Harvesting, Drying, and Storing Mushrooms
Pick mushrooms at the right stage, then keep them fresh, dry, or frozen correctly. A practical guide to harvesting, storing, and preserving your crop.
When to harvest
Pick most mushrooms just before or as the caps finish opening, before they drop spores. Harvest oyster clusters as the largest caps flatten, and lion's mane while it is still white and firm.
Harvesting cleanly
Take the whole cluster by twisting gently at the base or cutting it with a clean knife, rather than picking single caps, which leaves stumps that can rot. Rest and rehydrate the block for the next flush.
Storing fresh
Keep fresh mushrooms in the fridge in a paper bag, not sealed plastic, which traps moisture. Most gourmet mushrooms keep five to ten days, and delicate pink oyster only a few days. Do not wash them until just before use.
Drying for the long term
Dry mushrooms at 40 to 55°C until they are cracker-dry and snap rather than bend, slicing thick ones first. Store them airtight, away from light, with a desiccant, and they keep for a year or more. To freeze, cook them first, since raw mushrooms turn mushy when thawed.