Should Mushrooms Be Washed? How to Clean Them

The most practical way to clean mushrooms is to wipe soil from their surface with a damp kitchen cloth or soft brush without immersing them in water. Because mushrooms have a spongy structure, they absorb water into their pores when they come into contact with it, then release that water while cooking in a pan. For this reason, dry cleaning is preferred especially for mushrooms that will be pan-fried; the desired golden-brown result when sautéing depends on the mushrooms not containing too much water. Why is washing them in water not recommended? The mushroom's outer surface is covered with a thin membrane, and when it comes into contact with water, the porous inner tissue quickly absorbs water. A wet mushroom placed in a pan releases this water first when heated; for this reason, it looks more like it has been boiled than browned. A dry-cleaned mushroom comes into direct contact with the oil as soon as it enters the pan, and its surface begins to brown quickly. The difference is especially noticeable in sautéed and grilled mushrooms cooked over high heat. How should you use a brush and damp cloth? Gently wipe the cap and stem with a small mushroom brush or paper towel to remove soil and sawdust. For stubborn marks, lightly dampen a kitchen cloth and wipe the surface in the same way; even if the cloth is wet, the mushroom itself is not submerged. For wild mushrooms or mushrooms with a lot of soil, briefly rinsing them quickly under running water can be accepted as an exception when they are very dirty; however, in this case, dry the mushrooms immediately with a paper towel and cook them without letting them sit. When should the stem be cut? For cultivated mushrooms, the dried, hardened end of the stem is generally cut off with the tip of a knife and discarded; the rest of the stem can be used with the cap in most recipes. In some recipes, the stem is removed completely to make room for stuffing the cap. Since wild mushrooms generally have a tougher stem, it may need to be thinly sliced and cooked longer; otherwise, the stem may still be firm when the cap is cooked. Removed stems can be boiled separately and used in soup or sauce. What should you keep in mind while cleaning? Since mushrooms lose moisture quickly after harvesting, cleaning should be done close to cooking time; mushrooms cleaned early and kept in the refrigerator dry out and shrivel more quickly. For the same reason, after cleaning, mushrooms should be stored in newspaper or a paper bag rather than in a closed container. The thin gills under the cap are fragile, so gentle pressure is enough when brushing; vigorous scrubbing can break the cap and cause the mushroom to darken quickly. Is cleaning large mushrooms (portobellos) different? The dark gills under the cap of large mushrooms such as portobellos are more pronounced than those of small mushrooms and are scraped out with a spoon in some recipes; this simplifies the appearance and reduces the spread of a dark, soup-like liquid onto the plate during cooking. This step is not required and is entirely a matter of preference. The surfaces of large mushrooms collect more soil than those of small cultivated mushrooms, so brushing them clean may take a little longer; the same dry-cleaning principle still applies, and the mushroom should not be immersed in water.