THE BEST WAY TO DRY YOUR MAGIC MUSHROOMS

It is great fun to grow your own magic mushrooms, but if you want to store the mushrooms for a longer period, you have to dry them. If you don't, they will grow old and become moldy within a few days.  And if you have a good harvest, your magic mushrooms won't be used up within a week!

That is why it is useful to know how to dry your magic mushrooms, and fortunately it is not complicated at all. Once they have dried well, they can be kept for months. That way you can enjoy your home-grown magic mushrooms for a long time.

Shelf life of magic mushrooms: dried or fresh

Magic mushrooms contain a lot of moisture (sometimes up to 90%). The more moisture something contains, the greater the risk that mold will develop. From a magic mushroom grow kit you usually get a good number of magic mushrooms. You can't use all of them in a short time, so you want to keep them. Unfortunately, they do not last longer than a few days. Just think of the mushrooms that you sometimes leave in the fridge. They become dark, slimy and moldy.

That's why the best solution is to dry your magic mushrooms. However, it is important to do this properly. Only a little moisture needs to be left in the mushrooms and mold can develop. But if you do it right, you can keep them for months, even years.

Whatever drying method you use, the goal is to get your magic mushrooms bone dry. That means they will be crispy and break if you try to bend them. Only then can they keep for several months. There are several ways to dry your magic mushrooms. See below how you approach drying your magic mushrooms or just order fresh magic truffles.

1. The easiest way to dry your magic mushrooms

You don't need any special equipment for this way of drying, you can simply air dry mushrooms or in the sun. After harvesting, place your mushrooms on a clean and dry surface. For example, use a container or tray and cover it with two layers of kitchen paper. Make sure the mushrooms don't touch each other.

You want them to really dry completely, so you can put them in the sun, near the heater or a fireplace. The drier they get, the better. Place a black or dark towel over the mushrooms. This will attract even more heat, making drying faster. Replace the kitchen paper under the mushrooms every day, because that will draw the moisture in. If you use this way, your magic mushrooms will have a longer shelf life. However, you will not be able to get all the moisture out of the mushrooms with this.

2. Drying with silica gel

A professional way to dry your harvest is to use silica gel. This substance is often used by companies because it absorbs moisture well and is non-toxic. Therefore, you can safely use it to dry magic mushrooms. If you want to use this method, you can easily order silica gel online. Place the gel in an airtight container. Place a drying rack or piece of gauze (bend it over to form a platform) above the gel, where you place the mushrooms.

Make sure the mushrooms do not touch the silica gel. Put a lid on the container so that no more air can get in. Check your mushrooms every day to see if they are already dry, and take them out if they are crispy and break when you bend them.

3. Drying mushrooms with Epsom salt

Magnesium sulphate (also called magnesium salt or epsom salt) can also be used to dry magic mushrooms. Before you can use this, however, you have to bake it at 250 degrees Celsius. The epsom salt itself contains some moisture. By baking it, all the remaining moisture evaporates, and the moisture will be absorbed from your mushrooms.

• Set the oven to 250 degrees and place a 1cm layer of Epsom salt on a baking tray in the center of the oven. 
• Bake the salt for 2 hours. It will start to form a solid layer. 
• After 2 hours, take it out of the oven. Now work quickly, because you don't want the salt to absorb moisture from the air again. Use a hammer to break the slab of salt into pieces. 
• Then place it in a container (you can also do that when the salt is still hot), place a rack over it and place the mushrooms on top. Close immediately with a lid and let the salt do its work.
  
  

Storage of magic mushrooms

Now you finally have your dried mushrooms. Now also make sure you store them well: put them in a closed container in a cool, dark and dry place. Use a zip-lock bag or even better: pack them in a vacuum. Use a vacuum machine for this, so that you can store your magic mushrooms in optimal conditions. Ready to grow magic mushrooms? Order here quickly your own All in One, Freshmushrooms or Mondo growkit in our webshop. We will send these to you quickly in neutral packaging.

Read here more about how to grow magic mushrooms with a grow kit here!