How to wash and cut themplus a few hacks for quicker prep.
But there are mushrooms to deal with.
And theyre easy to chop, especially with a few tips.
Alison Bickel
Alison Bickel
How To Clean Mushrooms
In the wild, mushrooms grow in rotting organic material.
Cultivated mushrooms grow in pasteurized organic material.
By the time the mushrooms grow in it, its become a whole other thing.
Alison Bickel
Still, residue of that whole other thing can still be on the mushrooms when they are harvested.
No one wants to eat dirty or gritty mushrooms.
Heres how to clean them:
Yes, Mushrooms Can Get Wet!
Alison Bickel
Yes,mushrooms can get wetdespite what scores of cookbooks and chefs and know-it-alls insist.
Go ahead and rinse them off!
Clean, grit-free mushrooms are your gain.
Alison Bickel
I do it all the time.
How To Cut Mushrooms
First, assess the stems.
Some mushrooms have woody stems.
Alison Bickel
Ive encountered this even with white, cremini, and portobello mushrooms;allshiitakes have woody stems.
(Shiitake stems youll need to cut off with a paring knife.)
Your payoff will be a better texture once you cook them.
Alison Bickel
And now youre ready to prep!
Here are your options:
Slice Them!
Put the mushrooms stem-side-down on the cutting board.
Alison Bickel
Make a claw with your hand, then move down the mushroom, slicing into the thickness you desire.
Chop Them!
Can I blow your mind?
Alison Bickel
Ive been into chopping mushrooms lately instead of slicing them.
You get nice, meaty pieces that are texturally interestingchewy instead of floppy.
Quarter Them!
Alison Bickel
This is best for small white or cremini mushrooms.
Put them stem side down or stem side up, whichever works best.
Mushroom Prepping Hacks
How To Saute Mushrooms
Properly sauteed mushrooms are a thing of glory.
They get a deeper flavor and a fantastic texture.
Mushrooms have a ton of moisture, so it helps to know a few tricks.
