HOW DO YOU DRY MAGIC MUSHROOMS OR TRUFFLES?

You can of course eat magic mushrooms or truffles fresh, but chances are you will also like to save some for later. By drying magic mushrooms or truffles, you can store them for months without losing their flavor or potency. In this article, we'll tell you all about how to dry magic mushrooms or truffles.

How long do magic mushrooms and truffles keep?

First of all, it is useful to know how long mushrooms and truffles have a shelf life. When they have just been harvested, they are actually at their best: at this time they contain the greatest amount of psilocybin. The more and longer they are exposed to outdoor air and high temperature by UV light or sun, the faster they can spoil. Fresh mushrooms should therefore be kept dry, dark and refrigerated. Preferably in their original packaging in the fridge. They will then stay good for three months at most. Do you want to keep them for longer? Then it is best to dry them.

Drying mushrooms and truffles

By drying mushrooms or truffles, they lose a lot of moisture. This not only allows you to keep them longer, you can also keep the magical effects well. A dried mushroom is about 10 times stronger per gram than a fresh one. This is because fresh mushrooms consist of 90% moisture. Evaporating this will dehydrate the truffle, and you can store them for months. The trick is just to do this in the right way, without leaving stagnant or moist air around the truffle, because then they can rot. And then everything will have been for nothing!

What does a good drying process look like? First of all, make sure you harvest at the right time and do it in the right way. Immediately after harvesting, put them on a clean surface to pre-dry the mushrooms and truffles. This can be on a kitchen paper with a black cloth over it and then let them dry on the windowsill. Or place them in front of a blowing fan. Then it's time to dry them thoroughly.

Different ways of drying

There are two different ways to thoroughly dry your mushrooms or truffles. This can be done in an ice-free fridge with zero humidity, or using drying agents. We can imagine that not everyone has an extra fridge that is also perfect for drying. If you do have one, this is the perfect way to dry your mushrooms. Otherwise, you can get started with drying agents, which will also give you good results.

Desiccants

A common drying agent is silica gel, but you can also make your own with Epsom salt. You can spread the bath salt evenly on a baking tray and heat it in the oven at 250 °C for at least two hours. Then you can pound it until powder forms and voilà, you have your own desiccant! Whatever desiccant you use: you can put it between the mushrooms, so they can absorb the moisture. Many agents can be reused over and over again, are cost-effective and also stop unwanted mould growth.

The drying process

What do you need?

• Desiccant of your choice
• Kitchen paper
• Plastic container with a lid
• Metal gauze
• For dried mushrooms or truffles

Step-by-step plan

1. Cover the bottom of the plastic container with your chosen desiccant
2. Cover the desiccant with a layer of kitchen paper
3. Bend the metal mesh up at the sides and place it in the plastic container. This acts as an intermediate layer to separate the mushrooms from the kitchen paper.
4. Make sure your magic mushrooms do not come into contact with the desiccant.
5. Place your mushrooms on the metal mesh and put the lid on the plastic container.
6. The desiccant will now extract all the moisture.
7. Check every few days if your magic mushrooms/truffles are already dry. They are properly dry when you can break them.
   
   

Storing dried mushrooms and truffles

It is best to store your psychedelic mushrooms and truffles in a cool, dark and dry environment. That way they retain their flavor and strength the longest. Think of a kitchen cupboard, for example. You can store them in airtight containers on ziplock bags or vacuum-pack them. But what also works well is to work them in measured doses, so you don't have to open the jar all the time. Each time you open, the jar poses a risk of unwanted moisture or other contamination.

Microdosing mushrooms and truffles

After drying your mushrooms and truffles, you can also microdose them and then store them. The effects are then usually milder and do not last too long. You can simply microdose them by eating small bits all the time, but this method is not very accurate. A better way is to microdose with capsules. This way, you can dose accurately, store them easily and take them with you easily. Want to know more about microdosing? In another article, we'll tell you all about how to microdose with magic mushrooms yourself.