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

Few issues excite me as a lot as purchasing at my native farmer’s market each Sunday. Though the distributors hardly ever change—I’ve my favorites—the choice is rarely the identical, and nothing brings me extra pleasure than discovering new components 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 far more forgiving, not like the superbly ripe avocados I picked up—which have a most shelf lifetime of a couple of day earlier than they brown within the blink of a watch. That’s if you know the way to retailer them appropriately.

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

How one can wash mushrooms

In accordance with Handal, one of the simplest ways to clean mushrooms is, properly, you simply don’t (not less than you do not wish to submerge them in water totally). “Normally, mushrooms are higher served by not washing them earlier than cooking,” Handal says. “[Most commercial-grade] mushrooms are grown in fastidiously managed indoor environments and are dealt with below circumstances that stop contamination from [harmful] pathogens.” Introducing water into the combo can disrupt the spongy and porous texture of sure sorts of mushrooms. In actual fact, in line with America’s Take a look at Kitchen, after submerging mushrooms with uncovered gills—suppose 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 grime. “The commonest cause proposed for laundry mushrooms is to take away the compost used to develop the mushroom,” he says. “It could be sufficient to easily brush away this materials with a dry pastry brush or, at most, wipe with a moist paper towel.”

Remember the fact that cleansing mushrooms earlier than storing them is pointless—a little bit 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 optimum freshness, Handal recommends storing contemporary mushrooms within the unique container you purchased them within the fridge’s primary compartment. “There, they’ll obtain correct circulation of cool air. The produce compartment or crisper bin doesn’t enable for correct airflow,” he says—the last word aim: Key moisture below management to stop a soggy mushroom catastrophe.

In the meantime, if the mushrooms are bought free, Handal says it’s greatest 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 instances,” he says. “The bag will enable 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 entire and never sliced; slicing will trigger the mushrooms to oxidize and brown considerably sooner than their entire 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 as a result 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 grime 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 fully dry, which normally 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 must freeze them both.

Are you able to freeze mushrooms uncooked?

In the event you aren’t planning on utilizing mushrooms inside seven days from while you received them, it’s greatest 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 could compromise their style and texture as soon as thawed.  “Washing the mushrooms after which freezing them of their uncooked state would enable 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 cook 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. In accordance with him, a paring knife or small utility knife ought to do the job properly. Bear in mind: At all times maintain your knives sharp—a kitchen security greatest follow.

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. Alternatively, oyster mushrooms solely require a slight paring of the stem finish and a delicate tearing of the mushroom’s high part to prep them for cooking.

Now, in the event you’re working with portobello mushrooms, you’ll must enlist the assistance of a small spoon for the most effective outcomes. “Portobello mushrooms, of any dimension, profit from a elimination 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 tremendously improve the preparation of the mushroom whether or not it goes on to be sliced, sautéed, or left entire for grilling.”

When you’re all prepped and able to cook dinner, the world is your oyster (mushroom). “Normally, mushrooms of every kind are tremendously appreciated in a variety of recipes, from a easy sauté for a quick pasta, to grilled mushrooms to go along with a stupendous porterhouse steak, to a traditional French boeuf bourguignon. Having fun with them is vital,” Handal says.

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