Sautéing Mushrooms
Mushrooms are mostly water. If you rush the process, you end up with rubbery, gray pieces sitting in a pool of liquid. Patience is the only way to transform them into something that holds its own on the plate.
Don't wash them under the tap.
Mushrooms act like sponges and will absorb water, ruining your sear. Wipe them clean with a damp paper towel or use a soft brush to remove dirt.
- Wide stainless steel or cast iron skillet
- Tongs
- Paper towels
What goes in.
- 1 lbcremini or white button mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 2 tbsphigh smoke point oil (grapeseed or avocado)
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- to tastekosher salt
- optionalfresh thyme sprigs or minced garlic
Prioritize evaporation
Start with a hot pan and no fat. Once the moisture evaporates and the pan is dry, only then do you add the oil and butter to begin the browning process.
The method.
Heat the skillet
Place your pan over medium-high heat. Wait until the metal is hot enough that a drop of water skitters and disappears immediately.
Dry-cook the mushrooms
Add the mushrooms in a single layer. Do not move them for three minutes. Let the initial water release and evaporate completely.
Add the fat
Once the pan is dry and the mushrooms look matte, add the oil and butter. The butter will foam; use this time to swirl it into the mushrooms.
Brown
Continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms develop a deep, dark chestnut color. This takes about five to seven minutes.
Season
Add salt, herbs, or garlic only in the final minute. Remove from the heat immediately so the garlic does not turn bitter.
Other turns to take.
Miso-Glazed
Whisk a teaspoon of miso into the butter before adding it to the pan.
Wine-Finished
Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine once the mushrooms are browned, letting the liquid reduce until nearly gone.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a pan large enough so the mushrooms aren't piled on top of each other.
If you are cooking more than a pound, do it in batches.
Keep the heat high—if the pan cools down, the mushrooms will start to stew in their own juices.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my mushrooms turn gray and slimy?
The pan was likely too crowded, or you salted the mushrooms at the start, causing them to release all their liquid at once.
Can I use olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point and may impart a bitter taste at high heat. Stick to neutral oils for the initial sear.
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