The Biggest Misconception About Cleaning Mushrooms
From elegant enoki to vibrant chicken of the woods; to giant puffballs and more, the different types of edible mushrooms are as varied as the various dishes they're cooked in. With an earthy umami taste unlike anything else, it's no wonder that these fungi continue to delight and fascinate food enthusiasts around the world. While the uniquely chewy texture can be somewhat polarizing, mushrooms bring so much depth to everything — from soups to sauces — and they're worth learning to love. Another factor that may turn people off from mushrooms is the misconception that you can't wash them before you cook with them. Wanting to avoid eating dirty mushrooms is reasonable, but there's little truth to this idea. Before you start making a classic bowl of cream of mushroom soup or a portabello burger, it's perfectly fine to rinse your mushrooms with water.
The once familiar advice of keeping mushrooms away from water is based on the idea that the fungi are very absorbent and would sop up too much liquid. This would negatively impact the mushroom's texture, leading to unpleasantly soggy and squishy food. To avoid this, cooks were advised to brush away debris from the mushrooms instead of thoroughly rinsing them. However, over the past few years, the common consensus has changed after it was found that giving mushrooms a bath isn't nearly as disastrous as we once thought.
Washing mushrooms won't hurt the texture
It's not just that mushrooms can withstand a quick gentle shower — they can be fully submerged in water for at least five minutes without it seriously affecting the fungi's texture. America's Test Kitchen proved this by weighing a handful of mushrooms, letting them sit in a bowl of water, then taking the shrooms out and weighing them once more to see how much moisture built up. The experiment found that while the mushrooms did take on a little over a teaspoon of water, the majority of it was accumulated on the surface. That means most of the water can be easily dried with a clean towel, and any remaining droplets won't be enough to ruin your cooking.
America's Test Kitchen recommends rinsing your mushrooms in cold water immediately before roasting, grilling, or sautéing them. But just because you can rinse mushrooms with water, doesn't mean you should. If you want to leave your mushrooms uncooked, stick to brushing them clean, or they may develop slimy spots where the air and moisture meet. You also don't need to wash mushrooms that come already sliced, since the packaging protects them from dirt and germs.
When to wash your mushrooms
There are a few other instances when you may want to abstain from washing mushrooms. In general, it's better to gently brush the dirt off of wild mushrooms like morels and chanterelles. These fungi are more delicate than run-of-the-mill button or cremini mushrooms, and a stream of water can destroy their soft structures. Fancy mushrooms like this can typically only be found on specialty gourmet websites and at local farmers markets, and they tend to be on the more expensive side. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some, stick to the brush method, so you don't ruin your prize.
As for the average mushrooms you can find at the grocery store, feel free to clean them however you see fit. Most mass-market mushrooms will have a dusting of debris that comes from the fertilized soil used to cultivate them. This dirt isn't harmful, but it is still dirt, and it will affect the taste and texture of your mushrooms. Rinse the dirt away, or — if your mushrooms are especially in need of cleaning — toss them in a bowl of cool water, agitate them around with your hands for a few seconds, and then quickly transfer them to a paper towel and dry them. If you're still finding patches of stubborn debris, use a soft toothbrush to sweep it away. Finally, make sure you know the best tips to help you cook mushrooms to perfection.