Indigenous cultures have used Magic mushrooms for thousands of years like the Nahuatls, Olmec, Chinantecs, Chatinos, Mayans, Mazatecs, Totonacs, Mixes Zapotecs, Colima, and Purepecha. For example, Mazatec healers (such as the infamous Maria Sabina) used Psilocybin mushrooms (known as teonanacatl in the culture) to understand disease and create holistic paths to healing.
If you’ve purchased Psilocybin mushrooms, you most likely received a plastic baggie of dried mushroom stems and caps that could snap like a dry stick. This is in contrast to a meaty portobello, porcini, chanterelle, or button mushroom purchased from the local grocery store or farmer’s market.
It is crucial to dry your magic mushrooms as soon as you harvest. However, to preserve the beautiful aesthetic (as well as potency) of your newly-grown fungi, the drying process must be done with great care, as messing up this step can ruin all of your months of diligent work. In addition, any water/moisture left in the mushrooms can cause continued decomposition and fermentation. As mushrooms are almost entirely water, it won’t take long to spoil and become inedible.
While there are several options for drying your ‘shrooms, some standard equipment like a dehydrator will go a long way in optimizing your drying routine. The first step, though, is always to clean off the bottom of the mushrooms after a harvest, dusting/wiping off any dirt or debris. Substrate clinging to your dried mushrooms is unappealing. In addition, there is added risk of contamination for your fruiting chamber when you leave gaping holes from pulling out the mushrooms – so be gentle, twist, and pull (or use a mushroom/Exacto knife). Some people cut the tip off at the bottom – this is up to you.
It is crucial to dry your magic mushrooms as soon as you harvest. However, to preserve the beautiful aesthetic (as well as potency) of your newly-grown fungi, the drying process must be done with great care, as messing up this step can ruin all of your months of diligent work. In addition, any water/moisture left in the mushrooms can cause continued decomposition and fermentation. As mushrooms are almost entirely water, it won’t take long to spoil and become inedible.
While there are several options for drying your ‘shrooms, some standard equipment like a dehydrator will go a long way in optimizing your drying routine. The first step, though, is always to clean off the bottom of the mushrooms after a harvest, dusting/wiping off any dirt or debris. Substrate clinging to your dried mushrooms is unappealing. In addition, there is added risk of contamination for your fruiting chamber when you leave gaping holes from pulling out the mushrooms – so be gentle, twist, and pull (or use a mushroom/Exacto knife). Some people cut the tip off at the bottom – this is up to you.
How to Dry Psilocybe Cubensis
We can’t all be Jeff Bezos, and dehydrators can be pretty pricey – especially after the initial investment on the mushroom grow. As an alternative to using a dehydrator, some use the ‘Sushi Mat System,’ which utilizes a sushi mat, paper towels, and sunlight. Here’s how it works:
01
Place the sushi mat on top of a paper towel in direct sunlight with plenty of air flow
02
Place the mushrooms on the sushi mat
03
Wait until mushrooms are fully dried out (varies depending on location and weight, etc.)
Always ensure your mushrooms are cracker dry before they go into storage; otherwise, you may open up your bag to find an unpleasant smell that indicates mold or other contamination, rendering the fungi useless.
Poor Man’s Drying Technique for Mushrooms
No sushi mat? You can place your mushrooms on a window screen and have a fan blowing on them, with a heater underneath. This is perhaps the least ideal technique, and careful monitoring is required, but it will work in a pinch. Maybe you’re not poor and just like to feel resourceful – whatever the case, many now-esteemed mycophiles got their start using this very drying technique, so don’t feel lesser than those with dehydrators.
Final Considerations
Whatever you do, and no matter how desperate or crunched for time you may be, do not use an oven to dry your mushrooms. The heat in an oven is much too intense, and will result in a total degradation of all psychoactive alkaloids. We hope it goes without saying that microwaves are also out of the question.
Another thing that many don’t consider is the external climate of the area you live in. Basic humidity levels vary wildly from region to region across the US (and world), and also vary by season. There are certain areas and times of year where you could get away with just throwing your freshly picked mushrooms on the counter for a few days and letting them dry that way. Think places like Sedona, AZ or high up in the mountains, where the air is dry as a bone.
Another thing that many don’t consider is the external climate of the area you live in. Basic humidity levels vary wildly from region to region across the US (and world), and also vary by season. There are certain areas and times of year where you could get away with just throwing your freshly picked mushrooms on the counter for a few days and letting them dry that way. Think places like Sedona, AZ or high up in the mountains, where the air is dry as a bone.
On the other hand, let’s say you live somewhere like Florida – if you try to use the Sushi Mat System (or anything else that doesn’t involve a dehydrator) you could find that your mushrooms are still full of water even after a week of drying. Some air is so humid that it can barely hold any more water, causing your ‘shrooms to dry at a snail’s pace. Make sure to keep these important factors in mind when you’re drying mushrooms to avoid any mistakes.
To your health and happiness, always!
To your health and happiness, always!