Preparation and Use: Mushrooms are jam-packed with vitamins and nutritional compounds. Dried mushrooms retain their nutritional value, thanks to their sturdy cell structures, and when stored properly, can keep for at least a year!
Dried Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) have been used in hundreds, if not thousands of recipes. The drying process intensifies their rich umami flavors, making them an excellent substitute for meat in traditional dishes. Keep in mind: one ounce of dried mushroom yields about 10 ounces of fresh mushroom.
Before cooking with Dried Lion’s Mane, you’ll need to rehydrate for at least 30 minutes. Soaking dried mushroom returns the fungi to their spongey state. To avoid bitter flavors in your dish, we recommend soaking the Dried Lion’s Mane in room temperature water for 30 minutes, squeezing the excess liquid from each piece, and submerging in fresh, room temperature water for an additional half hour. Do NOT use hot water to rehydrate dried mushrooms! While higher water temperature can speed up the process, it can negatively impact the flavor and texture. Nobody likes tough, chewy shrooms in their stew. You can soak for 1-8 hours, depending on the amount you’re using and type of dish you are preparing. Cover your bowl and refrigerate if you plan on soaking for extended time periods. Once rehydrated, you can fry, sauté, broil, or grill—the possibilities are endless. Cooking Dried Lion’s Mane to at least 180° is imperative to break down those tough cell walls and release the mushrooms nutrients.
Dried Lion’s Mane can also be ground and added to coffee or tea as a nutritional supplement—but breaking down the cell walls beforehand is imperative for our digestive system to access and utilize the mushroom’s nutrients. We recommend adding your Dried or Ground Lion’s Mane to food and beverages prepared on high heat as the mushroom will need to reach at least 180° for its rich nutrients to be accessible through our digestive system.
Benefits: Lion’s Mane mushroom clusters offer protein, fiber, and potassium, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. They also contain hericenones and erinacines, found in some studies, to stimulate brain cell growth. Lion’s Mane has been nicknamed the “Smart Mushroom” for its role in supporting healthy cognitive functions like memory, perception, and attention.
With proper storage, dried mushrooms can keep for one year. Reducing exposure to light, heat, air, and moisture is key in preserving natural products, like dried mushrooms. We selected opaque black packaging with a heavy-duty zip lock to reduce exposure to light, air, and moisture. Store your dehydrated mushrooms in a dark pantry, fridge, or freezer. If you opt for fridge or freezer storage, you can wrap our packaging in cellophane or another zip lock bag for an added layer of protection.
Clear mason jars are a popular storage option for dried goods, but they don’t do a great job protecting natural products from the elements. If you split your package of dried mushrooms to store some on the counter for easy access, opt for an amber jar and don’t forget to write down the harvest date before discarding the original package.