Emily Johnson
Braai mushrooms are a South African speciality, and a tasty vegetarian option for a barbecue. Large brown mushrooms are best for braaiing, as they can take intense, direct heat, and are therefore ideal for cooking in foil, directly in the coals. Before cooking, you can stuff your mushrooms with a variety of fillings, such as bacon, spinach, cream cheese, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. You can also marinate them in olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Once prepared, cook your stuffed mushrooms on a medium-hot fire for around 15 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the mushroom is tender.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Mushrooms | Brown mushrooms, baby button mushrooms, white buttons, portobellinis |
| Preparation | Clean mushrooms by rinsing, removing stems and patting dry |
| Marinade | Olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, liquid smoke, honey, brown sugar, sweet chilli sauce |
| Braai Temperature | Medium heat |
| Braai Grill Preparation | Brush lightly with olive oil or spray with a non-stick product |
| Cooking Time | 4-5 minutes on one side, 2-3 minutes on the other side |
| Toppings | Cheese, crumbed feta, freshly chopped chives, black pepper, rocket |
| Cooking Method | Foil wrapped mushrooms placed directly on coals, or on grill |
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What You'll Learn
Braai mushroom preparation
Braai mushrooms are a tasty treat and a great vegetarian option for a barbecue. There are several ways to prepare them, and they can be cooked directly on the coals, or on a grill.
Firstly, you will need to prepare your mushrooms. For stuffed mushrooms, you will need to remove the stalks, but keep them to one side. For whole mushrooms, you should clean them by rinsing, removing the stems, and patting dry.
If you are making stuffed mushrooms, you can then make your filling. This could be a mixture of feta cheese, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper, or you could try a rice-based stuffing. For the rice stuffing, cook the rice in vegetable stock, and toast some walnuts in the oven. Then, mix the cooked rice with olive oil, vegan Parmesan, minced garlic, and the toasted walnuts.
Once your filling is prepared, spoon it into the mushrooms, creating a mound in the centre to prevent the mixture from spilling out. You can then sprinkle the tops with Parmesan and breadcrumbs, or crumbed feta, chives, and black pepper.
If you are cooking whole mushrooms, you can prepare a marinade of olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Leave the mushrooms in the marinade for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to ensure they are evenly coated. You can also add liquid smoke for a rich flavour.
Once your mushrooms are prepared, you can cook them on the braai. Place them directly on the coals, or on a grill over medium-high heat for around 4-5 minutes each side. If you are cooking stuffed mushrooms, cook them gently until the filling is bubbling and the mushrooms are tender—around 15 minutes.
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Braai grill setup
The braai grill setup involves creating a fire with either hardwood or charcoal. Wood imparts a unique smoky taste but requires practice to manage the flames, while charcoal lights quickly and provides consistent heat. The fire can be started in an embrasero or ember maker, which creates charcoal that can be spread across an ash pan for cooking. The temperature can be controlled by adjusting the number of embers pushed under the grill grate.
Long tongs, a braai fork, and a grill-cleaning brush are essential tools for handling meat and maintaining the grill. Fireproof gloves can also be useful for the braai master.
It is recommended to experiment with different fuels and grill setups to find your preference. The braai grill setup is a crucial step in creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere that promotes human connection and delicious, flame-kissed food.
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Marinade and seasoning
Marinades and seasonings are key to preparing delicious braai mushrooms. The type of marinade you choose will depend on your taste preferences, the type of mushroom you are using, and the desired level of effort.
A simple and quick option is to drizzle or brush your mushrooms with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. This basic marinade can be enhanced by adding other ingredients such as chilli flakes, oregano, paprika, or mixed herbs. If you are using brown mushrooms, you can also add a drop of Tabasco and grate some cheese on top. Another option is to use garlic butter instead of plain butter for extra flavour.
For a more complex and flavourful marinade, you can combine olive oil with lemon juice, lemon zest, and dried mixed herbs. This marinade is especially suitable for baby button mushrooms, which can be threaded onto small skewers and grilled for 7 to 10 minutes. If you are looking for a vegan option, you can create a marinade by mixing cooked rice, vegan Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts, minced garlic, and olive oil. This mixture can then be generously spooned into the mushrooms and topped with additional vegan cheese.
If you are feeling creative, you can experiment with different flavours and ingredients such as honey, brown sugar, or sweet chilli sauce to achieve a beautiful caramelised finish. Mushrooms are a versatile ingredient that can complement a variety of flavours, so feel free to get inventive with your marinade and seasoning choices!
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Cooking methods
Big brown mushrooms can be cooked directly in the coals of a fire, wrapped in foil. Before placing them on the fire, you can stuff them with various fillings. One recipe suggests removing the stalks from the mushrooms, mincing them, and frying them with bacon, spinach, cream cheese, and spices. Another option is to mix feta cheese, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper with the minced stalks and use this as a filling. For a vegan option, you can fill the mushrooms with a mixture of rice, veggie stock, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
If you are using smaller button mushrooms, you can thread 4 to 5 of them onto small skewers and braai them over medium-hot heat for 7 to 10 minutes. You can also alternate between white button mushrooms, portobellini mushrooms, and bell peppers on a long kebab stick, brushing them with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.
For a char-grilled mushroom steak, you can marinate brown mushrooms in a mixture of olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, heat the braai grill to a medium heat, brush it with olive oil, and grill the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. You can top the grilled mushrooms with crumbed feta, chives, and black pepper.
Alternatively, you can top the mushrooms with garlic and herbs, and sprinkle them with cheese before wrapping them in foil and placing them directly onto the coals of your fire. You can also bake this recipe in an oven at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes.
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Braai mushroom recipes
Braai mushrooms are a tasty and simple meal or side dish that can be cooked on an open fire. Here are some recipes to try:
Garlic and Herb Mushrooms
This recipe involves topping brown or black mushrooms with garlic butter, Italian herbs, black pepper, and grated cheddar cheese. The mushrooms are then wrapped in foil and placed directly onto the coals of the fire for around 15 minutes.
Char-Grilled Mushroom Steaks
Clean brown mushrooms and remove the stems. Prepare a marinade with olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Place the mushrooms in the marinade for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently. Heat the braai grill to medium heat and brush with olive oil. Place the mushrooms on the grill face down and cook for 4-5 minutes before flipping and cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. Top with crumbed feta, freshly chopped chives, and black pepper.
Stuffed Mushrooms
This recipe involves removing the stalks from large brown mushrooms and chopping them finely. Fry bacon in a pan until crispy, then remove and drain, retaining the oil. Add the chopped mushroom stalks to the pan and saute until soft. Add spinach and fry until wilted, then add flour and combine. Remove from the heat and add cream cheese and the bacon. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms and cook on the braai until the filling is bubbling and the mushrooms are tender.
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
Cook rice in a small pot with veggie stock. While the rice is cooking, toast walnuts in the oven. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil. Add the vegan Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts, minced garlic, and olive oil to the cooked rice and stir. Spoon the rice mixture into the mushrooms and top with more vegan Parmesan.
When cooking mushrooms on a braai, it is recommended to use heavy foil and place them directly onto the coals or cover them with coals.
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Frequently asked questions
Big brown mushrooms are ideal for braai as they can take intense, direct heat.
You can season mushrooms with olive oil, dried mixed herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. You can also add crumbed feta, freshly chopped chives, and black pepper after cooking.
You can cook mushrooms directly on the coals of your fire, wrapped in foil. You can also cook them on a grill, brushing the grill with olive oil or a non-stick spray first.
