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I've put a package of sliced mushrooms in the freezer for few days. I plan to use in a vegetable stir fry. What is the appropriate way to thaw the mushrooms?

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Leave them out in a cool place (or even the fridge) for 6 or 7 hours to defrost thoroughly. Nothing special required.

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I would add to that: take them out of the package they were frozen in and place them on a plate with a layer of tea or paper towels. That will absorb any moisture that might have been in the package with them in the freezer so they won't. – cabbey May 15 '11 at 20:56
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Mushroom lose a lot of moisture when frozen. For a stir fry I would treat them as dried mushrooms and soak them first in water, or better yet soak in your prepared cooking sauces and/or stocks

It's best not to use hot water or you end 'cooking' them to long, and they may not taste nice when finished (flavourless or sour)

The solution used to defrost/rehydrate them should be used in the cooking process as it will be nice and mushroomy

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Doing this to mushrooms that haven't actually been dehydrated will just leave you with mushy-rooms. The texture will be awful. -1. – daniel May 15 '11 at 22:00
@daniel so you tried it? – TFD May 16 '11 at 0:10
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Yes, after a mishap with someone putting a mislabeled crate of mushrooms in the walkin freezer. We all noted that they seemed shrivelled and (with the guidance of the exec chef!) decided to marinate them to refresh them. Mushy nastiness. – daniel May 16 '11 at 1:20
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(I should have added that after cooking and pureeing they made a fine soup) – daniel May 16 '11 at 1:59
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I didn't recommend marinating them, I just mentioned rehydrating (typically tens of minutes for dried mushrooms), obviously less for frozen. If the stir fry has sauces (typically they do) the stir fried mushrooms will be sort of "mushy" anyway – TFD May 16 '11 at 8:09

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