Add gourmet Italian Pickled Mushrooms to your next charcuterie board for an interesting bite.
They are great little snacks to pop in your mouth or elevate a pizza, a salad or a sub sandwich.
They add a bright spot to a bite of cheese on a cracker as well.
You see all kinds of interesting pickled onions, marinated mushrooms, jars of peppers in gourmet shops and they tend to carry a heft price tag for the amount you are getting. Not only can you make a supply for yourself they make a different and thoughtful hostess gift.
Pickling Mushrooms
These are waterbathed for 20 minutes so you will have to follow basic canning guidelines but then they are shelf stable for up to a year. Of course, you have to refrigerate once opened.
Canning Guidelines
- Sterilize clean mason jars in a 275 degree oven for 20 minutes. Keep jars warm.
- Use new lids to ensure a reliable seal.
- Fill the jars with produce and brine leaving a 1" headspace.
- When filling jars never put cold brine in hot jars. Brine should be the same temperate as the jars. Never put hot jars in to cold water in the canner. Fill the canner with hot water and put hot jars in the hot water.
- Boil water and soak lids for 5 minutes just before getting ready to fill your jars.
- Insert a knife into the brine to release any air bubbles.
- Wipe the jar rim with vinegar on a cloth to ensure there is no matter on the rim preventing a tight seal.
- Position the lid and tighten the screw band finger tight. Jars should sit on a rack insider your canning pot (not on the bottome of the pot). Simmer jars the required amount of time covered by at least 1" of water.
- Remove the jars after the cook time and allow them to cool at room temperature.
- Check the seal after 8 hours of cooling time by removing the screw band and carefully lifting the jar by the lid only. If it holds it is good and will be shelf stable.
- Jars that did not seal properly can be reprocessed within 24 hours. Check the rim for cracks or dirt, check if jar is over filled, use a new lid and reprocess. Otherwise refrigerate and use within a few days.
- Wipe the outside of the jars, threads and lids to ensure there is no residue. Store without the screw bands to avoid rust.
How To Serve Italian Pickled Mushrooms
You can eat them straight out of the jar if you want a really sharp bite.. Or you can toss them in olive oil and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and dried herbs like rosemary or dill.
You can slice them right out of the jar and use to top a pizza, add to a salad or add slices to a beef or cheese panini. Add some anywhere you would like a bright, vinegary taste highlight.
Italian Pickled Mushrooms
Equipment
- large pot with a rack for water bathing
- Tongs for lifting jars
- 5 one-cup canning jars with 2 piece lids (like Mason or Bernadin jars)
- Wide mouth funnel (Optional)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mushrooms button or cremini or a mix
- 9 cups water divided 8 cups + 14 Tbsps (remove 2 tablespoon from the 9 cups)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 ½ cloves garlic sliced vertically to make 5 half cloves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 whole and remaining cut in to 5 equal portions
- 2 sprigs rosemary cut in to 5 equal portions
- 2 tsps pickling salt or very coarse salt with no additives
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare your jars and canning pot according to the guidelines in the Notes below.
- Clean and trim mushrooms stems. If mushrooms are large halve or quarter them vertically. Button mushroom up to 1 ¼ " in diameter can stay whole.
- Combine 8 cups of water with the lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the mushrooms, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a large colander and allow them to drain and cool.
- Add garlic and leaves only from 1 stem of thyme to a medium sauce pan. Add the salt, peppercorns, vinegar and remaining water to the sauce pan. Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Stir to dissolve the salt. Reduce heat to low and keep brine warm. (This is about the right time to put the jar lids in boiling water.)
- Take hot jars out of the oven with tongs. Set them on a dry tea towel or mat so hot jars don't sit on a cold or wet counter. Put 1 piece of thyme and rosemary in to each jar. Divide mushrooms equally between the jars. (Use a wide mouth funnel if you have one to keep jars clean.) Do not over fill the jars. You need 1" of headspace.
- Spoon the garlic and peppercorns out of the brine and divide up between the jars. Ladle the hot brine over the mushrooms leaving ½" of headspace. Insert a knife in each jar to remove any trapped air.
- Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a cloth or paper towel dipped in vinegar. Remove lids from water with tongs. Center lid carefully on the jar and screw the bands on to just finger tight.
- Submerge the jars in your hot canning pot and ensure water covers jars by at least 1" and preferaby 2". Cover pot and bring water to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let jars stay in the water for about 5 minutes more.
- Place a towel on a heat proof surface. Carefully remove jars with tongs and set them on the towel. Let jars cool for 12 or so hours. Remove the screw bands and check the lids have sealed. (See Notes below.)
- Store up to 1 year. Once opened refrigerate and use within a month.
Notes
- Sterilize clean mason jars in a 275 degree oven for 20 minutes. Keep jars warm.
- Use new lids to ensure a reliable seal.
- Fill the jars with produce and brine leaving a 1" headspace.
- When filling jars never put cold brine in hot jars. Brine should be the same temperate as the jars. Never put hot jars in to cold water in the canner. Fill the canner with hot water and put hot jars in the hot water.
- Boil water and soak lids for 5 minutes just before getting ready to fill your jars.
- Insert a knife into the brine to release any air bubbles.
- Wipe the jar rim with vinegar on a cloth to ensure there is no matter on the rim preventing a tight seal.
- Position the lid and tighten the screw band finger tight. Jars should sit on a rack insider your canning pot (not on the bottome of the pot). Simmer jars the required amount of time covered by at least 1" of water.
- Remove the jars after the cook time and allow them to cool at room temperature.
- Check the seal after 8 hours of cooling time by removing the screw band and carefully lifting the jar by the lid only. If it holds it is good and will be shelf stable.
- Jars that did not seal properly can be reprocessed within 24 hours. Check the rim for cracks or dirt, check if jar is over filled, use a new lid and reprocess. Otherwise refrigerate and use within a few days.
- Wipe the outside of the jars, threads and lids to ensure there is no residue. Store without the screw bands to avoid rust.
Leave a Reply