Mushrooms grow quite close to the ground, so low, in fact, that they end up trapping a lot of dirt.
But don’t let all the dirt deter you! We’ve got a foolproof plan for you.
What do you want to watch out for?
A couple of things; first, you want to make sure your mushrooms are not slimy, they should be firm and you should not be able to see any signs of moisture from the outside.
For button mushrooms, (refer to the image above), make sure the gills on the underside are tightly closed as it could be a bit difficult to clean if they are not.
Back to cleaning mushrooms – there are a couple of ways we can clean our mushrooms before use and most mushroom species can be easily cleaned with a damp paper towel or a soft fluffy brush.
However, that doesn’t work in all cases as some mushrooms are very delicate, and tend to break off when they are accidentally bruised.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you a technique that works every time and leaves your mushrooms intact.
1. Get your items ready
For this tutorial, you’ll need just a few common kitchen items – a bowl of mushrooms, an empty bowl, a colander, some paper towels, a bowl of fine refined flour and, of course, some water. Set all these out so they are within easy reach when you need them.
The glass of water was used for tutorial purposes only, running water from your kitchen sink will work just fine.
2.Place the mushrooms in the colander
Depending on the size of your colander, you might want to do this in batches, but ultimately, the washing is going to be done while the mushrooms are in the colander.
3. Sprinkle some flour
Next, sprinkle some flour all over the mushrooms, making sure the flour coats each mushroom properly.
4. Rub with your hands
With your hands, you are going to rub the flour into the mushrooms very lightly. The flour is basically serving as a light abrasive agent to help rid of the dirty and dark patches (in some cases). Don’t be too rough on the mushrooms, remember they are quite delicate and can easily break.
5. Rinse with water
As soon as you are done cleaning each individual mushroom, place the colander under a tap or simply pour some water on top of the mushrooms to rinse the flour and the dirt off. Please note that mushrooms are not meant to be soaked in water as they are quite absorbent.
6. Blot dry
Using a paper towel, individually blot out the excess moisture from the mushrooms. This step is quite essential so do not skip this.
7. Ta-Da! Now you have clean mushrooms
Now that you’ve got your mushrooms cleaned, feel free to chop, slice or quarter them for your salads or soups. For more on how to clean mushrooms like a pro, simply click on the video below to see how it’s done.
Watch the Video Tutorial
What tutorial would you love to see next? Please let me know by leaving a comment in the section below. I always look forward to reading your thoughts and feedback.
