Bring Steakhouse Vibes To Dinner By Tossing Your Mushrooms In Bourbon
Some foods just seem to shout "steakhouse," regardless of the setting. In addition to the masterful ways that steakhouses transform standard beef, they also make creamed spinach extra dreamy, and turn previously forgotten tallow into gold. Mushrooms are another classic of the genre, and they're surprisingly easy to replicate at home — especially with a little liquid courage.
A glug of bourbon gives mushrooms just the twist needed to zhuzh them up from everyday fungi to delicious dish. If you're used to cooking with wine, it's a similar principle. The booze will deglaze the pan and lift any flavor-packed fond before reducing to bring out its caramel-rich, oaky notes.
Because the bourbon gets a bit more concentrated during cooking, you'll want to use a variety that's also good enough for sipping. And remember, should it be a concern, that the alcohol will not fully "cook off" — some will remain, especially during quick-cooking methods – so do not expect these mushrooms to finish ABV-free. If you'd rather lose the booze, try a non-alcoholic spirit, or vegetable stock, instead.
How to make bourbon mushrooms at home
While you can technically intoxicate the mushrooms of your heart's desire in this bourbon preparation, it's advisable to stick to the middle of the road. Something like fancy chanterelles are better left simply tossed with just a bit of salt and pepper. You also might want to save the $1,000 per pound matsutake mushrooms for a rainy day, or even the safety deposit box. Something like your everyday cremini mushrooms will perform just fine in this case, or you could try shiitake or baby portabella.
As usual, you'll want to make sure that your mushrooms are clean and totally dry before you start cooking. Leave beads from a rinse under the tap and those babies will start to steam instead of browning nicely in the pan. You can slice them or not, and sauté them with some butter and extra virgin olive oil over medium until they start to collect that lovely rich color.
Then enters the bourbon. About a half cup should be enough to coat the mushrooms before it reduces down to barely the suggestion of a perfect steak pan sauce. These bourbon mushrooms pair wonderfully with red wine and, ideally, steak. Or try them with chicken, mashed potatoes, or pasta.