My partner and I love mushrooms, and I usually cook them in butter and a little fresh ground pepper in a small pan, nothing added.
But no matter what I do, there's always so much water left at the bottom of the pot. I have no idea where it comes from, ‘cos I don’t add any water. I have to assume that it comes out of the mushrooms themselves, and forgive me, my typically amateur blokey solution has been to add a corn flour mix. It DOES thicken and make the mushrooms marginally more tasty and attractive (but it still feels like cheating) and the next day, when I take the leftovers out of the fridge, there’s this watery sludge again, at the bottom of the dish!
What am I doing wrong? What am I missing???
Help!! Please!!!
I am really struggling with this. I want to get this right for my princess.
All you wise and talented, enlightened and talented and creative cooks and chefs, out there …

brucerae - 2014-10-27 20:43:00

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whitehead. - 2014-10-27 20:49:00

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whitehead. - 2014-10-27 20:51:00

a cast iron frypan is fabulous - holds the heat well and the a larger area means more air near the food...these two things means you mushrooms cooked on a high heat and don't walk away and forget them...you will get yummy crispy mushrooms...water might come out but keep cooking them and the water will disappear... cornflour and parsley makes a yummy dish too...and with bacon added served on toast nice easy dinner

motorbo - 2014-10-27 21:04:00

Oil will stop the butter burning/turning brown with greater heat than straight butter. I recommend cast iron pans.

smallwoods - 2014-10-27 21:09:00

What sort of mushrooms are you using Bruce? Size and were they store-bought? (don't think there's any others around atm) Did you wash them first; perhaps washing them upside down and causing water to be absorbed into the gills? If so, it's best to wash them lightly top side up and rinse (or chop off) the ends without getting water in the gills.
Or are you leaving them with a lid on, causing them to sweat?
I cooked some of the big-ish ones the other day, in a small saucepan with a little rice bran oil and a smidgeon of butter and they were dry.
(Onto some leftover savoury mashed spuds which I had heated up in the oven and then a little bit of cheese on top and grilled. Yummo).

Another thought is, after cooking in butter or oil for a little bit, you can add milk and then thicken that with flour (or whatever) to make a sauce and cover your sludge that way.

trigal1 - 2014-10-27 22:10:00

Mushrooms contain a lot of water but they are very forgiving when cooked. If you want plain buttered mushrooms (delicious) just cook them in butter uncovered in a frying pan over medium/high heat until all of the liquid has evaporated. This can take between five and twenty minutes, depending on the heat, and the time taken makes no difference to the end result.

davidt4 - 2014-10-27 22:31:00

brucerae wrote:

, my typically amateur blokey solution has been to add a corn flour mix. It DOES thicken and the next day, when I take the leftovers out of the fridge, there’s this watery sludge again, at the bottom of the dish!

That's fine. You made a sauce.
However leftovers is the problem. Mushrooms are not ideal for leftovers....make less and make fresh.

lythande1 - 2014-10-28 06:54:00

Sometimes a squeeze of lemon adds zest. I make a vegetable mousaka and add a layer of breadcrumbed and browned mushroom and it's neat to come across them when eating this dish.

jhan - 2014-10-28 08:44:00

davidt4 wrote:

Mushrooms contain a lot of water but they are very forgiving when cooked. If you want plain buttered mushrooms (delicious) just cook them in butter uncovered in a frying pan over medium/high heat until all of the liquid has evaporated. This can take between five and twenty minutes, depending on the heat, and the time taken makes no difference to the end result.

This......them eat them on toast with salt and white pepper ohh ohh my

rainrain1 - 2014-10-28 08:47:00

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farmess - 2014-10-28 11:38:00

You just spoiled a good thing.....less is more

rainrain1 - 2014-10-28 13:00:00

Hey, all you wonderful cooks - thank you so much for all your great tips, hints and ideas. I really appreciate all your input, and I'll be putting them to good use!
<turns and pads barefooted back into the kitchen, where I belong apparently ... > (at least I'm not pregnant) - 'er indoors - whoops I mean 'er OUTDOORS will be home from work soon, and I have to get dinner ready. Thanks again for all your help!

brucerae - 2014-10-28 13:08:00

I often cook them in a similar way to what farmess described #11 & I sometimes pop a cap full of whisky in as well ...I read that tip years ago & it seems to bring out the flavour & imo it certainly doesn't spoil them.

samanya - 2014-10-28 13:23:00

brucerae wrote:

My partner and I love mushrooms, and I usually cook them in butter and a little fresh ground pepper in a small pan, nothing added.
But no matter what I do, there's always so much water left at the bottom of the pot. It DOES thicken and make the mushrooms marginally more tasty and attractive (but it still feels like cheating) and the next day, when I take the leftovers out of the fridge, there’s this watery sludge again, at the bottom of the dish!
All you wise and talented, enlightened and talented and creative cooks and chefs, out there …

I recently saw a chef on tv saying that people make a mistake by cooking mushrooms until water comes out but according to him we should keep cooking a little longer and they will reabsorb the water. Must try it myself sometime.

eljayv - 2014-10-28 13:23:00

rainrain1 wrote:

You just spoiled a good thing.....less is more

You never know, you might like them even more done this way.

samanya - 2014-10-28 13:24:00

eljayv wrote:

according to him we should keep cooking a little longer and they will reabsorb the water. .

haha, they DON'T reabsorb. Keep cooking and the water will evaporate eventually. Next stage after that is called burning.

Some chefs talk bollocks....like "sealing" meat and resting meat to "absorb" juices....it doesn't, it keeps cooking and hence the juice disappears from the usual process.

lythande1 - 2014-10-28 14:29:00

Don't wash the mushrooms. Just give them a wipe if you have to.

aglarana - 2014-10-28 14:34:00

samanya wrote:

You never know, you might like them even more done this way.

I do do this sometimes, but only with store bought mushrooms, to eat with a steak. To do freshly picked delicious field mushrooms like that would be criminal, Mind you I'm not a cream in food fan, unless it is sweets

rainrain1 - 2014-10-28 18:21:00

well I have a mushroom and spinach/silverbeet lasagne recipe that is yummy. And I love mushroom/onion/cheese toasted sammies.

ruby2shoes - 2014-10-28 18:47:00

rainrain1 wrote:

I do do this sometimes, but only with store bought mushrooms, to eat with a steak. To do freshly picked delicious field mushrooms like that would be criminal, Mind you I'm not a cream in food fan, unless it is sweets

You have a point, when it's mushroom season I just cook them ..straight out of the paddock, don't worry too much about sheep poo etc, just do them plain because the flavour is so much better than store bought (must be the *natural* additives). Those button store ones really do taste better with a dash of mixed herbs & a tiny little glug of whisky& cream IMO.

samanya - 2014-10-28 18:56:00

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iman007 - 2014-10-28 19:29:00

I seem to remember one TV chef (GR?) saying that you chuck them in a hot dry pan for a minute or so, before adding butter. As water evaporates at a lower temperature, before fat, then the water will boil off anyway and leave the butter/oil behind.
Some (most?) restaurants use clarified butter, but I prefer the taste of real butter - preferably Lurpak.

socram - 2014-10-28 20:16:00

I can't believe how many useful suggestions and great ideas keep being fed in to this thread - my original question has attracted so many beautiful and valuable responses ..
Thank you, everyone that contributed ...

brucerae - 2014-10-28 23:12:00

Yes, put them sliced into hot (preferably cast iron) pan for about a minute with nothing else, stirring a couple of times. This cooks most of the water out of them, and they start with a lot of water. For all that, they are pretty sponge like, and washing them is a bad idea because it will cause them to suck up even more. If brushing them does not get them clean enough to suit, you can always peel the outer layer of the mushroom, starting from in where the stem finished.

I don't bother peeling them, myself.

Slice to desired thickness, place in hot pan, then move to outer periphery of pan. Add butter. Once melted, add garlic/onion. Splash with tamari and wine, maybe a little balsamic vinegar. Move mushrooms back into the middle once the garlic has cooked a bit. Stir well, then simmer until sauce reduces.

A point about butter: Clarified butter is (real) butter that has had the water and milk solids cooked out of it. It has a higher smoke point and is better for cooking on heat. It also has a richer flavour.

echoriath - 2014-10-29 00:09:00

Oh, and a wee splash o' the pure definitely helps the cause.

echoriath - 2014-10-29 10:15:00

I welcome and appreciate the beautiful ideas and suggestions in this thread ... does anyone else have any more ideas or inspirational thoughts about how to get the best out of mushrooms?

brucerae - 2014-10-29 22:51:00

echoriath wrote:

Oh, and a wee splash o' the pure definitely helps the cause.

What exactly is this? vodka? tequila? whiskey? water?

brucerae - 2014-10-31 18:42:00

Whatever wets your whistle, but I prefer single malt whisky. A bit of gin or a splash of aged tequila could be interesting, the latter particularly if making a Mexican meal.

Edited by echoriath at 6:58 pm, Fri 31 Oct

echoriath - 2014-10-31 18:51:00

Try a splash of sherry/marsala or similar sweetish red wine, then add sour cream and a small dollop of sweet chilli sauce... I use the same for fish, steak, and chicken for a lightning fast sauce!

Also try sour cream and five spice, or smoked paprika.

socram - 2014-10-31 19:00:00

echoriath wrote:

Whatever wets your whistle, but I prefer single malt whisky. A bit of gin or a splash of aged tequila could be interesting, the latter particularly if making a Mexican meal.

Woohoo! This opens up new possibilities! - Hmmm ... tequila – maybe I should experiment and explore this, other kinds of mushrooms and various wild fungi - thanks Echoriath. I will look into this, and report back to you.

b_k_mcdonald - 2014-10-31 19:41:00

Any other good suggestions?

brucerae - 2014-10-31 21:38:00

Don't wash them.. The hot cooking kills any bacteria ect. Hot toss them in butter oil mix and turn heat down before they burn....they should be perfecto'

angelwoman - 2014-10-31 22:13:00

Hey, that's good advice - thank you! I will try that ...

brucerae - 2014-10-31 22:27:00

can't lose this thread either.

uli - 2015-10-30 11:01:00

My favourite mushroom dish is to pan fry them with butter/avocado oil over a high heat, keep them moving in the pan. I add chopped thyme, season well and use a good splash of sherry vinegar.

Serve on grilled or toasted sourdough bread.

eastie3 - 2015-10-30 13:58:00

brucerae wrote:

I usually cook them in butter and a little fresh ground pepper in a small pan, nothing added.
I have to assume that it comes out of the mushrooms themselves, and my typically amateur blokey solution has been to add a corn flour mix. It DOES thicken (but it still feels like cheating) and the next day, when I take the leftovers out of the fridge, there’s this watery sludge again, at the bottom of the dish!

Yes, it does come out of the mushrooms. If they had no water at all, they'd be dried mushrooms. LOL.
Cornflour is fine.
Cornflour is also weird....try an experiment - mix it up into a thick paste. Then leave it.
It will alternately go rock hard, sludgey etc.
It has odd properties.

Just give the leftover a stir then reheat, the consistency will correct itself.

lythande1 - 2015-10-30 14:30:00

Balsamic Mushrooms

350 grm large flat mushrooms sliced
50 grm butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and oil, add garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring until almost done. Add the wine and vinegar, cook for a further 2 minutes. Check for seasoning, serve and enjoy.

rainrain1 - 2015-10-30 16:44:00

That's why I leave them in the fridge till they start to shrivel, so much more taste as the water is beginning to leave before I cook them,the really old ones are great in stews as the flavor really intensifys.

flyspray99 - 2015-10-31 20:17:00

echoriath wrote:

Whatever wets your whistle, but I prefer single malt whisky. A bit of gin or a splash of aged tequila could be interesting, the latter particularly if making a Mexican meal.

I'd rather drink the single malt!
I just use a capfull of the 'quaffing' whisky (never the Laphroaig) ...although a thimble full of Laphroaig, might add a wonderful peaty taste!

samanya - 2015-10-31 20:29:00

I usually just eat them raw. That's a fresh one that I picked as I walked across the paddock. Give a wee look under the cap in case of a wriggly critter or two though. Store bought, yeah I cook them.
Nice sliced in a salad, or with bacon.
Did I mention the bacon?
Don't forget the bacon.

gettinggrey - 2015-10-31 20:34:00

samanya wrote:

although a thimble full of Laphroaig, might add a wonderful peaty taste!

Exactly!!!

echoriath - 2015-10-31 23:12:00

brucerae wrote:

I welcome and appreciate the beautiful ideas and suggestions in this thread ... does anyone else have any more ideas or inspirational thoughts about how to get the best out of mushrooms?

Add a splash of balsamic vinegar when the pan is really hot so that the liquid cooks off but you're left with the flavour

sarahb5 - 2015-11-01 10:13:00

dianavan wrote:

That's why I leave them in the fridge till they start to shrivel, so much more taste as the water is beginning to leave before I cook them,the really old ones are great in stews as the flavor really intensifies.

I love them plump, heavy and fresh and I will cook them in my trusty steel fry pan on maximum heat - olive oil gets hot in 1 second - then throw in sliced or quartered mushrooms, bacon and onions and shift around as fast as possible. They will even gain a brown colour if you do that, not leak any water - as it all steams off - and they are excellent within 3 minutes flat. Add chopped parsley in the last second.

Warning: Do not try this at home ... if you have a non-stick coated frypan! You will be eating the non-stick together with the mushrooms!

uli - 2015-11-01 12:15:00

Well I really cheat and my Grandaugter asked me for the recipe! I peel mushrooms but only because I do not want to get them wet and they have had a lot of handling! Using a little oil and some finely chopped onion fry, then when almost cooked add a packet of Mushroom Cup of Soup, any brand, with half recommended water. Lovely mushrooms in thick sauce. I also, sometimes, part with a glug of my red wine!

retired - 2015-11-01 13:35:00

retired wrote:

Well I really cheat and my Grandaugter asked me for the recipe! I peel mushrooms but only because I do not want to get them wet and they have had a lot of handling! Using a little oil and some finely chopped onion fry, then when almost cooked add a packet of Mushroom Cup of Soup, any brand, with half recommended water. Lovely mushrooms in thick sauce. I also, sometimes, part with a glug of my red wine!

I wouldn't call that cheating. If you like it, that's what it's all about. It sounds nice.

samanya - 2015-11-01 20:43:00

retired wrote:

Well I really cheat and my Grandaugter asked me for the recipe! I peel mushrooms but only because I do not want to get them wet and they have had a lot of handling! Using a little oil and some finely chopped onion fry, then when almost cooked add a packet of Mushroom Cup of Soup, any brand, with half recommended water. Lovely mushrooms in thick sauce. I also, sometimes, part with a glug of my red wine!

I do something similar adding some crushed garlic, a splash of soy sauce and some chopped chives or parsley. Great on wholegrain toast or with fresh pull apart bread.

nauru - 2015-11-01 21:27:00

bump

uli - 2016-10-31 17:34:00

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kindajojo - 2016-11-01 20:41:00

I like them grilled too but just wipe them with a damp paper towel and trim stems put them gill side up in a shallow dish, brush with melted butter and either sprinkle with salt and pepper and herbs, or something like Tuscan seasoning. They only take a few minutes, delicious.

mcdaff - 2016-11-03 23:17:00