FOOD NEWS
The Best Way To Wash Mushrooms Before Cooking Them
By Angel Albring
Mushrooms are 80 – 90% water and have a sponge-like texture that will absorb water when exposed. However, that isn’t a bad thing as mushrooms tend to lose moisture when you cook them, so any excess water they pick up from being washed will cook off and won’t affect your mushroom recipe.
When it comes to washing the common varieties of mushrooms, start by taking off the stems and dunking the caps into a bowl of water; then, use your hands to swirl them around a few times before draining the caps with a colander, laying them out on a towel, and patting them dry. However, the process will be a little different for other varieties.
When washing varieties like oyster mushrooms or maitake, take your time and focus on being gentle, as they have delicate caps. While the easiest way to wash them is to trim their ends and soak them in cool water for five minutes, followed by draining and drying, you can also simply run cool water over them after placing the caps in a colander.
One of the best ways to dry mushrooms is by using a salad spinner to ensure that you remove all the moisture. However, if you wish to clean your mushrooms without risking them becoming waterlogged, you can also clean them with a paper towel, a dry dish towel, or even a pastry brush to get off any dirt you may find.