Processing: Pressure Canner 30mins (half-pints, pints), 35mins (quarts)Storage: 12 months+
Yield: 28 cups
Delicious homemade mushroom stock - made from the leftover cooking liquid from canning mushrooms, and extracting the flavour from the stalks and any leftover mushroom skins. Boil until reduced then pressure can to seal. To serve, just heat and use in your favourite recipe.
Trimmings (stalks, peels) from approx 30lbs of mushrooms (NOTE: we only use the stalks & peels in this recipe)
mushroom cooking liquid
dried mushrooms (optional)
sea salt
Method:
- Make mushroom stock. Wash mushrooms to remove any dirt. Peel if caps have opened and wash again. Trim stems and keep tips to make into stock. Once you cook the mushrooms (whole/halved/sliced) in the liquid before canning, keep the cooking liquid - this is the base for our mushroom stock. Wash stems and drain well. Place stems into a large pot with the cooking liquid.
- Boil stock and reduce volume by 30%. The liquid will be very bland at the beginning, so we need to boil it for an extended period to condense the flavour. I usually fill my pots and boil away while I pressure can other dishes. You can boost the flavour by boiling for a long period and/or adding some dried mushrooms. Check every half hour or so until you are happy with the mushroom flavour. It will have turned a dark black/brown colour from the peels and stalks and have a rich mushroom flavour. Drain well to remove peels, stalks and dried mushrooms, if used. Season well. Measure stock to determine the number of jars required.
- Prepare jars by covering in water and boiling for 10 minutes.
- While you are bringing the stock back to a boil, place the lids into a pot of previously boiling water. Do not simmer or boil, just let the lids heat through in the few minutes while you fill the jars, removing the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars so they stay hot.
- Bring stock back to a boil. Double check seasoning. Keep stock hot until ready to ladle into hot jars.
- Immediately spoon the hot mushroom stock into your prepared hot jars: fill to 1 inch (2.5cm) from the top with hot stock. Wipe rims and seal.
- Your pressure canner needs 2 inches (5cm) of pre-boiled water in the bottom before adding the hot jars. Then place each filled jar of stock into the canner. Put the lid onto the canner and turn onto high heat. Once the white steam is present (constant stream), vent for 10 minutes before adding weight and bring up to pressure (10lbs weighted, 11lbs dial gauge). Adjust pressure level according to your altitude if required. Once pressure is reached, start your timer for 30mins (pints) or 35mins (quarts). Once the time is up, turn the heat off and allow pressure to return to zero normally. Then remove the weight and wait another 5 minutes before removing the lid and cooling jars on a towel-covered bench overnight.
- The next day: check jars have sealed before labeling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months.
Serving ideas.
- Make into mushroom soup
- Use half-pint jars for adding to sauces and gravies
- Use as a base for soup or make mushroom risotto with onion, fresh or canned mushrooms, snowpeas, parmesan and chicken or bacon.
- Next time you cook your plain rice, replace 2 cups of the water with a pint jar of mushroom stock - and perhaps some pressure canned mushrooms.
- Stir hot mushroom stock into couscous for a speedy, delicious side dish.
- Add mushroom stock into pot pies, casseroles, stir-fries, etc.
TIPS
- Boil until reduced by 30% (or to a flavour you like).
- Strain well to remove solids before canning.
- Season once it's reduced so you don't end up with a stock that is too salty. If this happens, simply dilute with water when opening.
