Fried Honey Mushrooms for Winter
Fragrant, ridiculously good, and great for the whole family! Frying honey mushrooms and covering them with hot oil is the simplest way to put them up for winter. Once they're ready, stir them into a vegetable stew, use them in soups, or serve them on their own as an appetizer!
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you fry honey mushrooms for winter? Start by prepping the mushrooms. You can buy them or forage your own. I usually gather fall honey mushrooms in the woods, so I put them up in late autumn.
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Step 2:
Wash the mushrooms well and pick out any forest debris — leaves, pine needles, and so on. Trim off the thin, spongy stems, but leave whole any mushrooms with thick, firm stems.
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Step 3:
For frying I usually go with more mature mushrooms whose caps have opened up. I save the small and medium ones for pickling.
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Step 4:
Put the mushrooms in a suitably sized pot, cover with cold water, and set on the stove. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the white foam, lower the heat, and simmer over moderate heat for about 30–40 minutes.
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Step 5:
Drain the mushrooms in a colander and rinse again under running water. Fall honey mushrooms have a lot of tiny dark-brown scales on their caps, so I recommend rinsing them once more after cooking to wash off as much as possible.
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Step 6:
Heat refined vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided skillet. Add the mushrooms and fry over high heat, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
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Step 7:
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste — I like coarsely ground allspice. Lower the heat to moderate and cook the mushrooms to the doneness you like, stirring so nothing scorches.
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Step 8:
Sterilize the jars and lids however is easiest for you. Pack the cooked mushrooms tightly into the jars.
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Step 9:
Pour the rest of the hot oil from the skillet over the top — the mushrooms should be completely covered in oil. Seal the jars with their lids. Turn them upside down, wrap in a warm blanket, and let cool completely at room temperature.
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Step 10:
Your fried honey mushrooms for winter are ready. Store them in a dark, cool place.
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Step 11:
They're incredibly good on their own. Serve them with sour cream, or with finely chopped garlic and fresh herbs.
- Honey mushrooms go beautifully with potato dishes, meat, and plenty more. If you forage your own, be extremely careful in identifying them — only pick mushrooms you're 100% sure of. Enjoy!
- For tips on how many jars you'll need, why jars sometimes blow their seals and how to prevent it, read up on the basics of home canning.
- You can use frozen or dried mushrooms instead of fresh (you'll need 5–6 times less of the dried ones). Thaw frozen mushrooms however is convenient — for example, in the microwave on the right setting (check your appliance's manual) — and drain off the liquid. Or, if a little extra liquid won't hurt the recipe, use them straight from the freezer. Dried mushrooms should be washed well, since they aren't washed before drying, then soaked in cold water for at least 2–3 hours.
- Every oil is only good up to a certain temperature — its smoke point — beyond which it starts to burn and form harmful compounds. For help choosing the best oil for frying, the right temperature, and which oils to skip altogether, see this guide.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Honeydew - 20 kcal/100g
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Vegetable oil - 873 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
