How Should Mushrooms Be Stored in the Refrigerator, and How Can Moisture Buildup Be Prevented?

Button mushrooms should come out of their original plastic packaging and go into the refrigerator wrapped in a paper bag or newspaper; paper absorbs the moisture mushrooms give off and slows down that slimy texture. Stored this way, mushrooms stay fresh for 5-7 days. Left in a sealed plastic bag, the same mushrooms turn slick on the surface much sooner, usually within two or three days. Why paper instead of plastic? Mushrooms keep releasing a little moisture even after being picked. Sealed plastic traps that moisture inside and leaves the mushrooms sitting in their own dampness, while paper lets the moisture escape and keeps the surface relatively dry. Mushrooms bought in a store bag gain a few extra days if they're taken out of the bag and wrapped in paper as soon as they get home, on top of however long they already sat on the shelf. How should washed mushrooms be stored? Mushrooms are best washed the day they're used; ones washed ahead of time and left damp turn slick and brown much faster than dry ones. If an early wash is unavoidable, drying them thoroughly and wrapping them in paper towel slows the decline a little. The crisper drawer offers a better humidity balance for mushrooms than other shelves; a shelf that gets direct airflow can dry mushrooms out on the surface and shrivel them instead. Does it differ for other mushroom varieties? More delicate mushrooms like oyster or beech mushrooms spoil faster than button mushrooms; the paper-wrapping method still applies, but these varieties typically lose their freshness within 3-4 days. Dried mushrooms are a completely different category and can sit in a sealed container at room temperature for months, which makes drying a good option when fresh mushrooms aren't available or there's too much to use up. If cooked mushrooms are left over, refrigerate them in a closed container within 2 hours of cooking and use them within 3 to 4 days; since cooked mushrooms hold moisture just like fresh ones, a paper towel inside the container helps soak up the extra dampness. If mushrooms are sliced ahead of cooking, the cut surface is exposed to more air, so they're best kept that way for only a few hours at most. A shriveled mushroom forgotten in the refrigerator doesn't have to be thrown out entirely; shriveling usually comes from moisture loss, and if there are no other signs of spoilage the mushroom can still be cooked. A mushroom that has turned slimy, watery, or smells off cannot be saved by trimming; throw it out. Anyone picking out the freshest package can check whether the mushroom caps are still snug against the stem; a loose cap is a sign more time has passed since harvest. If a large batch of mushrooms won't be used up right away, slicing and pan-frying part of it before freezing builds a stock that lasts far longer than storing them fresh. Mushrooms wrapped in paper and kept in the refrigerator last longer and hold their texture far better than ones left in plastic. Mushrooms need to be cooked before going into the freezer; raw mushrooms turn spongy and bland once frozen and thawed, so freezing only really works for cooked mushrooms.