How to Dehydrate Chanterelles

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 Chanterelles are my favorite wild fungi.

These guys grow through a long period in the summer, have a large range, and best of all they are EASY to find! Their bright orange coloration sometimes closely resembles hunter orange and is easy to spot a patch on a hillside from even several hundred yards away.

Oh yeah, and they are delicious!

I came across a patch last week and picked a gallon bag full in a matter of minutes. I didn't have any plans for immediate use, and didn't want to let these tasty summer treats go to waste, so I decided to dehydrate them for future use.

washed chanterelles on kitchen counter
Washed Chanterelles

We recently purchased a Dehydrator Air Fry Combo. We have a dedicated dehydrator with numerous racks, but rather than dig that out of the basement, I opted to try out the dehydrate settings on this thing. The capacity is smaller than a dedicated dehydrator, but was the perfect amount of space for the gallon of chanterelles. The dehydrator has temperature and time control which was perfect for turning on before bed and waking up to earthy smells of the finished chants. (It also does a ton of other everyday cooking tasks too).

Once dried to crunchy (they should snap like a cracker), chanterelles can be stored in an airtight container somewhere dark and dry for quite a long time. 

Dehydrated chanterelles in the dehydrator
Finished Chanterelles

Reconstitute chanterelles by simmering in water for about 15 minutes or until they reach the texture you'd like. Some folks will pulverize dried chanterelles in to a powder that can be used as a seasoning for various foods to add that wonderful earthy umami flavor. Any way you slice it, this is going to be time well spent.

Location: West Virginia, USA

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