERE 

INGREDIENTS

Mushrooms (any variety)

METHOD

1.   Choose fresh mushrooms. Do not dehydrate mushrooms that are showing signs of decomposing such as accumulating slime, shrivelling up, or with dark spots.
2.   Due to the soft and porous nature of their flesh, don’t wash the mushrooms as they will absorb water and increase the drying time.

3.   If the mushrooms are dirty, rub it off with a clean dry towel or brush.
4.   Cut off the stalks if they are woody or dirty.
5.   Large field mushrooms may need to be peeled to remove dirt.
6.   Generally, common varieties of mushrooms are too dense to leave whole and will not dry out completely without slicing. Cut the mushrooms in regular, even slices. Your choice of cut may depend on how you plan to use them later. If you plan to blend the mushrooms into powder, retaining the integrity of the shape will not be important. Some specialty fungi or mushroom varieties such as small Oyster, Chanterelle, Maitake may be able to be left whole.

7.   Arrange sliced mushrooms on the Breeze dehydrator trays making sure that none of the pieces overlap. Mushrooms quickly shrink in size, so it is possibly to lay the slices close on the trays.
8.   Set the temperature to 65 C and the time to 8 hours.
9.   The mushrooms will snap rather than bend when they are adequately dried.
10.  Dried mushrooms can be stored for at least a year.

11.  To make mushroom powder: Add all of the dehydrated mushroom to the Vibe Blender jug and blend on ‘nut’ mode for 30 seconds or until you have a fine powder.
12.  Transfer into a well-sealed glass jar and store in a cool place.

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