Storing and preserving homegrown mushrooms
Keep fresh mushrooms in the refrigerator, and freeze or dry what you cannot use. Dry in a dehydrator or a barely warm 135 to 150°F oven. Oregon State says only domestically grown button mushrooms are safe to can.
Fresh mushrooms
Oysters harvested just before the caps flatten store better than ones picked later, says North Spore. Store harvested shiitake in the refrigerator, says Field & Forest. Pink oyster spoils quickly, so use it first, says North Spore's booklet.
Freezing
Mushrooms other than button mushrooms can be frozen or dried, says Oregon State Extension. Freeze them in bags laid flat, says the Missouri Department of Conservation. Follow the exact preparation steps on those pages before you freeze, because they differ by method.
Drying
Missouri's Department of Conservation says to use a dehydrator or a barely warm oven at 135 to 150°F. Penn State Extension says to scrub the mushrooms and discard woody stalks first. The University of Missouri Extension says drying to a water activity below 0.85 restricts the growth of pathogens, and warns that cooking does not destroy toxins from bacteria such as Bacillus cereus. It means a mushroom that has spoiled is not made safe by cooking.
Canning
Only domestically grown button mushrooms are safe to can, says Oregon State Extension. Penn State Extension says to follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation. We do not give canning steps for homegrown oyster, lion's mane or shiitake, because the sources we checked do not say it is safe.
Our limits
We are not a food safety authority. This page points to extension and conservation sources, and the pages linked in the Sources list have the full steps. For the growing method, see how to grow mushrooms at home. To cook a harvest instead, see oyster mushroom recipes or lion's mane mushroom recipes. For picking, see when to harvest oyster mushrooms.
Common questions
Can I freeze homegrown mushrooms?
Oregon State Extension says mushrooms other than button mushrooms can be frozen or dried. The Missouri Department of Conservation says to freeze them in bags laid flat.
How do I dry mushrooms safely?
The Missouri Department of Conservation says to use a dehydrator or a barely warm 135 to 150°F oven. Penn State Extension says to scrub them and discard woody stalks. Missouri Extension says drying to a water activity below 0.85 restricts pathogens.
Can I can homegrown oyster mushrooms?
Oregon State Extension says only domestically grown button mushrooms are safe to can. We do not give canning steps for other species.
Does cooking make spoiled mushrooms safe?
No. The University of Missouri Extension says cooking will not destroy toxins from bacteria such as Bacillus cereus.
Sources
- Preserving Mushrooms (SP 50-919), Oregon State University Extension. Checked November 11, 2026.
- Preparing and Preserving Mushrooms, Penn State Extension. Checked November 11, 2026.
- Safety of Home Dried Mushrooms, University of Missouri Extension. Checked November 11, 2026.
- Preserving Mushrooms for Later Use, Missouri Department of Conservation. Checked November 11, 2026.
- Shiitake Ready-To-Fruit Blocks, instruction sheet, Field & Forest. Checked November 11, 2026.
- When to harvest your mushrooms, North Spore help center. Checked November 11, 2026.
- Fruiting Block Kit Instruction Booklet (PDF), North Spore. Checked November 11, 2026.
How this page is checked
Cedrick Reese wrote this page from Oregon State, Penn State, University of Missouri and Missouri Department of Conservation material, plus seller notes on storing fresh mushrooms. This is a food safety topic, so we kept to what those sources state and gave no steps of our own. We are not a food safety authority, and the extension pages linked below are the ones to follow.