Guide
Cooking With Dried Mushrooms
Rehydrating, the soaking-liquid trick, and which shroom for which dish.
Dried mushrooms keep for months in the cupboard, carry more savory punch than fresh, and come alive the moment they hit water. The technique is easy. The part worth learning is which one to reach for.
If you need the method first, how to rehydrate dried mushrooms covers the soak and, more importantly, what to do with the liquid afterwards. Short version: warm water, 20 to 30 minutes, and never pour it away.
Which Mushroom for Which Dish
| Mushroom | Tastes like | Best in |
|---|---|---|
| Porcini | Deep umami, nutty, earthy | Risotto, gravies, rich broths |
| Shiitake | Smoky, meaty, intense umami | Stir-fry, ramen broths, braises |
| Morel | Woodsy, honeyed, nutty | Risotto, cream and pan sauces |
| Chanterelle | Fruity, apricot, peppery | Sautés, stir-fry, risotto |
| Trumpet | Buttery, earthy, slightly smoky | Risotto, cream sauces, eggs |
| Maitake | Earthy, roasted, nutty | Stir-fry, roasting, miso broths |
| Lobster | Sweet, briny, seafood-like | Seafood bisques, broths, risotto |
| Portabella | Meaty, robust, hearty | Burgers, grilling, pasta |
| Oyster | Mild, delicate, slightly sweet | Quick stir-fry and sautés |
| Woodear | Neutral, mild, adds texture | Hot-and-sour broths, stir-fry |
| Chef Blend | Layered umami, subtle bright notes | Everyday cooking, broths, stocks |
How to Read That Table
Three of them are broadly interchangeable workhorses. Porcini, shiitake and the Chef Blend will improve almost anything savory, and if you are buying one jar it should be one of those.
Morel, chanterelle and lobster are the ones to spend a little more attention on. They carry distinctive notes, woodsy, apricot and briny respectively, so they reward a dish that lets them be tasted rather than one that buries them.
Woodear is the odd one out, and deliberately so. It is close to neutral and it is there for texture, which is exactly what a hot-and-sour soup wants from it.
Two Ways to Skip the Soak
Grind dried mushrooms to a powder in a spice grinder and you have instant umami. A spoonful stirred into sauces, rubs, burgers or scrambled eggs does more than it has any right to.
And in anything long and wet, a slow-cooker stew, a braise, a big pot of soup, you can crumble them in dry and let the dish do the rehydrating for you.
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