A Better Way to Cook Mushrooms

Mushrooms in a Cast Iron Skillet with a Spoon for A Better Way to Cook Mushrooms Do you know the easiest way to cook mushrooms? There's a method I've been using for years. It's called "dry sautéing." It's the technique I use with our fabulous Marsala Mushrooms.

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. Towards the end of cooking (after about 5 to 10 minutes), once the mushrooms have released much of their moisture, you can swirl in some butter for added flavor if you want. But the cooking of the mushrooms themselves doesn't require anything but heat. Even if you do add butter in at the end, you'll need less than you would have if you started out cooking the mushrooms in butter at the beginning. The Best Mushrooms for This Method You can cook many mushroom varieties using this technique, from white button mushrooms to wild mushrooms. Fleshy mushrooms that naturally have a high moisture content — cremini, button, portobello, chanterelles, porcini, and oyster mushrooms — work best. Work with the freshest mushrooms. Mushrooms that are a bit dried out won't have enough moisture for this method. The Best Pan for This Method I find a relatively stick-free pan like cast iron or hard anodized aluminum works well. If you have a non-stick-free pan, you'll need to stir more frequently to keep the mushrooms from sticking to the pan in the beginning.

A Better Way to Cook Mushrooms PREP TIME 5 mins COOK TIME 10 mins TOTAL TIME 15 mins SERVINGS 3 to 6 servings Work with fresh mushrooms. Old mushrooms that are a bit dried out won't have enough moisture for this method. I find a relatively stick-free pan like cast iron or hard anodized aluminum works well. If you have a non-stick-free pan, you'll need to stir more frequently to keep the mushrooms from sticking to the pan in the beginning. Ingredients 1/2 to 1 pound of fresh cremini, button, or porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4-inch thick Sprinkle of salt, optional

Method Add mushrooms to a hot pan: Heat a large relatively stick-free skillet on high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir. Lower the heat to medium high. You can sprinkle the mushrooms with salt at any point during the cooking process. Stir frequently: Once the mushrooms heat up to a certain point, they will start releasing their moisture. Moderate the heat so that the mushrooms are hot enough to release moisture, but not so hot as to get too browned or dry up. Finish the mushrooms (optional). Swirl in a little butter for flavor, sprinkle with salt, pepper, or parsley, deglaze the pan with some marsala, or use the cooked mushrooms as part of another recipe.