Canning mushrooms at home is one of those things that sounds fussy, until you do it and realize it's stupid simple. The flavor? Wildly better than store-bought. The texture? Actual mushrooms, not squishy sadness preserved in swamp water.

Grab your pressure canner and let's put some real food on the shelf.

We’re a mushroom-loving household.

Spring means morel hunting, fall brings oyster mushrooms on downed logs, and lately we’ve been trying our hand at growing our own—because store-bought? Bland and forgettable.

Now, technically, this recipe is written for button-type mushrooms—white buttons, baby bellas, creminis, all that jazz. And officially, you’re not supposed to can wild mushrooms. That warning mostly exists because if you misidentify a mushroom, it can kill you. So yeah... pretty valid.

That said, your kitchen, your rules.
The method works just the same. If you’re 110% sure of what you’ve got (and you’d already eat it sautéed in butter without blinking), then do what you will. Personally, I’ve canned foraged morels and oysters plenty of times. If I wasn’t confident, I wouldn’t risk it—for the plate or the jar.

And if canning wild mushrooms feels iffy? No shame in freezing or dehydrating them instead. Either way, they won’t go to waste.

Canned Mushrooms Ingredients

Let’s be real this is as simple as it gets. You only need a few things, and most of them are probably already hanging out in your kitchen.

🍄 Mushrooms – Whole or sliced, your call. Choose small to medium ones that aren’t bruised, discolored, or dried out. Look for unopened caps and short stems. (And yes, this recipe is written for button-type mushrooms: white buttons, baby bellas, creminis, etc.)

Note: You’re technically not supposed to can wild mushrooms, but if you’re confident in your foraging game, you do you.

👉 Roughly 2 pounds per pint or 1 pound per half-pint, give or take.

💧 Water – Unlike meat, mushrooms don’t give off moisture when canned. They puff up and float like spongy little balloons. You’ll need water to keep them submerged during the process.

🧂 Salt (Optional) – Not required, but a little goes a long way in drawing out flavor. I use Redmond's real salt and can’t recommend it enough. If you’re using table salt, go easy—it can turn harsh when canned.

Supplies for Canning Mushrooms

You don’t need fancy equipment. Just the right tools and a bit of heat that actually kills sh*t.

🔥 Pressure Canner – You need one. No, boiling water isn’t hot enough. Mushrooms are a low-acid food, which means the only safe way to can them is under pressure. Water bath canning taps out at 212°F (aka: not enough). Pressure canning? You’re hitting 240°F–250°F depending on your elevation and pressure settings.

If you’re serious about canning low-acid foods (meat, broth, mushrooms), this is non-negotiable.

🥣 Glass or Stainless Bowl – For soaking the mushrooms before you cook them. Nothing wild here, just make sure it’s big enough.

🥘 Large Pot – To boil the mushrooms before they go into jars. You’re not trying to fully cook them, just soften them up and drive out some air.

🧲 Canning Funnel – Optional but makes your life way easier (and your jar rims less rage-inducing).

🥄 Ladle – For scooping mushrooms + liquid into jars without splashing boiling water all over your soul.

🫙 Jar Lifter – These things are weird-looking, but they keep your fingers from boiling off when removing jars from the canner.

🥫 Canning Jars (Pint or Half-Pint) – Stick to either pint or half-pint jars—no quarts. You’ll need two-part lids. I use Ball jars with Superb canning lids and have never had an issue.

Canning Mushrooms (Without the Floaty Weirdness)

Canning mushrooms at home is incredibly easy and doesn’t take much time. There are just two steps people tend to skip—and both make a huge difference in texture and safety.

First, soak them. That removes dirt, gunk, and whatever else they were grown in.
Then, boil them for five minutes. This isn’t just for food safety, it drives out excess air so they won’t float around in the jars like spongy ghosts.

⚠️ Mushrooms are low-acid, which means you must pressure can them. No, you can’t water bath. If you don’t have a pressure canner, your best bet is to pickle, dehydrate, or freeze your mushrooms instead.

🔪 Step 1: Prep Your Pressure Canner, Jars, and Lids

• Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water.
• Fill each jar with water and place them in your canner with 2–3 inches of water (or whatever your manual recommends).
• Set the canner over low heat to warm while you prep your mushrooms.

🍄 Step 2: Sort, Soak, and Slice

• Toss any mushrooms that are discolored or mushy.
• Slice the ends off the stems.
• Soak the rest in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.
• Rinse well.

Keep small mushrooms whole, or slice any size you want. It’s your kitchen.

💨 Step 3: Boil

• Add mushrooms to a pot of water and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, boil for 5 full minutes. This reduces air in the mushrooms, so they stay beautifully submerged when canned.

🫙 Step 4: Fill the Jars

• Ladle mushrooms into hot jars, leaving 1" headspace.
• Optional: Add ½ teaspoon salt (pint) or ¼ teaspoon salt (half-pint).
• Remove air bubbles, double-check headspace, and top with hot water if needed.
• Wipe the rims with vinegar-dampened towel.
• Add lids, tighten rings to finger tight.

🚫 No quart jars. There's no approved processing time for those.

🔥 Step 5: Pressure Can

• Load jars into the canner. Adjust water if needed.
• Seal the lid and bring to a steady steam vent. Let it vent for 10 minutes before placing the weight.
• Process pints + half-pints for 45 minutes:
  • 10 PSI at 0–1000 ft elevation
  • 15 PSI above 1000 ft
• When the time is up, turn off the heat.
• Let the canner return to zero pressure naturally.
• Remove the weight, then carefully remove the lid (open away from you).
• Let jars sit in the canner for 2 minutes, then transfer to a towel-lined counter.
• Let them rest, untouched, for 12–24 hours.

✅ Step 6: Check Seals

• After 12–24 hours, check for proper seals.
• Remove the rings. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.
• Any jars that didn’t seal? Stick ’em in the fridge and use within a few days.

🍄 Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use wild mushrooms?
Technically, no. Official recommendations say only commercially cultivated mushrooms should be pressure canned. But if you’re 110% sure of the species and already trust it on your plate, that’s your call. Just don’t risk it if you’re guessing.

Can I use quart jars?
Nope. There’s no tested or approved time for quarts—stick with pint or half-pint jars for safety.

Do I have to use a pressure canner?
Yes. Mushrooms are a low-acid food. Water bath canning is not safe. If you don’t have a pressure canner, dehydrate or freeze them instead.

Do I need to add salt?
Totally optional. It adds flavor, not preservation power. I like using Redmond Real Salt, but it’s your jar—season how you want.

How long will they last?
Properly canned mushrooms can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate and use within a few days.

That’s it—simple, safe, and shelves full of mushrooms that don’t taste like sadness.

If you make these, tag me or shoot me a message. I love seeing wild kitchens in action.

Want more feral, practical, no-BS seasonal skills? Follow along:

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More Wild Food & Hands-On Traditions to Check Out:

• How to Pressure Can Chicken (No Fuss, Just Flavor)
• Rebel Salsa: How to Pressure Can Black Bean + Corn Salsa the Right Way
• How to Can Dry Beans (without the mush)