Peeling mushrooms.

[cal216610]

Daft Q I guess,
My mum use to do it instead of washing, I do both depending on closed cup or open.
When I do was it is with Luke warm salted water.
Is this one of old as I see many cooking programs just cooking cooking away(previously prepped possibly) or actually make a point of washing to get the grit/soil out.
Ideas anyone.

[madbadger]

Life is too short.

[DocJock]

What madbadger said.

If you really are too precious to eat a bit of dirt, brush them clean, don't wash them.

[Digger]

If they are filthy with soil i will peel them with no washing. I quite like to break off the stalks as i enjoy their extra crunchiness. Removing them obviously aids the peeling process. Nine times out of ten though i leave the skin on as its a faff and i like heaps of mushrooms. Peeling even more redundant if you're slicing them.

[Mobile Chicane]

There is no need to peel mushrooms and you should certainly never wash them.

Brush off any dirt with a pastry brush, or wipe with a paper towel.

[Bullett]

I peel them and had heard the don't wash trope. I just had a look in the Harold McGee book and he is of the opinion then a brief wash is fine and won't waterlog or remove flavour.

Interestingly he suggests you get the most flavour from old mushrooms that are beginning to deteriorate just trim off any damage.

[condor]

Fresh mushrooms, I wipe with a damp kitchen towel.
Old mushrooms, I peel.

[Arun_D]

Brush. Chop. Cook.

[grumbledoak]

Dry kitchen towel if I plan frying them. For a casserole I'll give them a quick rinse and leave on a kitchen towel.

[Pixel-Snapper]

I'm sorry nothing more to add but peeling a mushroom WTF! in 28years of being on this planet, thats the first time I've heard of someone peeling a mushroom...

For what benefit does this bring pray tell?

[Piersman2]

Pixel-Snapper said:

I'm sorry nothing more to add but peeling a mushroom WTF! in 28years of being on this planet, thats the first time I've heard of someone peeling a mushroom...

For what benefit does this bring pray tell?

Yep, I actually laughed at my OH when I first saw her doing this about 5 years ago. Never seen the like before.

[Davey S2]

+1 Just knock off any visible dirt and get on with it.

[Wadeski]

Mobile Chicane said:

There is no need to peel mushrooms and you should certainly never wash them.

Brush off any dirt with a pastry brush, or wipe with a paper towel.

out of interest, why would a quick rinse be so bad? its not like mushrooms dont get wet naturally. I could see what you mean if you got them wet then put them in the fridge, but to use right away?

[MaxMX5]

I have always peeled mushrooms, probably because my mum has always peeled mushrooms. I only wipe them if they are closed cup and are un peelable.

[Japveesix]

Wadeski said:

out of interest, why would a quick rinse be so bad? its not like mushrooms dont get wet naturally. I could see what you mean if you got them wet then put them in the fridge, but to use right away?

A quick rinse is fine and for shop bought ones preferrable imo (who knows who or what has touched them). Most supermarket mushroom don't really soak up water quite like certain wild shrooms can, and even those will only do so if really soaked/submerged - not when given a very quick rinse off.

This might help, interesting read:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth...

I cut the very base of the stalks off, generally a bit tough, but only ever peel if they're old and starting to get a bit ammonia smelling and wrinkly I might peel them if I'm keen to use them.

[Bullett]

Wadeski said:

Mobile Chicane said:

There is no need to peel mushrooms and you should certainly never wash them.

Brush off any dirt with a pastry brush, or wipe with a paper towel.

out of interest, why would a quick rinse be so bad? its not like mushrooms dont get wet naturally. I could see what you mean if you got them wet then put them in the fridge, but to use right away?

They are very absorbent and release a lot of water when cooked, you don't want to add more water it will dilute the flavour.

[Mobile Chicane]

Wadeski said:

out of interest, why would a quick rinse be so bad? its not like mushrooms dont get wet naturally. I could see what you mean if you got them wet then put them in the fridge, but to use right away?

Cultivated mushrooms don't ever get wet. They're grown indoors on mushroom compost. I think people wash them out of the misguided belief they're still grown on horse st.

Mushrooms taste better when not washed, both of themselves and in their ability to soak up buttery, garlicky flavours.

Wild mushrooms taste positively disgusting if they've become waterlogged. I only ever pick them after 3 or 4 days of dry weather.

[OzzyR1]

I sometimes peel mushrooms, not because of any concerns about dirt but because I find it oddly theraputic.

[HOGEPH]

Peeling mushrooms would be as big a waste of my time as ironing underwear.

[Turn7]

Arun_D said:

Brush. Chop. Cook.

This.