Should You Wash Mushrooms Before Cooking?
Mushrooms are notoriously porous, absorbing large quantities of moisture like small sponges. This changes their flavor while also adding excess liquid into what you are cooking with them.
Some chefs believe mushrooms should not be washed as it can alter their flavor and compromise their freshness. Other chefs disagree and have their own ideas on this subject.
Dirty Mushrooms
Mushrooms typically come from the soil, so when they arrive at grocery stores they often contain some dirt. While this grit may appear distasteful or disapproving, it doesn’t necessarily indicate their quality or freshness – the easiest way to deal with dirty mushrooms is simply rinsing them under cool running water for best results.
Quick rinses are the go-to way of cleaning mushrooms because it is efficient and straightforward. However, it is essential to remember not to over-rinse or soak your mushrooms as this could result in their becoming waterlogged and lose both texture and flavor.
If you plan to eat your mushrooms raw, it’s advisable to cleanse them more thoroughly before eating them raw. Brushing with a soft bristled brush usually suffices, although occasionally a toothbrush may be required to reach all corners and crevices in their cap and stem; this is particularly pertinent with wild foraged morels which often collect dirt or debris from woodland floors and potentially hide bugs within their caps.
Cooked mushrooms typically don’t require washing as the exposure to other ingredients during preparation will help remove any dirt or grime that has adhered. Still, it is always wise to inspect each mushroom carefully for obvious grit or discolored areas and trim off any parts which seem discolored or soft before proceeding with preparation.
If your mushrooms are particularly dirty, try soaking instead of rinsing. Fill a pan or bowl with cool water, and place the mushrooms inside. Using short strokes, gently rub off any grit and blemishes from their surface – this may also help ensure they brown properly when you cook! After this step is completed, be sure to dry your mushrooms off as they do not like remaining wet for extended periods. Stored them in paper bags or plastic containers within the main compartment of the refrigerator instead of its crisper drawer where they could easily bruise!
Clean Mushrooms
Culinary experts remain divided on whether mushrooms should be washed. While most who wash mushrooms do so to remove any dirt that clings to them, other cooks believe this practice can strip their texture and flavor of vitality. Although washing isn’t required prior to using mushrooms for food purposes, any dirt accumulation should be removed prior to consumption.
Most mushrooms found in grocery stores, like white buttons or cremini varieties, are grown indoors using pre-treated compost to lower bacteria levels and are usually packed in relatively clean conditions when they reach stores. Wiping or brushing them with damp paper towel or using a pastry brush should remove any remaining dirt; but if purchasing larger batches or notice that some are dirtier than others, try giving each batch a quick rinse under cool running water before patting dry with paper toweling after each rinse cycle.
Mushrooms do absorb some moisture when washed, though not to an extreme degree. As any moisture could shorten their shelf life in the refrigerator, any surplus moisture must be allowed to dissipate before they’re used for consumption.
When buying raw shiitake or portobellos from farmers markets, they may be very dirty and need to be rinsed first before use. Shannon Norris of “The Test Kitchen” recommends dunking these mushrooms in cold saltwater before shaking off any excess water before spreading them on paper towels to dry.
When purchasing mushrooms at the supermarket, a quick rinse in water and shake with paper towel should suffice in removing any dirt from them prior to eating them. It is important not to wash mushrooms before their preparation as excess moisture may cause spoilage and deterioration as well as absorb more oil from other food items, altering both its taste and texture.
Dried Mushrooms
Dried mushrooms are an incredible culinary staple–their versatility in numerous dishes makes them invaluable. However, prior to using them in any recipes they should first be thoroughly cleaned; any extra moisture could cause them to spoil or create a slimy texture upon reconstitution that’s less than desirable.
Washing fresh mushrooms is easy: just rinse them under cool water before wiping their surfaces clean with paper towel or cloth to remove any dirt that remains. This method works especially well when dealing with delicate cultivated species like shiitake, portobellos or white button mushrooms. But other varieties of mushrooms require more aggressive cleaning: wild-foraged varieties like hen of the woods and chanterelles may pick up dirt from forest floors, as well as insects that feed off them. Shannon Norris at The New York Times suggests submerging these mushrooms in cool salt water for 15-30 seconds at room temperature before submerging in another container to rinse off and shake off any dirt or grit. They should then be transferred onto a clean kitchen towel to be pat dried afterward.
Drying mushrooms in the sun is another effective and time-tested way of cleaning them, although it requires more patience than using an oven or dehydrator. Plus, this approach doesn’t use electricity either! To ensure successful sun drying results, find an area without too much humidity; too much humidity could result in your mushrooms rotting instead of drying and leaving too much moisture behind for crispyness!
If you want to dry mushrooms in your oven, start by preheating to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mushrooms in one layer without touching or overlap, with plenty of space between each one; allow any extra water to evaporate off before returning them to the oven for approximately an hour more. After they’re dry, blot any excess moisture off using paper towel before placing them into an airtight glass or metal container for storage.
Preparing Mushrooms
Mushrooms purchased at grocery stores are usually pre-washed, making their washing unnecessary. But mushrooms harvested from nature such as chanterelles or morels must be thoroughly washed prior to consumption to remove dirt or bugs that may pose health concerns for some individuals. Washing mushrooms prior to eating is the safest way to ensure any debris doesn’t make its way into your meal.
If you prefer cleaning mushrooms yourself, a high-quality mushroom brush ($15 from Bed Bath & Beyond) is an invaluable tool. The bristles are stiff enough to access any hidden dirt on each mushroom’s gills or cap while being gentle enough not to damage or bruise delicate fungi. Once your mushrooms have been cleaned properly, pat them dry with paper towel to avoid moisture build-up that might prevent their proper sauteeing – moisture can lead to browning instead of steaming!
Conventional wisdom suggests that rinsing or soaking mushrooms before cooking them isn’t ideal; their moisture absorbs too quickly, leading them to lose flavor as a result of becoming waterlogged and soggy. Furthermore, too much liquid could cause them to steam instead of brown when you put them into the pot, potentially producing discolored or discolorable results.
Gro Cycle suggests rinsing and soaking mushrooms as an ineffective method, and recommends instead giving them a quick rinse in cold water and then leaving them to dry before cooking. This approach reduces the risk of abrasion while also keeping their texture and flavor from changing due to too much water absorption by the fungi.
Mushrooms should only be washed when they’re ready to use; otherwise, any moisture trapped can shorten their shelf life and turn them slimy. To maintain fresh and blemish-free results, unwashed mushrooms should be stored unwaxed for two or four days in their plastic or paper grocery bag for storage in the refrigerator.
