How long are dried mushrooms good for?

November 13, 2016 5:31 PM

I bought 4 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms last year with the intent of making a bunch of Magic Mushroom Powder for people as Christmas gifts. This did not happen. The mushrooms have been sitting in a dark cupboard in the dining room (so away from sources of heat in the kitchen) for the last year. They came in 1 ounce plastic bags that are still sealed shut. Okay to use? I'd like to actually make the powder this year. Thanks!
posted by skycrashesdown to Food & Drink (4 answers total)

I just found an ancient packet of dried porcinis in my pantry the other day and ground them up to use in soups and they smelled fine. AFAIK once they are dried it's really just a question of whether they still have potency. If they smell like porcinis when you grind them then you're fine.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:39 PM on November 13, 2016 [4 favorites]

Mushroom hunter here. I have in a jar some morels I found about five years ago, dehydrated, and I would use them without hesitation. So long as they were well dried to begin with, their shelf life is basically that of a Twinkie (i.e., legendarily indefinite), and I personally would trust store-bought dried mushrooms to be dried properly.

For what it's worth, you have my blessing.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:00 PM on November 13, 2016 [4 favorites]

I also recently found some dried mixed wild mushrooms in the back of a cabinet I was cleaning out! They weren't in the original package but were in a ziplock, and had to be at least two years old. They were just fine! Make the magic!
posted by padraigin at 8:30 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Unless you have reason to think that moisture got in there, they are probably ok. The bigger issue might be loss of flavour, which can be compensated through upping the mushroom concentration used.
posted by troytroy at 5:34 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]