This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies & disclaimers if you're interested. I will only link products I use and personally recommend. Thank you for your support, friends!

CANNED MUSHROOMS MAKE THE BEST PIZZA TOPPING.

I said it.

I also think pineapple belongs on pizza, too.

Now that we got that out of the way, hope you’re still here, I wanna talk home canned mushrooms!!!  Talk about something super easy to do, super tasty, and if you find mushrooms on sale or discounted close to expiration date, it’s worth knowing how to do.  I am actually a bit insane and know when mushrooms are usually marked down to clear out for the next shipment at my local store.  When I need mushrooms, I go that day and grab the discounted packs and bring them home to can.  I can normally find 16 ounce packs of mushrooms for around $1-$1.29ish which is a really good price in my area.  If you grow your own mushrooms, be my guest, but that’s not on my list… yet.  I’m happy to purchase these and if I can’t get them, I can absolutely live without them.

Now.  You’re gonna see on the National Center for Home Food Preservations (NCHFP) website and other canning references that wild mushrooms aren’t to be canned.  I assume that’s due to identification purposes.  Why would they take on the liability of you being able to properly identify mushrooms (mushroom identification can be trickayyyyyy… now I’m singing Run DMC)… and not can those that are poisonous for you.  So, if you wanna can wild ones, have at it, just make sure you know what you’re doin’ and talkin’ about and they’re actual edible mushrooms.  I’m not a very confident mushroom forager, so I really haven’t gotten into it.  YET.  :D

Types of Mushrooms I Can

• Cheap ones
• Mushrooms that are on sale
• Discounted mushrooms
• Free mushrooms

I’m not even kidding.

The easiest varieties of mushrooms for me to find in grocery stores in my location that are frequently marked down or on sale and I have canned successfully and enjoy are:

• white button mushrooms
• shitake mushrooms
• portobello mushrooms

I have personal experience canning these varieties and can definitely recommend them!  If you have a favorite, go nuts!  

Now, let’s get started!

Equipment You May Want:

• Pressure Canner
• Half-pint jars or pint canning jars
• Lids and screw bands
• Jar funnel
• Jar Lifter

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms
• Water
• Salt

Step 1: Wash Mushrooms

Plan on around 2 pounds of fresh mushrooms per pint jar.

Fill a big bowl or your sink with cold water and place the mushrooms in the water, agitate with your hands and soak mushrooms for 10 minutes.  Drain the water and rinse and wash the mushrooms with clean, cold water.  

I know some people about croak when I do this, but you have to remember, MUSHROOMS GROW IN DIRT.  Or even better, MANURE.  POOP.    You HAVE to wash your mushrooms.  Wiping them off with a paper towel is not it and it’s a dang myth that washing mushrooms in water ruins the flavor or whatever they say on Food network.  If you’re willing to risk getting dirt into your jars over washing mushrooms, you big dumb.  Dirt is where that ole b-word botulism spores like to hide.  Tossing a dirty mushroom into a jar and then making an anaerobic environment is a recipe for disaster… so please don’t.

Anyway.  

Rinse those mushrooms well and let them drain in a strainer or on clean towels.  They don’t have to dry completely because we’re going to boil them.

Slice or dice mushrooms into the preferred shape you want and be sure and trim stems that are extra long.  They’re pretty woody and don’t have a great texture.  Short stems I don’t mess with.  If you’d prefer whole mushrooms, do that.  The processing and canning times are the exact same.

Step 2:  Cook Mushrooms

Add mushrooms to a large pot and cover with water.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Step 3:  Fill Jars

Using a slotted spoon, fill prepared jars with hot mushrooms.  

(When home canning, you don’t have to sterilize jars if you are pressure canning or your water bath canning times are 10 minutes or more…. the canning process does it for you and you’re wasting your time.  Simply wash in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and keep on a clean towel until you’re ready to fill jars.  That’s what I mean by “prepared” jars.)  

I don’t heat my jars, hot food can be poured into room temperature jars without issue.  If you wanna heat them, go for it.

Fill jars keeping mushrooms below 1-inch headspace.  All pressure canning needs extra headspace since food expands under the high heat conditions (see here for more info!)

Ladle over mushroom stock from simmering liquid to 1″ headspace, remove air bubbles, and add more liquid if needed.  The mushroom broth created by simmering your mushrooms here is AMAZING, so if you have some left over after filling jars, CAN THAT TOO because it makes the most delicious cream of mushroom soup base. You can process the mushroom broth right along with the mushrooms in the same canner.

IF you don’t want to use mushroom broth, go ahead and drain mushrooms and use fresh hot water for canning.  Butttttt that hurts my soul a little bit.

To each pint jar, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  For half pints, add 1/4 teaspoon.  Feel free to add any herbs or seasonings you’d prefer with your mushrooms.

I’ve seen some folks say to add 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbic acid powder to each jar for better color, but the color of home-canned mushrooms has never been off putting for me.  They turn a very dark color but I guess I don’t really care?  

​Step 4: Pressure Can

Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar.  Add clean lids and secure with bands.

Place jars into your pressure canner and pressure can at your elevations recommended weight for low-acid food (don’t know what I mean by this?  Check out my post on Canning & Altitude Adjustments) for 45 minutes.

After processing time is complete, shut off heat and allow pressure canner to cool and completely depressurize.  

Remove jars and set aside to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.

​Step 5: Storing

After cooling time, remove bands and test seals.  Any jars that did not seal can be refrigerated for use soon, reprocessed, or dumped into a freezer safe container and frozen.  Wash jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Shelf life is til you eat it. If the seal is good, it’s good. Aim to use home canned food within 2 years for best quality and nutritional value but they’ll last longer than that if need be!

Notes:  

Canning mushrooms with a water bath canner is possible but is considered rebel canning since canning low acid food is recommended to be done in a pressure canner.

How to: Pressure Canned Whole or Sliced Mushrooms

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Canning Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 9 minutes minutes

Author: Ruby – Red Feather Farm

Equipment

• Pressure Canner
• Half-pint or pint canning jars
• canning lids and bands
• jar funnel
• jar lifter

Ingredients

• 2 pounds mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Fill a big bowl or your sink with cold water and place the mushrooms in the water, agitate with your hands and soak mushrooms for 10 minutes.
•  Drain the water and rinse and wash the mushrooms with clean, cold water.
•  Rinse those mushrooms well and let them drain in a strainer or on clean towels.
• Slice or dice mushrooms into the preferred shape you want and be sure and trim stems that are extra long.  They're pretty woody and don't have a great texture. If you'd prefer whole mushrooms, do that.  The processing and canning times are the exact same.
• Add mushrooms to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, fill jars keeping mushrooms below 1-inch headspace. Ladle over mushroom stock (from simmering the mushrooms) to 1" headspace, remove air bubbles, and add more liquid if needed.
• To each pint jar, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  For half pints, add 1/4 teaspoon.
• Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar.  Add clean lids and secure with bands.
• Place jars into your pressure canner and pressure can at your elevations recommended weight for low-acid food for 45 minutes.
• After processing time is complete, shut off heat and allow pressure canner to cool and completely depressurize.  Remove jars and set aside to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.
• After cooling time, remove bands and test seals.  Any jars that did not seal can be refrigerated for use soon, reprocessed, or dumped into a freezer safe container and frozen.  Wash jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.