Mushrooms

[aim36]

I posted the other day about mushrooms and different ways to use them, I received a bunch of great ideas. Problem is now I need to know if I am cooking them correct. My mushrooms get very juicy when I cook them, is that normal? I have cooked them in a skillet and in the oven with the same effect both times. Is there anyway to make them more dry?

[peanutte]

Yes, they give off a lot of liquid. That's just how they are. But most of that liquid should cook off after a while. When I have baked stuffed mushroom caps in the past, they have shrunk in the oven but the pan doesn't get much liquid left in it.

I'm extremely jealous of your mushroom experimentation; I love them and I can't eat them anymore.

[laureninva]

mushrooms contain a lot of water. you might want to try salting them first to draw out some of the liquid. its actually recommended that you don't season mushrooms until AFTER they are cooked because they tend to dry out - but it seems that you are looking for the opposite effect - so try salting first.

you could also cook partway, drain, and the continue cooking. that might help too.

[Dreams]

I agree with Laureninva, salt them.....maybe that will help.

I've been eating mushrooms like crazy lately. I like to sautee them in bacon grease.

[aim36]

Thanks for the tips, sorry you can't eat them peanutte!

[BikerAng]

If you are pan cooking the mushrooms, it helps to get your pan really hot before adding the mushrooms. Also, brushing the dirt off with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush will also help (instead of washing them, they soak up water like crazy). Another trick is to not overcrowd the pan, as they will steam not saute.

[yvonne326]

Yes I LOOOOOOVVVVVEEEE mushrooms.

Cooked, raw, yum.

Yes, they hold lots of water and Rachel Ray says not to wash them before cooking (hard to do cause sometimes they are dirty) because they soak up the water.

Saute them in butter or bake them with some crab/cheese

roast them with your favorite roast

Add raw to salads


The possibilities are endless!

[2big4mysize]

Originally Posted by BikerAng

If you are pan cooking the mushrooms, it helps to get your pan really hot before adding the mushrooms. Also, brushing the dirt off with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush will also help (instead of washing them, they soak up water like crazy). Another trick is to not overcrowd the pan, as they will steam not saute.

actually Alton Brown dispelled this myth about cooking mushrooms. he used the same amount and weighed them before doing anything to them and then after cooking and both the washed and brushed came out almost exactly the same final weight with the washed ones being actually lighter after cooking then the brushed ones but it was only a few 100ths of an ounce

[BikerAng]

Interesting! Wonder if different mushrooms absorb water more than others (I only use cremini). Using the method above though, I've never had watery mushrooms. Oh, forgot to add that I use a lot of butter with a splash of rice bran oil (to keep the butter from scorching).

[gharkness]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

actually Alton Brown dispelled this myth about cooking mushrooms. he used the same amount and weighed them before doing anything to them and then after cooking and both the washed and brushed came out almost exactly the same final weight with the washed ones being actually lighter after cooking then the brushed ones but it was only a few 100ths of an ounce

I think the point is that it takes longer to cook off the liquid that is drawn into the mushroom than it does to cook off the liquid that just exists there naturally. So, no difference in final weight, but a difference in cooking time to arrive there.