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How to Prepare Turkey Tail Mushroom Tea
Turkey tail mushroom is an exceptionally potent medicinal mushroom known for its immunity-enhancing and antioxidant properties. It has long been used by traditional Asian cultures as a sign of good health and spiritual alignment.
Turkey tail mushroom tea gets its name from its surface’s ringed pattern that resembles feathers of a turkey. Here’s how you can make turkey tail mushroom tea at home!
Clean the Mushrooms
Tea made from turkey tail mushrooms is an effective way to reap their powerful medicinal properties. Drinking it regularly can help strengthen your immune system and energy levels while simultaneously helping balance gut bacteria for improved digestive health. But beware: only use clean, high-quality mushrooms when creating this tea!
If you’re using fresh, wild-harvested mushrooms, you must prepare them thoroughly prior to use. Start with using a paper towel to wipe away any visible dirt before employing a toothbrush or mushroom brush on those hiding beneath their pores.
Alternately, rinse your mushrooms under cold water until they’re clean; if necessary, repeat this step several times until all dirt has been removed from them. It is important when washing mushrooms that they be handled carefully so as to not damage the delicate tissues; following which they must be dried completely with paper towel or cloth.
Many people have differing views on whether or not mushrooms should be cleaned prior to cooking them. Some suggest leaving the mushrooms as-is and simply brushing off any obvious dirt; others advocate washing all mushrooms prior to use; the truth is that it all depends on the variety and cleanliness of mushrooms you’re working with.
When purchasing store-bought mushrooms, they should already be clean. But if you are harvesting wild-harvested or forest mushrooms from nature themselves, or using fresh, wild-harvested varieties from your garden or farmer, it may be worthwhile giving them a quick rinse prior to using.
If you plan to use mushrooms as ingredients for tincture recipes, they will require even more careful cleaning before being extracted from alcohol. Many tincture recipes require them to sit in alcohol for four to eight weeks prior to extraction; thus requiring even greater care when cleaning before starting this process.
Dehydrate the Mushrooms
Mushrooms are an indispensable element of backpacking meals due to their lightweight yet flavorful profile. Mushrooms add depth and variety to any meal on any trip; learning how to properly prepare them before your next trek is vitally important. Dehydrating mushrooms makes them even more versatile as you can use them in everything from soups and stews to pasta dishes and risottos!
Dehydrating mushrooms requires first washing them thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris, then spreading them on a paper towel in one layer without overlap. Once the paper towel has become saturated with moisture from the mushrooms, add another layer over them until all layers of paper towels have become saturated – this process may take quite some time! Eventually the mushrooms should become fully dry. Be patient as this process may take time!
Dehydrate mushrooms by placing them in an oven set at its lowest temperature, using parchment paper lining the trays and noting the drying times can differ depending on both your mushroom species and climate conditions.
Once your mushrooms have dried completely, transfer them to a glass jar and label with their type and date of drying. Store the container away from direct light for optimal storage conditions.
If you want to rehydrate mushrooms for use in cooking, pour boiling water over them in a bowl and save the flavorful soaking liquid as soup or sauce bases.
Food processors or coffee grinders can also be used to grind mushrooms into powder. This gives a more uniform consistency that’s easier to use in recipes, though this approach doesn’t preserve nutrients as effectively. Some mushrooms, such as chanterelles, can become rubbery when ground into powder – in which case sauteing your mushrooms first may be the better solution.
Boil the Mushrooms
As previously discussed, turkey tail mushrooms’ tough texture renders them unsuitable for direct consumption, and are therefore best used in teas or tinctures as hot water can extract beneficial compounds from polypores within them. While tinctures require time and patience for infusion to take effect, teas can usually be prepared quickly at home.
When using raw turkey tails to prepare tea, it’s important to thoroughly clean them first. This will ensure any dirt or debris has been eliminated from both their surface and pores; to do this, we suggest using a toothbrush or mushroom brush with gentle scrubbed motions – being mindful not to over-brush as this may damage their delicate textures.
After cleaning, mushrooms should be dehydrated using either a dehydrator or oven. Dehydration from either method should successfully eliminate most of the moisture from their surfaces.
Once the mushrooms have dried thoroughly, use a coffee or spice grinder to crush them into powder for use in different applications. This powder can then be put to use in various ways.
As an example, you could incorporate it into smoothies for an immune-boosting boost or add it to soups or sauces for easy consumption. Furthermore, adding powder directly to capsules allows for simple dosing.
As an alternative to boiling the mushrooms, they can also be used to create a delicious mushroom tea blend with chaga and other medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane, cordyceps, and reishi. Simply combine all the ingredients in hot water and simmer until warm before straining out and enjoying! Honey or other natural sweeteners may be added if desired for sweetening purposes. This nourishing mushroom tea is great for strengthening immunity as well as digestion; clearing dampness from airways while increasing energy levels as well as strengthening lungs, stomachs, and spleens!
Strain the Mushrooms
Turkey tail mushrooms are one of the most sought-after functional mushrooms for health, along with others such as reishi, cordyceps and chaga. Turkey tail mushrooms are widely renowned for their impressive health benefits including immune system support, strengthened bones and anti-inflammation. Turkey tail mushroom tea should be prepared properly in order to maximize its benefits.
First step to making turkey tail mushroom tea: cleaning. You can use a brush or toothbrush to gently loosen any dirt stuck to their surfaces and pores, while using a clean towel absorb any water that might runoff while washing them. When finished with cleaning and drying them completely – which ensures freshness for later brewing tea or tinctures! – they should remain ready for brewing tea.
If you don’t own a dehydrator, you can still dry mushrooms by placing them on a baking sheet in direct sunlight for several days until completely dried out. Once finished, they should be stored in an airtight glass jar or plastic bag in your pantry for future use.
Tun Zhi (Trametes versicolor), commonly referred to in Chinese medicine, has long been used to improve immunity. This mushroom has long been believed to clear dampness, increase energy and strength levels while strengthening lungs, stomach, spleen and immune systems – in turn providing mental clarity and reducing stress levels.
Turkey tail tea offers several other benefits that may strengthen the immune system and help defend against cancer, including increasing cell regeneration rates and inhibiting tumor growth. Furthermore, studies have also demonstrated its hepatoprotective qualities which may improve liver health while decreasing the risk of viral or bacterial infections.
Turkey tail mushroom tea can be enjoyed as both a hot or cold beverage. While its taste may be earthy and mushroomy, you can add honey or lemon for additional sweetness and zesty tartness to enhance it further. Turkey tail mushroom tea is often taken to boost energy, improve digestion, reduce fatigue and prevent aging.