Shiitake Jerky: A Tasty, Healthy Homemade Snack

how tonmake shitake mushroom jerky

Shiitake mushroom jerky is a tasty, chewy, savoury snack with a meaty texture. It is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. It is also a good source of fibre, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and antioxidants. Making your own mushroom jerky is simple and economical. The process involves cleaning the mushrooms, preparing a marinade, coating the mushrooms in the marinade, and baking them in the oven at a low temperature.

Characteristics Values
Prep Time 10 minutes + overnight marinade
Cook Time 1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients Coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, black pepper, shiitake mushrooms
Marinade Combine coconut aminos, vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add mushrooms and toss until coated. Refrigerate overnight.
Baking Preheat oven to 250°F. Place mushrooms on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, then flip and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes.
Storage Store leftover jerky in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Taste Chewy, salty, umami, savoury
Texture Chewy, meaty
Nutrition High in fiber, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, dairy-free

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Marinade ingredients: coconut aminos, vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, and pepper

Making shiitake mushroom jerky is a great way to enjoy a healthy, tasty snack with a meaty texture. This recipe uses coconut aminos, vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, and pepper to create a delicious marinade.

Firstly, prepare your mushrooms by brushing them clean and removing any large pieces of dirt or debris. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe them down. Remove the stems and tear the mushroom caps into large, equally-sized pieces, leaving any smaller caps whole.

Now, it's time to make the marinade. In a large resealable plastic bag, add the coconut aminos, vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, and pepper. Seal the bag and toss the ingredients together until they are well combined. You can also prepare the marinade in a large mixing bowl and whisk the ingredients together.

Once the marinade is ready, add the mushroom pieces to the bag. Reseal and toss the bag until the mushrooms are evenly coated. Leave the mushrooms to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. This step is important as it allows the mushrooms to absorb the flavours and creates a more intense taste.

After marinating, follow the cooking instructions for your chosen method, either in the oven or a dehydrator. For oven-baked jerky, cook at a low temperature for around 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the mushrooms are dry and chewy.

Your shiitake mushroom jerky is now ready to be enjoyed! This recipe is a fantastic way to create a nutritious and satisfying snack with a unique flavour.

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Marinating the mushrooms: toss mushrooms in the marinade and leave overnight

Marinating the mushrooms is a straightforward process. First, prepare your marinade. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together your chosen marinade ingredients. For a traditional shiitake mushroom jerky marinade, you can use coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, and black pepper. If you want to experiment with different flavours, you could try alternatives such as rice vinegar, maple syrup, or tamari. Smoked paprika is a must-have spice to pair with mushrooms, as it imparts a bacon-like taste without the meat.

Once you have prepared your marinade, add the shiitake mushrooms to the bowl. If you are using a plastic bag, add the mushrooms to the bag after sealing and combining the other ingredients. Before adding the mushrooms, brush them clean of any large dirt or debris, then wipe them with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, then slice or tear the caps into evenly-sized pieces. Leave any smaller caps whole.

Now, gently toss the mushrooms until they are well coated in the marinade. You may need to use your hands to ensure that all areas of the mushrooms are covered. Make sure the mushrooms are thoroughly coated in the marinade before proceeding to the next step.

Finally, cover the bowl or seal the plastic bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Leave the mushrooms to marinate overnight, or for at least 8-10 hours. This will allow the mushrooms to absorb the delicious flavours of the marinade. The longer you leave the mushrooms to marinate, the more intense the flavour will be.

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Baking the mushrooms: preheat the oven to 250°F and bake for one hour

To make shiitake mushroom jerky, the oven temperature should be set to a maximum of 250°F. This is the ideal temperature for achieving the perfect jerky texture—chewy, not crunchy.

Before baking, the mushrooms should be cleaned with a damp cloth or paper towel, and the stems removed. The caps should then be sliced or torn into evenly-sized pieces, with smaller caps left whole. The mushrooms are then placed in a marinade overnight to absorb the flavour.

When baking the mushrooms, first line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using tongs, remove the mushrooms from the marinade and place them on the baking sheet. Allow any excess marinade to drip off before placing them on the sheet, and ensure that the mushrooms are not overcrowded and are not touching.

Bake the mushrooms for one hour. Then, remove the tray from the oven and flip the mushrooms with tongs. Return the tray to the oven for an additional 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the mushrooms. The mushrooms will be ready when they have shrunk and appear dry.

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Flipping the mushrooms: after baking for one hour, flip the mushrooms and bake for 30-45 minutes

After an hour of baking at 250°F, it's time to flip your shiitake mushrooms. Using tongs, remove the mushrooms from the oven and turn them over. This step is important as it ensures even cooking and browning, and helps to create that perfect jerky texture.

The mushrooms should be flipped carefully, as they will be softer and more delicate after the initial hour of baking. The excess marinade should be allowed to drip off before placing the mushrooms back on the baking sheet. It is important not to overcrowd the pan, leaving space around each mushroom so that they are not touching.

Return the mushrooms to the oven and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes. The total cooking time, including this second baking period, is around one hour and 45 minutes. The mushrooms will be ready when they have shrunk and appear dry.

The flipping process is a key step in the mushroom jerky-making process, ensuring that the mushrooms are cooked evenly and thoroughly. It is a simple step, but it requires care and attention to ensure the best results.

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Storing the jerky: store leftover jerky in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week

Storing leftover shiitake mushroom jerky is simple. Place the jerky in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The jerky will stay fresh for up to a week.

This jerky is a great snack option, full of umami flavor and a chewy texture. It is a healthy, plant-based, vegan snack with a meaty texture. It is also a good source of vitamin D, vitamin B6, and antioxidants.

You can enjoy shiitake mushroom jerky straight from the baking sheet, or pack it in your lunchbox for a savory snack on the go. It is also a versatile ingredient that can be used in recipes such as Bolognese-style sauces and cobb salads.

Making shiitake mushroom jerky is a simple and economical process that requires a conventional oven, with no dehydrator needed. The recipe involves creating a marinade, coating the mushrooms, and baking them at a low temperature for an extended period.

Frequently asked questions

You will need shiitake mushrooms, coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, chilli garlic paste, smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and maple syrup.

It takes 10 minutes to prepare the mushrooms and marinade, then the mushrooms should be left to marinate overnight. The cooking time is 1 hour 45 minutes, so the total time is just under 24 hours.

Set your oven to 250°F.

It rarely lasts longer than a few minutes once it gets out of the oven! But you can store leftover jerky in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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