In this post, we’re going to talk about how shockingly easy it is to dry your own mushrooms at home without any special equipment. Indeed, when one thinks about how to dry mushrooms, their minds first jump to a dehydrator, or even an oven.
Well, we’re here to tell you that while you certainly can dry mushrooms in the oven or using a dehydrator, you certainly don’t need either. A few weeks ago, I ran out of dried shiitake mushrooms in my pantry. However, I did happen to have fresh shiitake mushrooms in the refrigerator from a big grocery run. Read on to find out how I dried them!
Why Use Dried Mushrooms Instead of Fresh?
First, let’s talk about why one would use dried mushrooms instead of fresh mushrooms.
Dried shiitake mushrooms in particular are a staple in Asian cooking. The drying process intensifies the deep umami flavor of the mushrooms, allowing them to lend their strong flavor to stocks, soups, braises, and stir-fries.
They play a huge role in adding a “meatiness” to our Asian Vegetable Stock. They can also be used to make Japanese dashi stocks (like the one in our miso soup recipe), or base stocks for Korean stews like Soondubu. We use dried shiitake mushrooms in plenty of other dishes as well, like my dad’s Steamed Chicken and Mushrooms, or our Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage.
You can purchase dried shiitake mushrooms at Asian grocery stores and online, but if you happen to have some in your fridge, or are more easily able to access fresh shiitakes in your local grocery store, you can dry them yourself to preserve them for later use.
How to Dry Mushrooms Without Special Equipment
The secret to drying mushrooms without a dehydrator isn’t exactly much of a secret. You just air dry them. That’s right––just put them in an open container with good airflow underneath them (a mesh colander works great for this purpose), and leave them out to dry for about a week.
Once they are completely dry to the touch, and do not give at all when squeezed (they’ll feel like little light rocks), you can store them in a cool dry place for up to 2 years! (I think they can probably last longer than that, but dried mushrooms have never lasted quite that long in our house.)
We learned of this technique when we were living in Beijing––during late fall and winter, when mushrooms were in season, plentiful, and cheap to buy. The winter air in Beijing was also exceptionally dry. We’re talking dryness that made even my hardy 23-year-old hands (man, I was young then) shrivel into gnarled, ashy bark, but it was perfect for drying mushrooms.
However, I recently dried my own mushrooms in my apartment in the Northeast, and it is now early spring. The method still worked great! While it may not be practical to air dry your own mushrooms if you live in a humid place, you can do so in the fall, winter, and spring in most seasonal climates.
If you want to give your mushrooms a head start, you can partially dry them in the oven first, and allow them to finish air-drying on a sunny windowsill. I’ll provide detailed instructions below and in the recipe card.
How to Dry Shiitake Mushrooms
Start with fresh mushrooms (this method will not work with mushrooms past their prime), and wipe them clean with a lightly dampened towel. Do NOT wash them under running water.
Transfer them to a container that allows air to circulate around them, such as a mesh colander, or a baking rack set on top of a baking sheet. Do not overcrowd the mushrooms.
Place them in a well ventilated area (any area of the house with a ready supply of fresh air), preferably in the sun if possible. Allow them to air dry for 7-10 days, until they do not give when squeezed. Drying time will vary based on humidity levels and the size of the mushrooms.
To expedite the process, you can partially dehydrate them in the oven before air drying. Place in an oven heated to 175 degrees F/80 degrees C for 2 hours, flipping them halfway through. I used an oven-proof plate, but you could place the mushrooms on a baking rack over a sheet pan as well.
After this, the mushrooms will be partially dried. Transfer them to a colander to continue to air-dry for another 3-5 days.
Once fully dried, give them a smell. They will be very fragrant. Store them in a sealed container for up to a year (be sure the mushrooms are COMPLETELY dried before sealing them away). To rehydrate them for cooking, soak in warm water for 1-2 hours. Use the soaking liquid in cooking if possible, as it is full of flavor.
How to Dry Mushrooms
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start with fresh mushrooms (this method will not work with mushrooms past their prime), and wipe them clean with a lightly dampened towel. Do NOT wash them under running water.
- Transfer them to a container that allows air to circulate around them, such as a mesh colander, or a baking rack set on top of a baking sheet. Do not overcrowd the mushrooms.
- Place them in a well ventilated area (any area of the house with a ready supply of fresh air), preferably in the sun if possible. Allow them to air dry for 7-10 days, until they do not give when squeezed. Drying time will vary based on humidity levels and the size of the mushrooms.
- To expedite the process, you can partially dehydrate them in the oven before air drying. Place in an oven heated to 175 degrees F/80 degrees C for 2 hours, flipping them halfway through. Then transfer to a colander to air-dry for another 3-5 days.
- Store them in a sealed container for up to 2 years (be sure the mushrooms are COMPLETELY dried before sealing them away).
Tips & Notes:
Note: This post was originally published on November 25, 2013. We have since rephotographed it and added more information, including clearer instructions. Enjoy!
I’ve been drying all kinds of mushrooms for years. I like to slice my shiitake before drying just for ease of use later. I live in the high desert in New Mexico so the air is not very humid and it’s easy to dry the mushrooms as well as herbs. After slicing the shiitake, I place them in a colander in the oven (turned off, of course) for 3-5 days. They then get transferred to a paper bag and left to finish drying with the bag on its side so you don’t get a glob of them all at the bottom. Just forget them, then place in appropriate storage. VOILÀ! Dried shiitakes! So easy to do!
Thanks!
Thanks for that tip! We do like to keep the mushrooms whole, so that we have the option to use them whole in recipes, but slices are great too! :)
Excellent information appreciable
Glad it was helpful!
I have a question. After drying, do I store them in the fridge or cabinet? Thank you!
Hi Diane, I think it’s best to store your own dried mushrooms in the refrigerator so they stay fresh and keep longer.
You can store them in the pantry in an airtight container as long as they are indeed fully dried!
Does anyone know why the fresh Chinese flower mushrooms (the ones with cracked caps) I dry at home shrink so small in size than the store-bought dried flower mushrooms?
Hi Cary, the store-bought mushrooms were likely very large before drying!
I simply put button mushrooms in a paper bag and threw them in the back of the fridge and lfet them there for 1-2 weeks. After that they were shriveled and hard. Put them in a bowl poured hot water and left them rehydrate for 10-20 mins. Squeezed out the liquid and cut them up for an omelet. That process concentrated their flavor like I never tasted white mushrooms before. Wonderful accident.
I dry button mushrooms as well but slice them first and air dry them in a paper bag after they’ve been in a colander for 2 days. You’re right, it really does concentrate the flavor and you always have mushrooms at hand!
Can I dry them in the fridge?
Not as good. It’s best to dry them under the sun.
I have a dehydrator. What I’m actually searching for are recipes to dry them, like if I wanted to flavor them with honey or maple syrup or something. Would I put the coating on first? Or dry them and then dredge them in something? I don’t really like the flavor of mushrooms alone but I’m trying to eat more for their health properties.
Any issues with slicing them first? Say, white button or brown bellas? I need a rehydration time shorter than 1-2 hrs, for backpacking pouch meals. I could use dried mushrooms a lot in sliced and diced form in recipes. Thoughts?
Hi JJ, We have not tried drying sliced mushrooms, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Slicing works well for drying. I do it all the time with various mushrooms. Try it!
Cool, thanks for the tips. I just got a shitake log and have about 8-10 shrooms popping out after first soaking. Can’t wait to harvest.
Very cool! I’ve been wanting to experiment with growing mushrooms too!
I decided to air dry outside (Shiitake) , even though I have a dehydrator. 8 hours in the Arizona sun and they are done 🤣
Hahaha wowwwww crazy. Why use a dehydrator when you have such strong sun, right? I remember that dry heat well from my camping trip to Arizona a couple years ago!