Processing Methods and Techniques for Edible Mushroom Seasonings

Core tip: Various edible mushroom fruiting bodies, or fruiting body extracts and precooking liquids, can be used to produce delicious seasonings, such as mushroom soy sauce, vinegar, and flour paste. The methods are simple and allow comprehensive utilization of by-products and waste from edible mushroom processing, improving economic returns.

Various edible mushroom fruiting bodies, or fruiting body extracts and precooking liquids, can be used to produce delicious seasonings, such as mushroom soy sauce, vinegar, and flour paste. The methods are simple and allow comprehensive utilization of by-products and waste from edible mushroom processing, improving economic returns.

1. Mushroom soy sauce processing technique: After the precooking liquid from mushroom processing is concentrated, it is blended in proportion with soybean-based soy sauce to obtain mushroom soy sauce, whose flavor and umami far exceed ordinary soy sauce.

1) Filtration and concentration of mushroom precooking liquid: Filter the precooking liquid through gauze or a 60-mesh sieve to remove debris and other impurities. Then concentrate under reduced pressure until it reaches 18%-19% by refractometer.

2) Blending of mushroom soy sauce: The ingredient ratio is 40-43 kg concentrated liquid, 8.0-8.5 kg refined salt, 9.0-11.0 kg first-grade soy sauce, and 0.06% sodium benzoate or sodium sorbate.

Pour the concentrated liquid into a double-walled pot, add the refined salt, and heat while stirring constantly until boiling. Then add the soy sauce and continue heating to 80-85°C. First dissolve the sodium benzoate or sodium sorbate in boiling water or hot soy sauce, then add it to the mixture to obtain mushroom soy sauce.

3) Sterilization and clarification: Heat the prepared mushroom soy sauce to 65-70°C and hold for 30 minutes to sterilize. Then transfer it to a storage tank, let it cool naturally, and let it stand to clarify for 7 days before packaging and selling.

2. Shiitake soy sauce processing technique: Take 1 part fresh shiitake, cut into thin slices, add 3 parts water; or take 1 part dried shiitake, crush into powder, add 10 parts water, place in a pot and heat, holding at 70-80°C for 1 hour to extract, then filter through 4 layers of gauze to obtain the filtrate. Add 6 kg shiitake extract to 100 kg ordinary soy sauce, heat in a pot, and hold at 90°C for 1 hour to obtain shiitake soy sauce.

3. Producing soy sauce from edible mushroom precooking liquid: Filter the precooking liquid of edible mushrooms (such as oyster mushroom, straw mushroom, button mushroom, etc.) through 4 layers of gauze, heat and concentrate, skimming off foam as needed, until concentrated to 30% of the original volume. Then add 25% salt, 1% monosodium glutamate, and a small amount of seasonings such as Sichuan pepper, pepper, and cassia bark. Place in a storage vat and let stand for 7 days. Draw off the supernatant, and for every 100 kg supernatant add 60 g each of sodium benzoate and sodium metabisulfite for preservation. Bottle to obtain the finished soy sauce.

4. Mushroom flour paste brewing technique:

(1) Raw materials: 15 kg mushroom by-products (substandard mushrooms, broken mushrooms, mushroom stems, mushroom scraps, etc.), 50 kg flour, 1.75 kg salt, 100 g five-spice powder, 50 g saccharin, 50 g sodium benzoate, 150 g citric acid, 1.5 kg water.

(2) Process flow:

1) Koji-making process: flour + water → mixing → steaming → cooling → inoculation (koji spores or koji starter) → ventilated cultivation (koji pool or koji tray) → flour cake koji.

2) Paste-making process: flour cake koji → fermentation vat → natural fermentation → add salt water → paste mash → keep warm → finished product.

3) Preparation method:

① Mixing dough: Mix 50 kg flour with 15 kg water until it forms granules the size of broad beans. Place in a steamer and steam until the flour cake is jade-colored, not sticky to the teeth, and slightly sweet. Cool to 25-30°C before inoculation.

② Making flour cake koji: It is best to inoculate with koji spores (spores isolated from seed koji), then immediately place in a koji pool or koji tray and cultivate at 38-42°C. When cultivation is complete (mycelial growth is vigorous, and Aspergillus spores should not be excessive), it is ready as flour cake koji.

③ Making mushroom liquid: Wash the mushroom by-products clean, add water and boil for 30 minutes, filter through 3 layers of gauze, take the filtrate, add a measured amount of salt, and filter for later use.

④ Making paste mash: Transfer the flour cake koji into a fermentation vat, level it with a sterilized rod rake, and let it warm up naturally. Then slowly pour in 14 Baume mushroom juice hot salt water from the surface layer, using an amount equal to 100% of the flour cake. At the same time, press the surface layer firmly, add paste mash to keep warm, cover the vat mouth tightly, and ferment while maintaining warmth. Keep the fermentation temperature at 53-55°C. Stir once after 2 days, then once daily thereafter; after 8-10 days it becomes mature paste mash.

⑤ Making flour paste: Grind the paste mash fine and sift it, introduce steam to heat it to 65-70°C, and add five-spice powder and saccharin dissolved in 300 mL water. Finally add citric acid and sodium benzoate, stir evenly, and it becomes mushroom flour paste.