Frying mushrooms
Also searched as: frying button mushrooms, sautéing mushrooms, washing mushrooms
In short: Let mushrooms give up their water first, then brown them in fat and salt at the end.
Like puddles after rain: they have to evaporate before the ground warms up.
What happens
In the hot pan, water and juice come out first. Once this juice boils away, the temperature rises and the brown. Too many mushrooms at once cool the pan, and they stew in their own juice.
Why it matters
The difference between grey, rubbery mushrooms and golden, savoury ones lies only in space, heat and patience.
How it’s done
Rinse or wipe the mushrooms briefly and pat them dry well.
All steps as a list
- Rinse or wipe the mushrooms briefly and pat them dry well.
- Fry in a single layer in a large pan over high heat, in two batches if needed.
- Do not stir constantly: turn only once the underside is brown.
- Add butter, garlic, herbs and salt at the end.
Rules of thumb
- For brown mushrooms: salt only once they have browned, otherwise they draw water.
“Never wash mushrooms, they soak up water.” Hardly true. Rinsed briefly, they take up very little water. What matters is patting them dry afterwards.
Sources · 2
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Pilze
- Serious Eats: The Food Lab, Mushrooms