How to salt dry milk mushrooms (violin) for the winter

Dry milk mushrooms are called “Squeaky”, or “Violin”, because of the characteristic sound that these mushrooms make in the basket. They contain less milky juice than other milk mushrooms, but in terms of taste, dry milk mushrooms are second only to white milk mushrooms.

When pickling dry milk mushrooms, you can use the recipe for pickling black milk mushrooms or white milk mushrooms. Both of these recipes are perfect for dry milk mushrooms.

You can use a combined method, which undoubtedly speeds up salting and obtaining the finished product.

Traditionally, mushrooms are pickled in wooden tubs. This is the most suitable method, since when the brine comes into contact with wood, harmful compounds are not formed, as is the case with plastic or metal utensils. If you don't have a wooden tub, you can use glass jars.

Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems. When cut, the milky juice turns red after drying, and this is a distinctive feature of dry milk mushrooms.

Soak dry milk mushrooms for 24 hours, changing the water every 3 hours.

Boil water in a saucepan, lightly salt it, and boil the milk mushrooms for 5 minutes. The mushrooms will not be cooked, but they will not be as fragile.

Place horseradish leaves at the bottom of the barrel, and place boiled milk mushrooms on top of them.

Sprinkle the layer of mushrooms with salt and spices. Peppercorns, garlic, mustard seeds, or ready-made spice mixtures for pickling vegetables.

Place a layer of milk mushrooms again and salt them again.

You will need a lot of salt. For 10 kg of milk mushrooms take 1 kg of salt.

Cover the last layer with currant and horseradish leaves. There is no need to compact the mushrooms. Place a lid with pressure on top of the mushrooms, and the mushrooms themselves will settle during the pickling process.

Put the barrel of pickles in a cool place, and after two weeks you can try what happened. During the pickling process, dry milk mushrooms acquire a bluish color, and this should not scare you. This is another feature of dry milk mushrooms, and it does not pose a danger.