Hate Soggy Mushrooms? An Expert Chef Says You May Be Storing Them Incorrectly

Few issues excite me as a lot as buying at my native farmer’s market each Sunday. Though the distributors hardly ever change—I’ve my favorites—the choice isn’t the identical, and nothing brings me extra pleasure than discovering new elements to play with in my kitchen each single time. (Therefore, I not too long ago ended up with one too many cartons of trumpet mushrooms than anticipated.)

However mushrooms are way more forgiving, not like the peerlessly ripe avocados I picked up—which have a most shelf lifetime of a few day earlier than they brown within the blink of a watch. That’s if you understand how to retailer them accurately.

Forward, Michael Handal, chef-instructor of culinary arts on the Institute of Culinary Schooling’s New York Metropolis campus, shares a couple of foolproof suggestions for protecting this nutrient-dense veggie (sure, mushrooms are technically thought-about a vegetable¹) good and plump for days on finish.

Learn how to wash mushrooms

Based on Handal, one of the simplest ways to clean mushrooms is, properly, you simply don’t (a minimum of you do not wish to submerge them in water absolutely). “Basically, mushrooms are higher served by not washing them earlier than cooking,” Handal says. “[Most commercial-grade] mushrooms are grown in rigorously managed indoor environments and are dealt with underneath circumstances that stop contamination from [harmful] pathogens.” Introducing water into the combo can disrupt the spongy and porous texture of sure kinds of mushrooms. The truth is, in line with America’s Take a look at Kitchen, after submerging mushrooms with uncovered gills—assume oyster mushrooms—in water for only one minute, they absorbed as a lot as 25 p.c of their weight in liquid.

Handal says the higher option to “wash” mushrooms is by merely disregarding any dust. “The commonest cause proposed for laundry mushrooms is to take away the compost used to develop the mushroom,” he says. “It might be sufficient to easily brush away this materials with a dry pastry brush or, at most, wipe with a humid paper towel.”

Needless to say cleansing mushrooms earlier than storing them is pointless—somewhat dusting proper earlier than cooking them needs to be greater than sufficient. The much less moisture, the longer they’ll maintain up. You possibly can see the place that is going, proper?

How do you retain mushrooms contemporary longer?

For max freshness, Handal recommends storing contemporary mushrooms within the authentic container you acquire them within the fridge’s essential compartment. “There, they are going to obtain correct circulation of cool air. The produce compartment or crisper bin doesn’t permit for correct airflow,” he says—the last word purpose: Key moisture underneath management to forestall a soggy mushroom catastrophe.

In the meantime, if the mushrooms are bought free, Handal says it’s finest to switch them to a brown paper bag earlier than stashing them within the fridge. “Rigorously place the mushrooms contained in the bag and seal it by folding the highest a number of occasions,” he says. “The bag will permit for cool airflow and moisture management.”

Handal additionally recommends avoiding meal-prepping mushrooms earlier than storing them within the fridge. “Recent mushrooms needs to be saved complete and never sliced; slicing will trigger the mushrooms to oxidize and brown considerably sooner than their complete counterparts,” he says.

How lengthy will mushrooms final within the fridge?

As a rule of thumb, to make sure most freshness and style, Handal says mushrooms saved within the fridge needs to be used inside seven days. To reiterate, keep away from washing them till proper earlier than use to assist restrict the moisture publicity as a lot as attainable and the expansion of any dangerous micro organism on account of trapped humidity.

On the flip aspect, dried mushrooms will final for much longer. To dry mushrooms, first, clear them completely to take away any dust or particles. Then, both use a meals dehydrator or lay them out on a baking sheet in a single layer and dry them within the oven at a low temperature (round 140°F or 60°C) till they’re crisp and utterly dry, which often takes a number of hours.

“Dried mushrooms ought to stay fairly usable for six months or longer when held in a tightly-sealed plastic bag or plastic dry meals container,” Handal says. Plus, there’s no have to freeze them both.

Are you able to freeze mushrooms uncooked?

When you aren’t planning on utilizing mushrooms inside seven days from once you bought them, it’s finest to freeze them. For optimum outcomes, Handal recommends cooking them—”a light-weight sauté or quick oven roast,” he says—earlier than freezing them, as freezing mushrooms uncooked might compromise their style and texture as soon as thawed.  “Washing the mushrooms after which freezing them of their uncooked state would permit them to grow to be soggy and moist when defrosted,” Handal says.

What’s one of the simplest ways to prep mushrooms for cooking?

When you’re able to prepare dinner your mushrooms, all you’ll want is a pair of sharp knives. “Trim away dry stem ends and the fringed areas on the ends of the mushroom caps with a pointy knife,” Handal says. Based on him, a paring knife or small utility knife ought to do the job properly. Bear in mind: At all times hold your knives sharp—a kitchen security finest apply.

Handal notes that sturdier varieties, like white mushrooms, are very versatile—they are often sliced, diced, quartered, you title it, relying on what the mushroom recipe requires. However, oyster mushrooms solely require a slight paring of the stem finish and a delicate tearing of the mushroom’s prime part to prep them for cooking.

Now, for those who’re working with portobello mushrooms, you’ll have to enlist the assistance of a small spoon for the very best outcomes. “Portobello mushrooms, of any measurement, profit from a removing of the darkish gills beneath the cap,” Handal says. “Merely scraping away the gills with the aspect of a teaspoon will do the trick. This can even drastically improve the preparation of the mushroom whether or not it goes on to be sliced, sautéed, or left complete for grilling.”

When you’re all prepped and able to prepare dinner, the world is your oyster (mushroom). “Basically, mushrooms of every type are drastically appreciated in a variety of recipes, from a easy sauté for a quick pasta, to grilled mushrooms to go together with a good looking porterhouse steak, to a basic French boeuf bourguignon. Having fun with them is vital,” Handal says.

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