Bitter mushroom is far from a rare mushroom, but because of its pungent and pungent taste it causes ambivalence among mushroom pickers. Western gourmets consider it inedible and, according to some reference books, even poisonous. And in Russia and Belarus, such forest trophies are collected for pickles. What this mushroom is, where it grows and what variable characteristics it is characterized by, whether it can be used for food purposes - we will talk about this further.
Edibility
The name of the bitters absolutely corresponds to their taste. Botanists consider them to be the most bitter representatives of the genus of laticifers. But nevertheless, this does not prevent lovers of quiet hunting from collecting this species for winter preparations.
Did you know? Linguists believe that the word “mushroom” comes from the ancient Slavic “gyryb”, which means “hump”, and initially only those species whose caps were of a similar shape were called mushrooms.
Experts explain this attachment to this representative of the mushroom kingdom by its widespread distribution and high productivity. Every year, in any weather conditions, bitter mushrooms are distinguished by abundant fruiting, which gives mushroom pickers confidence in a good collection of forest trophies. Of course, compared to and other more valuable mushrooms, they remain a loser. 
Experts classify bitters into category IV. This means that the mushroom is not used in raw or dried form. Most often, pickling or marinade is made from raw materials after pre-treatment.
Synonyms
In scientific sources, these fruiting bodies are called bitters, and people know them as:
- red bittersweet;
- bitter mushroom;
- horny weed;
- bitter;
- milk mushroom;
- wayfarer, traveler
Important! Bitters are strictly contraindicated for people diagnosed with ulcers of the digestive organs, gastritis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Also, the product is not recommended for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.
What does it look like
Gorchak are not characterized by variability in appearance. But there are many similar poisonous mushrooms of the milky genus, with which they can easily be confused, so let’s take a closer look at the external signs of bitter mushrooms. 
hat
The diameter of this part of the mushroom can vary from 4 to 11 centimeters. Initially it develops in the shape of a bell, and over time it becomes flat and funnel-shaped. At the same time, a large pointed tubercle is clearly visible in the center, which is an important sign of bitters. The edges of the cap are distinguished by their thin structure and turned inward. The skin on the surface is smooth, uniform red-brown color, with slight pubescence. During the rainy season, the mushroom becomes sticky and shiny.
Pulp
It is characterized by good density, but at the same time brittle. Young mushrooms have a dirty white flesh color, while old ones have a slight chestnut-brown tint. It almost always retains the pigment of the cap under the skin. 
At the cut sites, colorless milky juice is released abundantly, which burns the lips and never changes color under the influence of oxygen. The pulp is rarely damaged by the wormhole and has a weak specific odor, which many consider unpleasant.
Did you know?Discovered manuscripts from ancient Novgorod tell of the treatment of frostbite with dried porcini mushrooms.
Leg
It is distinguished by a regular cylindrical shape, up to 7 centimeters in length and a light tonality of colors corresponding to the cap. At the base it always has a felt mycelium wrapper. In young fungi, the inside of the stem is solid, while in old ones it is hollow. Sometimes it may have a spongy filler of a grayish or reddish color.
In young bitters, the plates are always light, but in overripe ones they become the same color as the cap. Often located, narrow, ascending to a cylindrical stalk. 
Where does it grow, when to collect
To pick up bitters, you don’t need to know special places. They grow everywhere, in any forest, especially under and. They love it very much wet meadows with acidic soil where moss and lichens grow.
This trophy can be found alone or in groups. The season of abundant fruiting for bitterlings begins in June and lasts until mid-autumn. Sometimes lovers of quiet hunting manage to harvest even after the first frost.
Important! Experienced mushroom pickers strongly advise against collecting fruiting bodies near roads and in production areas, especially in areas where Chernobyl fallout occurred. The fact is that bitterlings absorb radioactive substances from the environment with particular intensity.
Twin mushrooms
Bitters have many similarities with other laticifers, so they are easy to confuse. To be sure, many mushroom pickers advise when picking to focus on the tubercle protruding in the center of the cap and the colorless juice oozing from the broken pulp. However, these are important signs, but in order to have no doubt that you are putting exactly the mushroom you are looking for in the basket, it does not hurt to get to know others similar brothers:
Eating
According to experts, although bitter milk mushrooms have a specific taste, they benefit the body in moderation. It has been experimentally proven that the pulp contains a natural antibiotic that blocks the pathogens of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Escherichia coli and hay bacilli. But for food consumption, the mushroom is only suitable in pickled or salted form. And to eliminate the unpleasant burning bitterness, the product needs to be soaked properly. 
How long to soak
Experienced housewives, who have been preparing winter pickles from bitter mushrooms for many years, advise cutting the mushrooms immediately in the forest to remove leaves and moss, and then carefully place them in a basket with the cap down. At home, the entire crop should be thoroughly washed and inspected for damage. Selected quality specimens pour cold water for three days(provided that further preparation will be carried out using the hot method).
It is important to drain the liquid periodically, as it becomes stretched with hot, milky juice. It is advisable to do this at least 2-3 times. The more often you change the water, the better. After the procedure, the raw materials will no longer be bitter. If you plan to pickle mushrooms using a cold method, soaking should last up to 6 days.
How to pickle
After soaking, the mushrooms need to be washed again, the stems shortened to 2 centimeters and sorted by cap size. In this form, the bitters are boiled over low heat in salted water for about 30 minutes. Don’t forget to stir periodically and skim off any accumulated foam. Then the broth should cool, then the mushrooms can be thrown into a colander to drain excess water. In the meantime, you can start sterilizing the jars. It's best to do this in the oven, making sure to place a dry container inside. Enameled buckets, cans and pans are also suitable for pickling. 
After completing all the manipulations, place on the bottom of the prepared container, as well as foliage, black and allspice peas,
The most bitter among the milkweeds is the bitter mushroom. But this does not prevent the use of bitter mushroom as a mushroom for pickling. Description and photo of the bitter mushroom.
Hello dear reader!
Mushrooms are unpredictable creatures. It would seem that in warm and humid weather there should be a lot of mushrooms in the forest. But this doesn't always happen.
However, there is a mushroom that produces a good harvest of fruiting bodies almost every year. This is a kind of “magic wand” for mushroom pickers – the bitter mushroom.
The taste of the mushroom is very bitter, which is reflected in the name. This is a conditionally edible mushroom classified in category 4. Before eating, bitters need to be pre-treated.
If there are a lot of mushrooms in the forest, more valuable ones (for example); if they grow abundantly, it’s unlikely that anyone will strive to pick up bitter ones!
But if there are not enough mushrooms... Then the bitter mushroom also finds use among mushroom lovers. And I must say, he’s not that bad!
Bitter mushroom - what does it look like, where does it grow?
This is a milky mushroom from the genus Lactarius. On the cut, droplets of white milky juice are released on the damaged plates of the fruiting body. The juice is bitter and acrid. It does not change its color in air.
Gortushka mushroom in a pine forest
Bittersweet forms mycorrhiza with pine and spruce, as well as with birch. It can be found in dry pine forests and in spruce-deciduous forests. At the same time, even in years with a poor harvest for mushrooms, at the end of summer - beginning of autumn, a lot of bitter fruiting bodies are formed.
Bitter mushroom in the spruce-birch forest
The fruiting bodies of this mushroom are easily recognizable. The top of the cap is covered with a red-brown film. There are no concentric circles on the cap. At first, the cap of the bitter mushroom is convex, its edges are strongly bent down. Later it becomes flat-convex, and then funnel-shaped. With all these perturbations, a small tubercle usually remains in the center of the cap.
Young bitter
The plates on the underside of the cap are frequent, running down to the stalk. In young fruiting bodies they are light. In a mature bittersweet mushroom, the plates are also colored red, and the older the fruiting body, the more intense. But the color of the plates is much weaker than the surface of the cap.
This is what bittersweet slices look like
The fruiting bodies of the bitter mushroom are quite dense. The inside of the cap is almost white. Only in old mushrooms does it become reddish. The stalk is solid only in young fruiting bodies. Later a cavity forms in it.
There are no poisonous mushrooms similar to bitter mushrooms in our forests. There are only slightly similar milkweeds, which are usually edible. The inedible liver milkweed is distinguished from the bitter mushroom by its yellowing milky juice.
How is bittersweet mushroom used?
This is a mushroom for pickling. It seems that there are recipes for other uses of bitters, including frying (after preliminary boiling). But I haven't tried it myself. Quite possible. Whether it will be tasty enough is another question.
Before salting, the bitters need to be soaked for quite a long time, changing the water daily. If for yellow and real milk mushrooms the soaking period is 2–3 days, then for bitter mushrooms it is 5–6 days. When soaking the mushrooms, it is advisable to keep them under pressure so that they are completely immersed in water.
Even before boiling, it is recommended to soak this mushroom for a couple of days. However, I salted them after boiling them for 30 minutes. And I didn’t feel any particular bitterness from the salty bitters.
When salting, both “cold” and “hot” methods are used.
Cold method of pickling bitter mushroom
This method is used for pickling any bitter milkweed, and I have described it several times. When describing milk mushrooms, tremors,...
The soaked mushrooms are placed in a container for pickling (enamel pots, tanks, glass jars), salt is added at the rate of 50 g (two tablespoons) per 1 kg of soaked mushrooms. Currant and cherry leaves are used to add flavor.
They apply pressure so that the mushrooms are in the released juice. In tanks and pans, use suitable sized plates or wooden mugs, on which one or more stones are placed.
When pickling in glass jars, pressure is created using 2 - 3 splinters of suitable length (to keep them in the neck). Most often I just stuff the neck with horseradish leaves and put a plastic lid on top.
The period for pickling mushrooms using the cold method is about 40 days. When pickling bitter mushrooms (and others) in pans or containers, you can add new portions to existing mushrooms. At the same time, the time frame naturally increases.
Hot salting method
Also applicable for any . In this method, mushrooms are boiled for half an hour, and the broth is drained.
The remaining operations are almost identical to the cold method: 50 g of salt per kilogram of boiled mushrooms; currant and horseradish leaves; oppression device. With the hot pickling method, the bitter mushroom is ready for consumption in 7 – 10 days.
Bittersweet is a fairly well-known and widespread mushroom. It received this name for its taste, which is somewhat pungent and pungent. Therefore, not all mushroom pickers are ready to put a mushroom in their basket. In Western countries it is not considered edible. In some sources you can read that bittersweet is poisonous. But residents of Russia and Belarus happily collect it to pickle it. What is he really like? Can it be eaten?
Is it possible to eat?
From the name you can immediately understand that it was given for a reason. The word fully characterizes the taste. Scientists believe that this is the most bitter mushroom among all milkweeds. But many mushroom pickers still collect it to make preparations for the winter.
Why do they do this? Experts attribute this to the fact that bittersweet is very common and grows in large quantities. Quite a lot of them grow in any weather. Therefore, mushroom pickers always bring them home in large quantities. But compared to other, more tasty mushrooms, bitter mushroom loses in many ways.
Important! This mushroom is classified as conditionally edible. It is not consumed raw or dried. But after processing they can be salted or pickled.
Since people have known the mushroom for quite a long time, in addition to its scientific name, it also has several folk names. For example, bitter milk mushroom, mountain goat weed. Sometimes you can hear the name traveler, bitterling.
People with ulcers or diseases of any digestive organs, gastritis, as well as kidney or heart diseases should not consume bitters. It is also not advisable for children and pregnant women to use it.
As a rule, bittersweet does not change its appearance. But there are many poisonous species that can be confused with it. Therefore, before picking a mushroom, you need to carefully study the features of its appearance.
hat
Its diameter may vary. But most often it is within 4-12 cm. At first, the bitter cap looks like a bell, and then takes on a flatter shape. A rather large tubercle with a somewhat pointed end is clearly visible in the center. This is one of the main distinguishing features of the species. The edges of the cap are thin and turned inward. The skin is smooth to the touch and colored brown. When the weather is rainy, the surface becomes shiny and sticky.
Pulp
It can be described as quite dense, but brittle. Young mushrooms have off-white flesh. In old bitters, it darkens and becomes brownish-brown.
Large quantities of clear juice are released from the cuts. If you touch it with your lips, there will be a burning sensation. When in contact with air, this juice does not change its color. The smell of the pulp is not very pronounced, but, according to many, quite unpleasant.
Leg
This part of the mushroom has the correct cylinder shape. On average, its length is about 7 cm. The color of the leg usually matches the color of the cap, but is lighter. At its base you can see the felt wrapper of the mycelium. Inside, young bitters have a solid leg, while older representatives have a hollow leg. Sometimes there is a spongy filling inside, which may have a red or gray tint.
Records
As a rule, in a young mushroom they are light. And in overripe ones, the plates take on the color of the cap. They are quite narrow, often located.
Where does it grow
To collect these mushrooms, there is no need to search for them for a long time. You can see them almost everywhere. Going to any forest, you will find this mushroom under a birch or pine tree. They grow especially intensively in clearings with moist and acidic soil on which moss grows.
Bittersweet can grow singly or in a whole group. They can be collected from June to October. Sometimes mushroom pickers collect them until frost.
These mushrooms tend to intensively absorb harmful substances. Therefore, it is recommended to collect them only in environmentally friendly areas.
Twin mushrooms
Representatives of this species can be easily confused with other similar species. Experienced mushroom growers recommend carefully examining the mushroom before adding it to your basket. They advise paying attention to the tubercle on the cap, as well as the juice that should be released when broken. These are the most significant distinguishing features of the species. But to be more confident, you also need to familiarize yourself with some similar species.
- Milky liver. These mushrooms are inedible. They also release juice when the pulp is broken, but it turns yellowish when exposed to air. Their flesh is yellowish-brown in color. Sometimes there are specimens with creamy flesh.
- Swamp milkweed. Grows in coniferous forests, prefers swampy soil.
- Camphor milkweed. This mushroom can be eaten, but mushroom pickers usually do not collect it because of its specific unpleasant taste. Camphor milkweed is smaller in size and can be distinguished by its floral aroma. There is also a tubercle on the cap, but it is not as pronounced. The pulp produces a less pungent juice that has a sweetish taste.
- The milkweed is stunted. The juice secreted by this mushroom turns yellow when exposed to oxygen. Its cap has a lighter shade.
- Gladysh is an edible mushroom. His cap is smooth, there is no tubercle. It is colored red-chestnut. The leg of the smoothie is shorter, and the taste is somewhat bitter.
Use and benefits
If you have not previously collected this mushroom because you thought it was tasteless, but still decided to try it, it is very important to know how to prepare it correctly.
Immediately after you cut the mushroom, it must be thoroughly cleaned so that there is no moss or leaves left on it. It is recommended to place bitters in the basket with the cap down. As soon as you bring the collected mushrooms home, immediately wash them and remove any spoiled ones. Check again to see if you have come across any similar mushroom of another species. When only high-quality mushrooms remain that you are sure of, they need to be filled with water for 3 days. This is done if you plan to further process them using a hot method. During this time, the water must be drained several times. It is advisable to do this as often as possible. After soaking, if everything is done correctly, the bitterness goes away from the product. Before cold salting, the duration of soaking should last about 6 days.
Video: Bitterweed (Lactarius rufus)
Bittersweet (Lactarius rufus) is an edible mushroom, quite common in the forests of our country, belonging to the genus Lactarius and the Russulaceae family. Almost all experienced mushroom pickers are well aware of the description of bitter mushroom and call it bitter milk mushroom, bitter mushroom or bitter goat weed.
Description and characteristics
Bittersweet has a flat-convex cap, the diameter of which reaches 11-12 cm. Adult specimens are characterized by the presence of a funnel-shaped, fleshy, dry red-brown, matte surface. In the central part of the cap there is often an acute tubercle surrounded by a depression. Mature specimens often have a dark red or red-brown cap with slightly pronounced, lighter circular zones. A thin-striped type, dull matte coloring may be observed on the surface.
Bitter mushrooms: collection (video)
The pulp of Lactarius rufus is characterized by a resinous woody aroma and the presence of pungent, white, very abundant milky juice. Narrow plates are often located and in young fruiting bodies they have a reddish-yellow color. As the plates age, they acquire a reddish-brownish color with a fairly pronounced yellowish-white coating. The plates slightly descend along the stalk and contain whitish spore powder.
The leg is relatively long. At the stage of full development of the fruiting body, the average height of the cylindrical, white-tomentose, with pubescence at the base of the stalk is approximately 6-8 cm with an average thickness of 20 mm. Young specimens of bitterweed are characterized by the presence of a solid white stalk, while older specimens have a hollow stalk that is pinkish or rusty-red in color.
Habitat
Bitterbush is a mycorrhiza-forming plant with conifers and birches. Most often it grows in coniferous plantings and forest areas. Prefers acidic forest soils. The species is quite widespread in most regions of our country and is one of the most common species of laticifers.
The period of mass active fruiting occurs in summer and the first ten days of autumn. It should be noted that a characteristic feature of Lactarius rufus is the ability to most actively accumulate radioactive isotopes, therefore the collection of bitterberry fruiting bodies in areas with increased radioactive background is strictly prohibited.
How to ferment bitters (video)
Similarities with other species
Inexperienced and novice connoisseurs of “silent hunting” quite often confuse red bitterweed with the fruiting bodies of the edible camphor milk mushroom or Lactarius camphoratus. However, the pulp of the latter has a relatively pronounced aroma of dry roots. Camphor milk mushrooms are edible mushrooms, but due to their specific taste and the presence of a large amount of milky juice, they do not belong to the category of popular mushrooms among domestic mushroom pickers.
Also, bittersweet bears similarities with such a widespread milkweed in our country as the orange milk mushroom or Lactarius badiosanguineus, the fruiting bodies of which have a strong red-chestnut colored cap with a dark central part and a reddish stem. painted leg. The marsh milk mushroom or Lactarius sphagneti is quite similar to Lactarius rufus. It has a similar coloration and grows in damp and marshy soils in spruce or pine forest areas.
How to cook
Most sources classify bitter mushrooms as conditionally edible mushrooms, the fourth category, which is due to their not too high nutritional value and rather mediocre taste characteristics. However, fruit bodies are widely used for pickling and pickling, which should be carried out only after pre-treatment. Proper processing consists of thorough boiling or soaking in several waters, and allows you to rid the fruiting bodies of bitter and abundant milky juice.
It is important to remember that bitters are soaked, not soaked., therefore frequent changes of water are necessary for four to five days. You can boil the mushrooms three times with obligatory rinsing in running water. A good result is achieved by using two methods of preliminary preparation of fruiting bodies at once, which guarantees complete elimination of the bitterness inherent in this type of mushroom. A characteristic feature is the change in color of the fruiting bodies during the pickling process to a dark brown color.
Another valuable property of bittersweet is also known. The fruiting bodies of Lactarius rufus contain a sufficient amount of an antibiotic substance that can have a detrimental effect on a number of bacteria. In addition, the pulp helps inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus culture, so in some regions the use of bitters for medicinal or preventive purposes is quite in demand.
Pickled bitter mushrooms: recipe (video)
It is difficult to count all the types of mushrooms that exist on our planet. They differ in color, size, taste and much more. Some mushrooms can be eaten, while others cannot. But there are also mushrooms about which opinions are divided. One of them is bitter. It is often called bitter milk mushroom, bitter milk mushroom or bitter milk mushroom. Many mushroom pickers consider bittersweet to be poisonous, so they leave it in the forest. However, it is actually an edible mushroom. How and what can be prepared from it?
Bitters can be easily recognized by their appearance:
- The diameter of the cap usually does not exceed 8 cm, although sometimes it reaches 11. If the mushroom is young, it is convex. The edges are turned inward. There is a tubercle in the center of the cap, which is considered the main distinguishing feature. Color varies from red-brown to chestnut-brown. Mushroom plates have a reddish-yellow tint.
- The flesh of this type of mushroom is grayish-white. Just under the skin it has the same color as the cap. As the mushroom matures, the flesh darkens and becomes reddish-brown. It contains white juice inside, which gives the bitter taste an unpleasant aftertaste.
- The leg reaches a length of 10 cm. It is slightly lighter in color than the cap. As the mushroom grows, its stem changes and becomes hollow.
This type of mushroom is considered universal. They can grow in any forest, but are most often found where there are pine trees, moss and lichen. Bitterweed grows actively between June and October. Growth slows down, but does not stop completely even after the first frost.
The mushroom is considered conditionally edible: it has an unpleasant, burning aftertaste. To get rid of this taste, the collected mushrooms must be thoroughly soaked.
The benefits and harms of bitters
Separately, it is worth mentioning the beneficial properties of this variety of mushrooms. They contain a large amount of a substance that effectively fights Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and other harmful microorganisms. This feature made it possible to use it in medicine.
There are several edible and inedible species that are easily confused with bitters:
- Among the edible ones, these are several types of milkweed, namely camphor and marsh. Camphor and orange milk mushrooms also belong to this group.
- Among the inedible mushrooms, the hepatic milkweed is very similar to bittersweet.
Recycling
As mentioned above, bitters have a rather unpleasant aftertaste. To get rid of it, they must be thoroughly soaked. This process usually takes two to three days. It is recommended to change the water at least once a day. To speed up the process, you can add a little salt and citric acid to the water.
Before soaking, the mushrooms must be cleared of debris, grass and leaves. The easiest way to do this is with a soft brush or dish sponge (hard side).
After all the bitterness has gone, you can start preparing mushroom dishes.
How to cook?
Many dishes involve the use of already boiled bitters. Let's look at how to cook them correctly.
Add a little salt, a few peas of black and allspice, and a bay leaf to the mushrooms in the pan. Fill it all with cold water. Cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes. Boiled bitters can be used to prepare any mushroom dishes. It is also good to store them in the refrigerator, first packing them in plastic bags.
How to cook fried mushrooms?
These mushrooms can not only be boiled, but also fried. Fried bitters go best with potatoes. Here is one of the recipes.
Ingredients:
- 500 g of main ingredient;
- 3 tbsp. flour;
- 10 potatoes;
- 1 glass of sour cream (210 g);
- 5 tbsp. olive or sunflower oil;
- salt and spices to taste.
This recipe is quite simple to prepare:
- The bitters must first be soaked in cold water as described above and cooked.
- Peel the potatoes and also boil them in lightly salted water.
- Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and place in a frying pan in hot sunflower oil. Fry until golden brown.
- Take a baking dish (preferably rectangular). Place potatoes, previously cut into slices, and fried bitters.
- Pour sour cream over everything and place in the oven, preheated to 180°C. Leave for a quarter of an hour.
In the marinade
Pickled bitters are a fairly popular dish. In the process of their preparation, marinade plays an important role. It determines what the finished dish will be like: spicy, salty, sweet and sour, etc. You can add such shades of taste to the marinade using additional ingredients:
- To make the marinade sour, you need to add a little more vinegar or citric acid.
- To obtain a sweet taste you will need granulated sugar, cinnamon or cloves.
- The salty taste is a result of the addition of salt and bay leaves.
- The marinade will become spicy if you add red, allspice or chili to it.
- To make the mushrooms have an unusual “forest” flavor, you can add cherry and currant leaves and branches. They will change not only the taste, but also the color of the marinade.
Classic
The classic recipe for pickling bitters involves the use of the following ingredients:
- 4 kg of main product;
- 2 liters of clean cold water;
- 4 tbsp salt;
- 10 peas of black allspice;
- 10 cloves;
- 7 bay leaves;
- 2 tbsp. vinegar.
The cooking process looks something like this:
- Cover mushrooms with water in a large saucepan. Add all ingredients except vinegar.
- Put on fire and let it boil.
- Pour in the prepared vinegar.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Transfer to pre-sterilized jars. Close tightly with nylon lids.
- Let cool at room temperature.
You can eat them after about five days. Serve as a salad with garlic and onions. You can season it with sunflower oil.
Simple recipe
There is another recipe for only 1 kg of bitters. For the marinade you will need 1 liter of water, 6 tbsp. 9% vinegar, 2 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp. salt. All these ingredients must be combined and put on fire. After boiling, add mushrooms and cook for a quarter of an hour. Then transfer to sterile jars and close with lids. Such preparations must be stored in a cool place.
In Polish
Poles love to marinate these mushrooms with garlic. The recipe is also designed for 1 kg of the main product.
So, for the marinade you need to prepare:
- 20 cloves of garlic;
- salt in the amount of 2 tbsp;
- about one and a half tbsp. Sahara;
- 5 peas of allspice;
- one and a half tsp. vinegar (9%);
- several currant, cherry and bay leaves;
- 5 cloves.
Pickling bitters according to this recipe is not at all difficult:
- First you need to prepare the marinade. To do this, add all the ingredients to the water except vinegar, garlic and leaves.
- When the water with spices boils, add soaked and pre-boiled mushrooms into it. Cook them for 15 minutes.
- Banks need to be sterilized. Place garlic and leaves on their bottom, pour in vinegar.
- Fill the jars with mushrooms. Pour the marinade there.
- Roll up the lids and wrap. Leave it like this until it cools completely.
- If there is no intention of storing the dish until winter, the jars can be closed with plastic lids. They need to be stored in the refrigerator.
- To prevent the bitters from becoming moldy, you can sprinkle dry mustard on top. Another option is to cover with a horseradish leaf.
Cold marinating
There are other ways to pickle bitters, for example, using the cold method.
Ingredients:
- 9 cloves;
- 9 peas of allspice;
- 3 bay leaves;
- 1 tbsp. vinegar;
- 1 liter of cold water;
- 1 kg of mushrooms.
The workflow consists of several stages:
- The main product must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Soak as described above. Only after all these procedures can you proceed to the next stage.
- Now the mushrooms need to be boiled in boiling water for 3 minutes (blanching). Remove and let cool.
- Place the mushrooms in a deep container in layers. There should be a layer of salt and seasonings between them.
- Leave for a few days until they are completely marinated.
- Sterilize jars in advance.
- Prepare the marinade. It will consist of water and vinegar.
- Place the mushrooms in jars and fill with brine.
- Roll up the jars and wrap them, leave to cool.
- Store in a cool place, such as a cellar.
Bitter mushrooms, like many other mushrooms, can be prepared in different ways. Very popular, for example, is theirs. Ready-made dishes have a very unusual and pleasant taste.
