How to Clean Portobello Mushrooms
Wipe the caps with a damp cloth or paper towel., Remove the stems and discard them., Scrape out the dark gills on the underside of the caps., Score whole caps on the top side (optional).
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wipe the caps with a damp cloth or paper towel.
Mushrooms are spongy and can soak up moisture quickly.
Rinsing them under your faucet could cause them to become water-logged and soggy once cooked.
Lightly dampen a cloth or paper towel and wipe the mushroom caps gently to remove any dirt from the surface.If your mushrooms appear significantly dirty, you may have no choice but to rinse them very quickly under the tap.
Baby bellas, for instance, are often quite dirty.
After rinsing, wipe them off immediately with a paper towel. -
Step 2: Remove the stems and discard them.
Technically you can eat the stems, but they are tough and woody.
If you’re preparing stuffed portobello mushrooms, you have to remove the stems no matter what.Use a knife to slice the stems off, or just pop them off with your fingers and toss them in the trash.If you want to eat the stems anyway, definitely chop them up first since they’re so tough.
You can also use the stems to flavor a homemade stock.
They are perishable so you’ll need to use them quickly. , The black gills are also edible, but they’ll turn whatever dish you’re cooking dark and slimy, so it’s best to discard them.
Using the tip of a spoon, gently pry the gills out in small chunks.
You can just scoop them out with the spoon, but this gets messy.
Their dark color will stain the mushroom caps and your fingers.Removing the gills also gives you a nice clean “bowl” if you’re making stuffed mushrooms., If your recipe calls for whole caps rather than chopped, use a butter knife to score the top before you cook them.
This tiny opening will act as a vent and allow steam to escape, allowing the caps to cook faster and more evenly.Scoring the caps will also prevent them from shrinking up and, if you’re marinating, allow the flavors to more deeply penetrate. -
Step 3: Scrape out the dark gills on the underside of the caps.
-
Step 4: Score whole caps on the top side (optional).
Detailed Guide
Mushrooms are spongy and can soak up moisture quickly.
Rinsing them under your faucet could cause them to become water-logged and soggy once cooked.
Lightly dampen a cloth or paper towel and wipe the mushroom caps gently to remove any dirt from the surface.If your mushrooms appear significantly dirty, you may have no choice but to rinse them very quickly under the tap.
Baby bellas, for instance, are often quite dirty.
After rinsing, wipe them off immediately with a paper towel.
Technically you can eat the stems, but they are tough and woody.
If you’re preparing stuffed portobello mushrooms, you have to remove the stems no matter what.Use a knife to slice the stems off, or just pop them off with your fingers and toss them in the trash.If you want to eat the stems anyway, definitely chop them up first since they’re so tough.
You can also use the stems to flavor a homemade stock.
They are perishable so you’ll need to use them quickly. , The black gills are also edible, but they’ll turn whatever dish you’re cooking dark and slimy, so it’s best to discard them.
Using the tip of a spoon, gently pry the gills out in small chunks.
You can just scoop them out with the spoon, but this gets messy.
Their dark color will stain the mushroom caps and your fingers.Removing the gills also gives you a nice clean “bowl” if you’re making stuffed mushrooms., If your recipe calls for whole caps rather than chopped, use a butter knife to score the top before you cook them.
This tiny opening will act as a vent and allow steam to escape, allowing the caps to cook faster and more evenly.Scoring the caps will also prevent them from shrinking up and, if you’re marinating, allow the flavors to more deeply penetrate.
About the Author
Frank Wells
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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