If you’re a fan of King Oyster mushrooms (also known as French Horn mushrooms), you probably know they have that amazing meaty texture and savory flavor that reminds a lot of people of Porcinis. The good news? Just like Porcinis, these mushrooms are absolute champs when it comes to freezing.
Don’t Freeze Them Whole
One quick tip: you definitely don’t want to toss King Oysters into the freezer whole. After you’ve cleaned your mushrooms, your first step is to slice them up. When it’s time to cook, you’ll want to throw them directly into the pan while they’re still frozen to lock in that flavor. Because of that, it’s really helpful to keep your slices uniform so they all cook at the same rate. I personally love using a mandoline slicer for this—it makes the job way faster, especially if you’ve got a big harvest to get through, and ensures every piece is the same thickness.
Skip the Prep
You’ll often hear advice about blanching vegetables before freezing them, but when it comes to King Oysters, you actually want to avoid that. Mushrooms act like little sponges and soak up moisture instantly. If you blanch them, you’ll end up washing away those delicious, concentrated flavors. To keep them tasting their best, just freeze them raw. You can use standard freezer bags or any freezer-safe plastic containers to store them.
Using Your Stash
While fresh King Oysters stay good in the fridge for about eight days, they’ll last for a solid eight months in the freezer. Once they’ve been frozen, they lose that crispness needed for raw salads, but they are still incredible in cooked dishes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:
- Sautéed in butter and olive oil as a side dish or tossed with pasta.
- Stirred into creamy sauces.
- Added to hearty mushroom soups.
