The Reason Mushrooms Are Nearly Impossible To Overcook - Tasting Table (2024)

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The Reason Mushrooms Are Nearly Impossible To Overcook - Tasting Table? ›

Instead they contain something called chitin. Insider explains that chitin is a large molecular structure contained within the cell walls of a mushroom, and unlike other polymers present in foods, it can withstand higher amounts of heat.

Their cell walls contain chitin, a quite different polymer to the cellulose of plant cell walls, which accounts for their strange texture. Chitin is remarkably heat-stable, which is why it is practically impossible to overcook mushrooms – they remain firm yet tender even after prolonged cooking.

Sautéing on High or Low Heat

Don't go too low or high on heat, which can make mushrooms over or under-cooked. Think right in the middle. "Medium-high heat is the way to go with mushrooms. You want their liquids to slowly evaporate while they caramelize," says Norton.

We've all ended up with soggy, mushy veggies or leathery tough meat after a cooking snafu before. But there's a weird reason that mushrooms really can't get overcooked, no matter how hard you try. Just uhh, make sure not to burn them.

Some wild mushrooms have toxins like agaritine and amatoxin. These compounds can damage your liver and cause other serious health problems. Even raw mushrooms or spoiled mushrooms that don't have these toxins can cause things like vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain if they're not scrubbed before you eat them.

Cook the mushrooms until browned and reduced by half.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms start to turn dark reddish-brown with golden spots, 5 to 8 minutes more.

Perfectly Cooked Mushrooms, Less Fat

You cook sliced or chopped mushrooms in a hot pan without adding any fat, liquid, or sauce. As the mushrooms heat up in the pan, they release their juices and cook in their own liquid, concentrating the flavor of the mushrooms.

It usually won't take a taste test to know whether or not your mushrooms have gone bad. One of the easiest giveaways that your mushrooms are bad is if their texture has changed from firm and plump to sticky and slimy. Similarly, if they are drying out or downright shriveled, it's time to say goodbye.

All that said, dried mushrooms have a more concentrated earthy, woodsy, umami flavor than fresh ones. They are chewy silky, more meaty than fresh mushrooms.

The number one rule of thumb when it comes to detecting freshness is that when mushrooms are slimy, they're no longer ideal for use. Sliminess occurs when mushrooms have been stored incorrectly or allowed to linger in the fridge for too long— it's a clear sign that the mushrooms are beginning to spoil.

Are rubbery mushrooms bad? ›

Without proper caramelization, mushrooms are nothing but rubbery gray nubbins. And not the good kind of nubbin. It's the crispy bits that make mushrooms delicious.

When the mushrooms get shocked with the hot water, it partially cooks them and creates an inconsistent texture from the outside to the inside. This causes that chewy, tough texture.

The Bottom Line

Fresh mushrooms are dry, firm and smooth and have a pleasant earthy smell. Bad mushrooms are softer (possibly mushy), sticky, slimy, shriveled, maybe moldy and discolored, and may smell unpleasant.

Slimy mushrooms aren't inherently inedible, but they aren't in great shape either. If the slime is minimal, i.e. you caught it early, you might have another day or so to cook with them before they start to turn black, get mushy, or visible mold appears.