Frying Mushrooms: Choosing The Right Oil

what to fry mushrooms in

Frying mushrooms is a great way to add flavour and texture to a variety of dishes. They can be used as a topping for burgers, steaks, scrambled eggs, and baked potatoes, or as a side dish with chicken, fish, and pasta. Mushrooms can be fried in olive oil, butter, or vegetable/canola oil, and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, lemon, or wine. For a crispy texture, coat the mushrooms in flour, beer, and seasonings before frying, or for a thicker breading, use egg in the batter. Fried mushrooms are best served warm immediately after cooking, but can also be refrigerated and reheated.

Characteristics Values
Type of Pan Wide skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
Oil Olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or any pure oil
Temperature Medium-high heat
Additional Ingredients Butter, garlic, lemon, thyme, wine, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, truffle, porcini salt, soy sauce, coconut aminos, shallots, herbs, etc.
Batter Beer batter, flour, breadcrumbs, eggs, etc.
Notes Do not crowd mushrooms in the pan, salt at the end, and do not soak mushrooms

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Frying mushrooms in olive oil

To fry mushrooms in olive oil, start by cleaning the mushrooms gently with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. You can also quickly rinse them in a colander, but be careful not to soak them in water. Once they are clean, slice the mushrooms into thick pieces, about 1/2-inch thick.

Next, heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. You can also use a wide skillet, which prevents the mushrooms from steaming and helps them brown evenly. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and let them cook without stirring for about 3-5 minutes, allowing them to brown on one side. If you want to add additional flavours like soy sauce or wine, add them now and let the liquid evaporate.

After the mushrooms have browned on one side, continue cooking and stirring occasionally for another 3-5 minutes. You can also add other ingredients like garlic and thyme at this point. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste. The total cooking time should be under 15 minutes.

Fried mushrooms are best served warm immediately after cooking. They make a delicious side dish, topping for steaks or burgers, or even as a snack on their own. You can also get creative and add fried mushrooms to casseroles, soups, stews, pasta sauce, or omelettes. Enjoy your fried mushrooms!

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Using a wide skillet to fry mushrooms

Frying mushrooms is a great way to cook them, and using a wide skillet is a recommended method. A wide skillet allows you to spread the mushrooms out, preventing them from steaming and helping them to brown and crisp up. This method is suitable for any variety of mushrooms, and you can use olive oil, salt, and pepper for a simple recipe, or add butter, thyme, and lemon for more flavour.

To fry mushrooms in a wide skillet, start by cleaning the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. You can also rinse them briefly in a colander, but avoid soaking them in water as they will absorb it. Cut off the ends of the mushrooms and slice them into thick pieces.

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms in a single layer, without crowding the pan. Leave them to cook without stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, until they start to brown. Then, stir or spread them into a layer again to cook the other side.

Once the mushrooms are golden brown on both sides, season with salt and pepper. You can also add other ingredients like butter, garlic, thyme, and lemon juice for extra flavour. Stir everything together and cook for another minute or two until fragrant.

For an extra crispy texture, you can coat the mushrooms in a light batter before frying them. This involves dipping the mushrooms in a mixture of flour, beer, and seasonings, then frying them in hot oil until golden brown. You can also add an egg to the batter for a thicker breading.

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Beer-battered mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Mushrooms
  • Beer (preferably a lighter-colored beer like lager or a Belgian-style wheat ale)
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Parsley
  • Oil for frying

Recipe

  • Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and cut off the ends.
  • Coat the mushrooms in flour, shaking off any excess.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining flour, beer, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. You can also add an egg to the mixture.
  • Coat each mushroom in the batter, letting the excess batter drip back into the bowl.
  • Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees F. Fry 4-5 mushrooms at a time for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Remove the mushrooms from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and season with salt, then serve immediately.

Tips

  • Choose smaller mushrooms or cut larger mushrooms in half for the best mushroom-to-batter ratio.
  • The beer batter can be made thicker by using less beer.
  • You can also add Cajun seasoning to the batter for extra spice.
  • Be careful not to fill the pot more than halfway with oil to avoid spillage.

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Frying sliced mushrooms

Preparation:

First, clean the mushrooms gently with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. Cut off the ends of the stems if they are hard or discoloured. You can slice the mushrooms into thick slices or cubes, depending on your preference. If you are making a batter, you can coat the mushrooms in flour before dipping them in the batter. Choose a lighter beer for a mild-flavoured batter or a darker ale for a more complex taste. Add seasonings like cayenne pepper for an extra kick.

Cooking:

Use a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan to heat a layer of oil over medium to medium-high heat. Olive oil is a good choice, but avoid extra virgin olive oil as it can produce toxic fumes at high temperatures. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the mushrooms in a single layer, without crowding the pan. This will ensure they brown and crisp rather than steam. Fry the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes without stirring, then turn them over to cook the other side. You can add other ingredients like butter, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, or wine at this point. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and fragrant.

Serving:

Fried mushrooms are best served warm and freshly cooked. They make a great snack or appetiser on their own, or they can be used as a topping or side dish. Enjoy them with steak, burgers, scrambled eggs, or polenta. You can also add them to omelettes, pasta, casseroles, or stews for extra flavour and texture.

Tips:

  • Salt the mushrooms at the end of cooking, as salting too early can draw out moisture and prevent browning.
  • Try using truffle or porcini salt instead of regular salt to deepen the mushroom flavour.
  • If you want to freeze fried mushrooms, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container once frozen.

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Frying mushrooms with seasoned salt

Ingredients

  • Mushrooms
  • Oil (vegetable, olive, or another variety)
  • Butter
  • Seasoned salt (or regular salt and additional seasonings)
  • Other seasonings (optional)

Method

First, clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. Cut the very ends off the mushrooms, then slice into thick pieces. Be careful not to cut them too thin, as they will shrink while cooking.

Next, heat oil and butter in a medium to large pan over medium-high heat. It is important not to crowd the mushrooms in the pan, as this will cause them to steam instead of fry. Add the mushrooms to the pan, leaving space between them, and cook for 3-5 minutes before turning.

Once the mushrooms have started to brown, stir them, then spread them back into a single layer to cook on the second side. When the mushrooms are mostly golden brown on all sides, season with salt and pepper. It is best to salt mushrooms towards the end of cooking, as salt draws out moisture and can prevent them from browning.

If desired, add other seasonings such as garlic, thyme, lemon, or onion powder. For extra spice, cayenne pepper can be added to the batter. If using fresh garlic, it is best to add it towards the end of cooking, as overcooking garlic can result in a bitter taste.

For a crispy, battered texture, coat the mushrooms in flour and a batter made of flour, beer, and seasonings before frying. Fry only a few mushrooms at a time, as overcrowding the pan will affect the cooking process.

Fried mushrooms are best served warm immediately after cooking, but they can also be refrigerated and reheated.

Frequently asked questions

Vegetable or canola oil is great for deep frying mushrooms to get that breaded crunch. You can also use olive oil, but make sure it's not extra virgin olive oil as it produces fumes with toxins when it reaches a certain temperature.

Use a damp paper towel to gently rub each mushroom. You can also rinse your mushrooms in a colander, but don't soak them as they will absorb water.

You can season your mushrooms with salt and pepper. For extra flavour, add butter, thyme, and lemon. You can also try truffle or porcini salt to deepen the mushroom flavour.

White button mushrooms are a popular choice due to their mild flavour, but some people prefer sliced mushrooms for texture and ease of eating.

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