For far too long, mushrooms have been considered nothing but fake steaks (#vegetarians). Enough! They're a staple in many cuisines—from Japanese to Italian and beyond—and they can stand up to just about any cooking method (grill 'em, roast 'em, sear 'em, and baste 'em in butter, then call us over for dinner). But still, they suffer an unfair reputation as soggy, slimy, or worse, downright un-tasty. There's only one reason mushrooms would receive such vitriol, and it's that they're being prepared incorrectly. Avoid the following common mistakes and fall in love (with mushrooms) all over again.
1. Suffocating Them
Mushrooms need to breathe! Digital food stylist Sue Li says that storing your shiitakes (or creminis, or trumpets, or…) in a sealed container will result in a simultaneously slimy and wrinkly texture. Instead, store them in an unsealed and upright paper bag in the fridge. Stop them from drying out by gently draping a damp paper towel over the top. If you're a mushroom-washer—more on that in a minute—wait until you're ready to cook them to do so. Don't store them wet!
To wash or not to wash: That's not the question. Photo: Alex Lau
2. Not Drying them Properly
Even our Test Kitchen cooks can't agree on whether or not you should wash your mushrooms. Senior food editor Chris Morocco says it's a don't, but Li always does. Whether you brush off the dirt with a damp towel or run them under cool water is up to you—the real issue is whether they've been sufficiently dried before they're prepared. Cooking damp mushrooms causes them to steam as the water evaporates. Steaming is what imparts a rubbery, chewy-in-the-bad-way texture. If you choose to wash your 'shrooms use a tea towel or a few paper towels to pat them dry with a firm but gentle hand. If you have time, allow them to sit on a fresh (and dry) towel for an hour or so to dry even more completely.
3. Salting Them Too Early
"Season early and often" may be every cook's mantra, but the rules don't apply in this scenario. Adding salt as soon as the mushrooms hit the pan will set you up for failure. Salt draws out moisture from ingredients, and if you're drawing out moisture from your mushrooms, you're ultimately going to be steaming them. And we know what happens when we steam mushrooms, don't we? (See point no. 1). Wait until the 'shrooms are completely cooked before seasoning them.
