Cleaning mushrooms poll

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If they must be cleaned I rinse them. Alton Brown did a show in which he put mushrooms in water for various lengths of time and then weighed them to see how much water was in them. If I remember right he concluded that a short rinse does not add significant water to the mushrooms.
 
If I buy them already sliced, I don't wash. But if I buy them whole, I rinse in cold running water, shake off excess and proceed with recipe. I NEVER eat raw mushrooms ... it has nothing to do with nutrition ... I just like them cooked. Actually, except for a few veggies in a crudite platter, I don't eat them raw.
 
What about when using mushrooms of the bolete variety? They have a porous, spongy texture, rather than gills. Then there are the "shelf" mushroom varieties, such as the yellow sulfur mushroom, not to mention the puff ball category. I would almost think that the porous mushrooms might absorb water due to cappilary action. But I don't really know.

Just some food for thought.;)

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
I took a class from a French chef once and he taught us to always peel mushrooms. Then he showed us how to turn them. I don't bother with the turning but I do like to peel them, sounds fussy but it doesn't take long and it's kind of a patient and quiet thing to do -- unlike most kitchen activities. Then I wash the peels in a colander and simmer them in broth. Amazing flavour. The peeled mushrooms can be left out for hours without getting icky. Of course this only works with button mushrooms, wild ones don't peel easily. I did see the AB episode but really like peeling them instead.
 
I took a class from a French chef once and he taught us to always peel mushrooms. Then he showed us how to turn them. I don't bother with the turning but I do like to peel them, sounds fussy but it doesn't take long and it's kind of a patient and quiet thing to do -- unlike most kitchen activities. Then I wash the peels in a colander and simmer them in broth. Amazing flavour. The peeled mushrooms can be left out for hours without getting icky. Of course this only works with button mushrooms, wild ones don't peel easily. I did see the AB episode but really like peeling them instead.

That's interesting... I wondered if it was OK to do that. I'm always up for more scraps to put in my broth/stock. Thanks for the tip!
 
I nevernevernever wash mushrooms. they are 90% water to begin with and more water just makes matters worse. I wipe them with damp paper towel, and when necessary, brush with a soft brush to get any detritus out of the cracks..
 
Wow, just getting ready to run to the store to pick up some sour cream for a Stroganoff and here's this thread.

Generally I've always rinsed and peeled, but I might try the "damp towel" method instead this time around.

And raw, cooked, chopped, sliced, whole, canned, fresh I love 'em all!
 
"Peeled" as in removing the "skin" on the cap of the mushroom. When you run them under cold water and brush a thumb against the cap, a sort of skin comes off. That's what I mean.
 
"Peeled" as in removing the "skin" on the cap of the mushroom. When you run them under cold water and brush a thumb against the cap, a sort of skin comes off. That's what I mean.

Never, ever heard of that. I must be reading the wrong cookbooks.:) Not for me, I don't even peel carrots or potatoes anymore.
 
I don't know if anyone else does that or not, but I always have until tonight. Did the damp towel trick and it worked fine. I'll be doing that from now on. Much easier.
 
I don't know if anyone else does that or not, but I always have until tonight. Did the damp towel trick and it worked fine. I'll be doing that from now on. Much easier.

I've never heard about peeling mushrooms. That's why I asked. I know what you mean about a thin layer coming off the surface when you wipe a mushroom but I never considered it an inedible portion of the mushroom. I just clean off any dirt and then slice, dice etc.
 
Put the tip of a small knife just under the mushroom cap by the stem and pull the thin layer covering the cap off. You will have to remove it a section at a time but it comes off easily.

The washed peels are good cooked in broth but wouldn't be very good for duxelles, too flimsy. The chopped stems would work though.
 
Put the tip of a small knife just under the mushroom cap by the stem and pull the thin layer covering the cap off. You will have to remove it a section at a time but it comes off easily.

The washed peels are good cooked in broth but wouldn't be very good for duxelles, too flimsy. The chopped stems would work though.


Do you find that peeling the caps makes a difference in the finished dish?
 
I like to cook mushrooms on high heat as quickly as possible so they get some colour and don't just steam. This is only possible with very dry mushrooms. The flavour is probably the same as wiped or brushed mushrooms though.

I rub the peels between my hands to get all the dirt off, much rougher than you could do if the mushroom was still attached. Really does make a lovely stock if you are having a sauce with the mushrooms.
 
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