The Mushroom Cooking Method You Didn't Know You Needed

One common critique of mushrooms from mushroom-haters is that they’re slimy. And, frankly, touché. Cooked mushrooms possess a certain slipperiness that some of us find delightful, and others frightful.

But there’s a simple cooking technique that gives mushrooms a dense, meaty texture, and I use it almost every time I cook them. It has even converted a few haters. It’s called dry sautéing, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: you cook mushrooms in a dry pan with no fat or other ingredients.

This technique can be folded into other recipes. In fact, it’s not really used on its own. You wouldn’t cook mushrooms with absolutely no seasoning or fat and want to eat them. But this method solves the problem of mushrooms being mostly water and turns even floppy, waterlogged shrooms into delectable, chewy morsels of umami.

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Dry Sautéing Solves the Soggy Shroom Problem

I first learned this technique at mushroom camp. In two days of trudging through the woods with other mushroom enthusiasts we collected pounds of edible mushrooms. But it had been raining for several days, so many of our mushrooms were sodden and unpromising.

Thankfully, a more experienced forager piped up with wisdom about dry sautéing, and we watched in awe as our spongy mushrooms turned golden and firm in the skillet. I’ve been using the technique on store bought and fresh-from-the-forest mushrooms ever since, even if they weren't rained on before I got to them.

Why Dry Sautéing Works

Dry sautéing drives moisture out of the mushrooms, concentrating their flavor and giving them a dense, meaty texture. Everything you do to the mushrooms afterward is going to build on that deep flavor, and you don’t have to worry about the mushrooms releasing a ton of liquid and diluting your dish.

Tips for Dry Sautéing Mushrooms

• Don’t crowd the pan—Leave space between the mushrooms in the pan so they don’t stew in their own juices.
• For most mushrooms, leave them whole—Creminis, shiitakes, oysters, chanterelles, morels, and most other mushrooms can be dry sautéed whole. Even portobello and porcini caps can be dry sautéed, though they'll take longer.
• Trim the stems—If your mushrooms have longer stems, trim them so they’re flush with the cap. This allows you to brown the mushrooms evenly on both sides. Mushroom stems are a great addition to stocks, or you can sauté them to use in fried rice, risotto, or soups.
• Weight them for better browning—While this is purely optional, I like to place a slightly smaller skillet on top of the mushrooms in the pan to weigh them down and achieve even more browning. If your second skillet isn't heavy enough, set a large can of tomatoes in the skillet.

The Last Step: Make Mushroom Magic

Follow the steps for dry sautéing above, then scooch the mushrooms to the edges of the pan, leaving the center empty, and choose your own adventure from the options below:

Garlicky Mushrooms

1. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt to the center of the skillet. Stir to saute the garlic. 
2. Once the garlic is fragrant, mix the mushrooms into the garlicky oil and continue cooking for a minute or two. 
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper as desired.

Steakhouse Mushrooms

1. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 3 garlic cloves, chopped, 1 small shallot, minced, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper to the center of the skillet. 
2. Stir to melt the butter and saute the garlic, shallot, and thyme until fragrant, then mix the mushrooms into the butter mixture and cook for a minute or two more. 
3. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce just glazes the mushrooms. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives.

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms

1. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt to the center of the pan. Saute the shallot until tender, then stir to mix it in with the mushrooms. 
2. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup and cook, stirring to coat the mushrooms until they are glazed and sticky.