What is the best method for cleaning fresh mushrooms?

Question

Fresh mushrooms are usually in a bin, loose in the produce department in the food stores. People including me choose and pick through them with our dirty hands. Can't help that! With all the nasty little bugs out there, I want to of course clean/wash them. I have soaked them and then they become squishy and get soggy. Is there a safe way to clean them properly. Of course cooking them with chicken and fish kills any bugs, but sometimes we love them raw in salads. Any tips?

Answer 1

All about mushrooms
There are really different kinds of mushrooms--all sizes, colors and shapes--that can be found in the produce section. The most common is the cultivated white mushroom, but other popular ones include the shiitake, oyster, enoki, cremini and portabella. If you pick wild mushrooms, extreme caution should be taken because some are not edible. When possible, buy unpackaged mushrooms, choosing those that are firm, even-colored and unblemished. Avoid those that are dried-out, broken or have soft spots. If all of the gills underneath are visible, the mushrooms are past their prime. Mushrooms should be stored, unwashed, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (sometimes longer). Place them in a singe layer on a tray and cover them with a damp paper towel.

Clean the mushrooms just before preparing them. Never immerse them in water because they are very absorbent and will become mushy. Just rinse under cold running water and blot dry with a paper towel. Always dry mushrooms completely before cooking. Cut about 1/4 inch off the stem ends, except the enokis, which should be separated at the stem end from the base. Shiitakes have very tough stems that should be removed completely. On the following pages is a collection of mushroom recipes that exhibit the versatility of a family favorite.

Preparing fresh mushrooms

When using fresh mushrooms are you supposed to peel them? I think you should, my friend doesn't - what's your opinion?

The answer to this question depends on the type and condition of your mushroom, but most mushrooms do not need peeling. Cultivated button mushrooms are grown in pasteurized compost and only need a wipe or brush to clean. Flat and field mushrooms are more open and so easier to peel, but they only really need peeling if the skin is discoloured or old. Other varieties of wild mushrooms, morels, chanterelles etc, need to have the dirt or sand removed with a brush and gently rinsed.
Mushrooms should not be soaked in water as they become waterlogged and the delicate flavor can be lost.
Regards,

Wild Mushrooms
Mushroom gathering, a seasonal event throughout Eastern Europe, Italy and France, is increasingly popular in Britain. The French are particularly enthusiastic. In autumn whole families drive to secret locations to comb the ground for prizes like shaggy ink caps or ceps. Wild mushrooms are sold in supermarket too.

Oyster Mushrooms - These ear-shaped fungi grow on rotting wood. Cap, gills and stem are all the same color, which can be greyish brown, pink or yellow. They are now widely cultivated, although they are generally thought of as wild mushrooms. Delicious both in flavor and texture, they are softer than the button mushroom when cooked but seem more substantial, having more "bite" to them.

Buying and Storing - Fresh specimens are erect and lively looking with clear gills and smooth caps. They are often sold packed in plastic boxes under cellophane wrappings and will wilt and go soggy if left on the shelf for too long. Once purchased, remove them from the plastic packaging and use as soon as possible.

Preparing - Oyster mushrooms rarely need trimming at all but if they are large, tear rather than cut them into pieces. In very large specimens the stems can be tough and should be discarded.

Cooking - Fry in butter until tender as they take less time to cook than white mushrooms. Do not overcook oyster mushrooms as the flavor will be lost and the soft texture will become more rubbery.

Answer 2

rubbing alcohol will kill all the germs...as far as taste, don't do it. For a better method, use a moist paper towel or plain towel and gently rub the outside of the mushrooms. This gets all the dirt and grime off the outer layer. The key to the paper towel is, it can't be too wet or too dry. It has to be somewhere in the middle.

Answer 3

First off, I would recommend the packaged whole fresh mushrooms. Then with a damp towel, wipe the entire mushrooms. Cut off the end of the stem, then slice the mushroom. Enjoy!!!

I recommend Garlic Chicken with Mushroom Pizza! YUM!!

Answer 4

You use a dry cloth and rub the bits of visible dirt off of them. You're eating a fungus, grown in feces, so other people's dirty hands aren't going to be worse. If you're that concerned about germs, then buy the mushrooms that are precleaned and sold in a package.

Answer 5

rinse them and use right away. or buy the ones who don't look too dirty so you won't have to rinse them as you know it does make them too soggy. Unless they are fresh picked, I just don't worry about clean mushrooms.

Answer 6

Water in any amount is not good. Use a soft brush to get rid of any dirt and go ahead and eat them, cooked or raw.

Answer 7

Just use a paper towel with some veggie wash spray on it and wipe gently

Answer 8

i have some older mushrooms i intend to fry with garlic . they have alot of brown spots even after being shooked in a nice towel

Answer 9

They need no more than wiping off with a damp cloth.

Answer 10

with a damp cloth and just bairly rub them