How do you wash mushrooms
- Thread starter georgevan
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I wash each one, separately, so I can rub off any visible dirt. I wash them under running water, trying to avoid getting water into gills or cap.
Kaneohegirlinaz
Wannabe TV Chef
Depending upon how lazy I'm feeling,
I'll either run them under the tap, all just cupped in my hand
or I'll wipe each one them with a damp paper towel.
I'll either run them under the tap, all just cupped in my hand
or I'll wipe each one them with a damp paper towel.
Just Cooking
Master Chef
For store bought buttons, I do the damp towel method. For those collected from local growers, I rinse individually and carefully.
The local grower mushrooms were before moving to Missouri so, its mainly grocer mushrooms now.
Ross
The local grower mushrooms were before moving to Missouri so, its mainly grocer mushrooms now.
Ross
Sir_Loin_of_Beef
Chef Extraordinaire
That's NOT dirt!
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
Ever since I saw the ATK method of cooking mushrooms, I have cooked almost all of them this way - steam them briefly, boil off the water, then sauté in a small amount of oil or butter. This way, very little oil is needed, plus I don't have to worry about the mushrooms absorbing water when washing them - the water is cooked out during the steaming. So I wash them thoroughly under running water; most are fairly clean, but some need major cleaning, esp. in the gills (where I'll use the sprayer) - mostly those cheap, 2 lb bags I get at one of the markets here.
Last edited:
Why are you telling us this? Did you think I was implying that the gills or caps are dirt? Of course they aren't.
Ditto Caseydog.
If they are particularly dirty, I wash'n dry. Or wipe or nothing at all. Sometimes I trim the bottom of the stems that look a little out of sorts.
If they are particularly dirty, I wash'n dry. Or wipe or nothing at all. Sometimes I trim the bottom of the stems that look a little out of sorts.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I put them in my salad spinner and spray the heck out of them. Drain the dirty water, then fill it up and let them soak for like 10 min and drain and spray again.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
He’s implying that they are grown in manure, not dirt. But it’s been sterilized so it’s probably safer than dirt
Ahh, sounds like his sense of humour. I consider anything on my food that might be dirty, to be dirt. It isn't necessarily earth.
Sir_Loin_of_Beef
Chef Extraordinaire
Of course not. I was referring to the medium in which the mushrooms are grown as not being dirt.
Yeah, when I wrote dirt, I meant filth, not earth.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
For the regular white, cremini or portaobello I just brush off the ' dirt' as long as it sit obnoxiously dirty.
If its very dirty Ill give them a quick rinse and scrub moments before Im going to use them.
I never wash them in advance, as it significantly decreases the storage time, and they get slimy.
The mushrooms I grow at home I dont wash at all, as they are indoors and dont grow on any dirty medium. Same with my shiitake logs outside. I just check for insects in the gills. No bugs, no wash.
If its very dirty Ill give them a quick rinse and scrub moments before Im going to use them.
I never wash them in advance, as it significantly decreases the storage time, and they get slimy.
The mushrooms I grow at home I dont wash at all, as they are indoors and dont grow on any dirty medium. Same with my shiitake logs outside. I just check for insects in the gills. No bugs, no wash.
This. I think Alton Brown did a test on different methods. Running water and then use shortly thereafter didn't make any difference.
Last edited:
I think that was where I got that. I was taught that mushrooms absorb a lot of water, so I always used to wipe them clean with a damp rag. AB weighed some mushrooms, washed them with water, let them drip a moment and then weighed them again. They weighed the same. If they had absorbed water, they would have been heavier.
the mushrooms absorb water thing has been debunked a couple thousand times - but it persists as an urban kitchen rumor.
"mushroom soil" is composted horse manure + bedding.
in current days it is heated and "sterilized" before use in growing mushrooms.
unfortunately, there's a catch.
most/many horse people administer 'preventative' drugs for parasites, etc.
that stays in the manure&composted bedding regardless of "sterilization"
are those prophylactic drugs taken up and conveyed into the human food chain?
unknown.
there are no regulations regarding the topic.
"mushroom soil" is composted horse manure + bedding.
in current days it is heated and "sterilized" before use in growing mushrooms.
unfortunately, there's a catch.
most/many horse people administer 'preventative' drugs for parasites, etc.
that stays in the manure&composted bedding regardless of "sterilization"
are those prophylactic drugs taken up and conveyed into the human food chain?
unknown.
there are no regulations regarding the topic.
I'm moving back to my teenage growing up area where on the way to school we passed a mushroom growing facility. On my last trip there I saw they were still there. Think I might go in and take a tour - if possible.
A.Brown also soaked them for some time and weighed again - nada!
A.Brown also soaked them for some time and weighed again - nada!
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Just out of curiosity, how do you know that the meds are excreted unchanged? Is it possible they're excreted in the urine rather than the feces? Composting is accomplished by microbial activity as well as heat treatment. Are you sure the meds survive that process?
Last edited:
Similar threads
