I want deeply browned mushrooms, but mine dump water into the skillet and simmer sadly until dinner is almost ready. I usually crowd them because it seems wasteful to cook in batches. I'm trying a wider stainless pan, higher heat and enough time to let the moisture evaporate before stirring. Is the secret mostly space and patience, or does salting later make a meaningful difference?
Getting a good crust on mushrooms instead of releasing lots of water
- practical-cooking
- good
- crust
- mushrooms
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4 replies
Space matters a lot. If the pan is crowded, the mushrooms steam first and brown later, so I’d cook fewer at a time even if it takes an extra...
Space matters a lot. If the pan is crowded, the mushrooms steam first and brown later, so I’d cook fewer at a time even if it takes an extra minute.
I’ve had better results drying them well before they hit the pan too. If they go in damp, you’re starting behind.
I don’t think salting early helps here. It seems to pull out even more liquid, which is great if you want a mushroom puddle and less great if you want dinner.
High heat helps, but only if you don’t keep stirring them every ten seconds. Let them sit long enough to brown, then move them.