Laura Smith
Mushrooms are a versatile ingredient, adding an earthy flavor and interesting texture to a variety of dishes. They come in many forms: whole, sliced, chopped, dried, canned, and powdered. When cooking with mushrooms, it's important to know how many you'll need, especially when substituting one type for another. For example, a recipe may call for 5.5 cups of sliced button mushrooms, but how many individual mushrooms is that? Well, it depends on the size of the mushrooms! While there isn't an exact conversion, we can estimate that you'll need around 22-28 small to medium-sized button mushrooms to fill 5.5 cups.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of cups | 5 1/2 cups |
| Number of whole mushrooms | 11-14 pieces (button mushrooms) |
| Weight | 13.5 ounces (oyster mushrooms) |
| Weight | 5 ounces (fresh shiitake mushrooms) |
| Weight | 8 ounces (canned sliced button mushrooms) |
| Weight | 1.5 ounces (dried mushrooms) |
| Volume of water | 3 cups (for rehydrating dried shiitake mushrooms) |
| Number of mushrooms | 7-10 (dried shiitake mushrooms) |
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What You'll Learn
Chopped vs. sliced: Chopped mushrooms take up less space
When it comes to cooking with mushrooms, it's important to know how many you'll need to buy and prepare, especially if your recipe calls for a specific amount of cups or slices. Mushrooms are typically available in various forms, including whole, sliced, chopped, dried, canned, and powdered. This can make it tricky to determine the right amount to use, especially when substituting one form for another.
For example, let's say your recipe calls for 5 1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms. To figure out how many mushrooms you'll need, you can make some estimates based on the type of mushroom. For instance, if you're using button mushrooms, you might need around 22 to 28 pieces, assuming each cup contains 4 to 5 pieces. On the other hand, if you're using larger mushrooms like shiitake, you might need fewer mushrooms to fill the same volume.
Now, let's discuss the difference between using chopped versus sliced mushrooms. Chopped mushrooms will take up less space in a cup than sliced mushrooms. This is because you can fit more pieces of chopped mushrooms into the same volume. To illustrate, one pound of fresh cremini mushrooms is equivalent to about 5 cups when sliced and 6 cups when chopped. This means that if you have a recipe that calls for a certain volume of sliced mushrooms, you'll need less volume if you use chopped mushrooms instead.
Why does this matter? Well, it's important to get the right balance of flavour and texture in your dish. Using the correct amount of mushrooms will ensure that your recipe turns out as intended. Additionally, purchasing mushrooms whole is typically more affordable than buying them pre-sliced or chopped. So, if you're looking to save some money, you might want to buy whole mushrooms and chop or slice them yourself. By understanding these conversions and equivalents, you can confidently cook with mushrooms and make substitutions when needed.
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Fresh vs. dried: Dried mushrooms are more flavourful
When it comes to mushrooms, the number of cups you'll need depends on the type and preparation method. For example, a pound of raw and sliced button mushrooms yields about 5 cups, while the same weight in chopped button mushrooms will give you around 6 cups. Cooking these mushrooms will reduce their volume, so you'll end up with about 2 cups.
Now, let's delve into the topic of fresh versus dried mushrooms and their impact on flavour. Dried mushrooms are created through dehydration, which concentrates their taste. This process results in an earthier and stronger flavour profile compared to fresh mushrooms. The dehydration intensifies the mushrooms' rich, earthy, and umami characteristics, making them a potent source of savoury flavour.
When substituting dried mushrooms for fresh ones in a recipe, it's important to consider the difference in water content and flavour concentration. Generally, 1 ounce of dried mushrooms is equivalent to about 8 ounces (1/2 pound) of fresh mushrooms. This means that if your recipe calls for fresh mushrooms, you'll need a larger quantity to match the flavour intensity of dried mushrooms.
One advantage of dried mushrooms is their longevity. When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, they can last indefinitely, although their flavour will gradually diminish over time. On the other hand, fresh mushrooms have a shorter shelf life, typically maintaining their flavour and quality for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.
To use dried mushrooms, they must be reconstituted with water, a process that produces both the mushrooms and a flavourful soaking liquid. This liquid can be used in various dishes, adding depth and savoury notes. However, one challenge with dried mushrooms is the presence of grit, which can be minimised by choosing higher-quality mushrooms and soaking them in room temperature water to retain more flavour.
In conclusion, dried mushrooms offer a more concentrated and robust flavour compared to fresh mushrooms due to the dehydration process. They are a versatile and long-lasting ingredient to have on hand, perfect for enhancing the taste of soups, stews, sauces, pâtés, and gratins. By understanding the flavour intensity and equivalents between fresh and dried mushrooms, you can easily substitute one for the other in your recipes to achieve the desired flavour profile.
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Fresh mushrooms: Last 1 week in the fridge
Fresh mushrooms can last for about a week in the fridge, depending on the variety. Enoki and oyster mushrooms will hold for 2 to 3 days, while other fresh mushrooms will maintain their flavor and quality in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
To maximize the lifespan of your mushrooms, buy them with the stems still intact, as this helps to prevent exposure to air, keeping them fresh for longer. When you get home, wipe the mushrooms with a dry paper towel or dish towel before storing them. Avoid washing mushrooms with water, as their sponge-like quality and high water content can lead to spoilage and affect their texture. Instead, wrap the mushrooms in dry paper towels and place them in a brown paper bag. If you don't have a paper bag, an unsealed plastic bag or glass bowl can also work. These containers allow for air circulation, which is necessary to extend the freshness of the mushrooms.
It is important to note that cooked mushrooms have a shorter shelf life in the fridge, lasting only about three to four days. To extend their lifespan, cooked mushrooms can be frozen. However, freezing affects their texture, so it is recommended to cook them before freezing by sauteing or steaming them. Frozen cooked mushrooms will last for about six months to a year.
Additionally, if you have a large quantity of fresh mushrooms and want to extend their shelf life, you can also freeze them. It is recommended to blanch or saute them before freezing to prevent discoloration and maintain their quality. Frozen raw mushrooms can also last for about six months to a year.
In summary, fresh mushrooms can last about a week in the fridge, depending on the variety. Proper storage methods, such as using paper towels and paper bags, can help extend their freshness. For longer storage, freezing is an option, but it may affect the texture of the mushrooms. Cooked mushrooms have a shorter shelf life in the fridge and are more suitable for freezing.
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Blanching: Use lemon to prevent discolouration
To answer your first question, 5 1/2 cups of mushrooms is equivalent to about 22 to 28 pieces of button mushrooms. If you are using cremini mushrooms, 5 1/2 cups of them would be equivalent to about 19 to 22 pieces.
Now, let's discuss blanching and how lemon can be used to prevent discolouration.
Blanching is a process of briefly applying heat to fruits or vegetables to destroy or inactivate enzymes, which can cause discolouration and affect the texture and flavour. In the case of lemons, blanching is often done to remove the bitter taste from the pith (the white part) and the rind. This is especially important if you are using thicker lemons or making candied lemon slices.
To blanch lemons, start by heating a pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the lemon slices, and stir for about a minute. Immediately drain the hot water and place the slices in an ice bath for around 30 seconds before draining again. This process of blanching with lemon can also be applied to other fruits and vegetables to prevent discolouration. The acid in the lemon juice helps to reduce the pH on the surface of the produce, while the water reduces oxygen exposure, both of which contribute to preventing enzymatic browning.
It is worth noting that blanching is not always necessary, especially if you are using thin-rind lemons or if you don't mind a slight bitterness. Additionally, it is important not to soak fruits in acidulated water for too long, as this can negatively impact their texture and flavour.
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Conversions: Produce Converter helps with measurements
Produce Converter is a handy tool that helps you figure out how many vegetables or fruits to buy when you need a specific amount but don't know how much to purchase. This is especially useful when a recipe calls for a certain number of mushrooms, cups of sliced or chopped mushrooms, or even cooked mushrooms. With a few simple conversions, you can determine how many whole mushrooms are in a cup and make substitutions as needed.
For example, let's say you have a recipe that calls for 5.5 cups of mushrooms. You can use Produce Converter to find out approximately how many mushrooms you need to buy. The exact number will depend on the type of mushroom and whether they are sliced, chopped, or whole. For instance, a cup of sliced button mushrooms is about 4 to 5 pieces, while a cup of chopped button mushrooms is about 11 to 14 pieces. So, for 5.5 cups of sliced button mushrooms, you would need approximately 25 to 30 mushrooms.
Produce Converter also helps with other types of conversions, such as fresh mushrooms to dried mushrooms or canned mushrooms. When substituting fresh mushrooms for dried ones, it's important to account for the difference in water content and flavour concentration. Generally, 1 ounce of dried mushrooms is equivalent to about 8 ounces (0.5 pounds) of fresh mushrooms. So, if your recipe calls for 5.5 cups of dried mushrooms, you would need approximately 22 ounces or 1.375 pounds of fresh mushrooms.
Additionally, Produce Converter can assist with conversions from weight to the number of mushrooms. For example, 8 ounces of sliced fresh button mushrooms is equivalent to 4 ounces of drained canned sliced mushrooms. Knowing these equivalents can save you a trip to the store and ensure you have the right amount of ingredients for your recipe.
In conclusion, Produce Converter is a valuable tool that helps with measurements and conversions when cooking with mushrooms. It allows you to easily determine how many mushrooms you need to buy and make substitutions as needed, ensuring a seamless cooking experience.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the type of mushroom and whether they are sliced, chopped, or rehydrated. For example, 5 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms weigh around 1 pound, whereas 5 cups of chopped cremini mushrooms weigh around 0.84 pounds.
It depends on the size of the mushrooms. One source suggests that 1/3 cup of dried shiitake mushrooms contains 2-3 mushrooms, whereas another source suggests that it contains 7-10 mushrooms.
It depends on the type of mushroom. For example, 8 ounces of sliced fresh button mushrooms are equivalent to 4 ounces of drained canned sliced mushrooms.
Fresh mushrooms will last for about 1 week in the refrigerator. They can be stored in a brown paper bag on a shelf in the fridge, rather than in the vegetable drawer, which has too much moisture. Fresh mushrooms can also be frozen but must be cooked first.
No, it's not important to be exact, especially with larger mushrooms. Many people simply eyeball the amount of mushrooms they need rather than measuring them precisely.
