Mushroom preparation

[Peaceloveandbiscuits]

What is the "correct" method of cleaning mushrooms prior to cooking? I have always washed them thoroughly, but I remember seeing on MasterChef a while back that the chefs were told only to wipe them and never wash them (something to do with water absorption). I've also known people who actually peeled them rather than wipe or wash them.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not losing sleep over this, but I would love to know whether wiping or washing is best, and why.

I don't do either. Flick off any bits of soil, that's all!

Never wash a mushroom. They absorb the water and then release it into whatever you are cooking making and go all soggy and horrible.

And they do not need peeling. There is no outer skin on a mushroom - you're just throwing away half the mushroom

They need a good wipe with kitchen paper, slightly damp if they're really grubby. That's it.

Fling off any soily bits with hand, that's it.

Can I just say though, that you have made my day.
Mushroom preparation?
I made a five course french meal the other week, because I can, ditto the Italian buffet with ten dishes, but I have never worried about mushroom preparation.

wash them.
fresh mushrooms do not soak up water, that is a myth.
I don't like gritty sand in my food thank you very much.

Life's too short to peel a mushroom

Sometimes I don't even chop them, just break them up with my bare hands [brutal pirate emoticon]

You can get special mushroom brushes

thecookskitchen.com/browse_4324

I was given one but have never used it

Ah I did say I wasn't worrying about it; just something I was pondering when I was washing mushrooms earlier! I did find peeling them pretty odd.
Maybe it's just personal preference and there is no "correct" way!

I throw away the stalks and peel them with my fingers. Only takes seconds. If they are particularly clean I don't bother.

DP washes them to within an inch of their lives and peels them. Think the idea of them being grown on manure puts him off.

I rinse any bits of soil off, they don't seem to soak up much from a quick swill under the tap. We would both horrify mushroom gourmets.

And if I cba with that I chuck frozen ones in.

I think it was necessary to peel them in the days before commercial growers - if you gathered them from the fields you could never be quite sure what them pixies and gnomes had been up to. On the other hand, they had so much more flavour.....

I peel them then a very quick wash. Peeling gets ride of the part of the mushroom that has sat in shit, then a very rinse to remove the rest.

Just lick off the mud and cook. Peeling ruins the flavour and asking makes them slimey.

Pick. Pick! I don't lick my mushrooms prior to cooking!

at terrified

arf at this typo what did you have in your dirty mind?

Wahaha licking the dirt off negates the need for either washing or wiping!

I've always wanted to know this too, OP

I tend to stick them in a sieve, quick rinse under cold tap then use kitchen roll to dry and wipe all muck off. Uses quite a bit of kitchen roll tho so not very environmentally friendly.

I peel them, I can't stand the thought of bits of soil ugh ugh.

My A-level English teacher used to carry everythig in a shopping bag printed with mushrooms and the legend:

"MUSHROOMS! No need to peel!"

So I do realise it's not necessary but I don't care. Never wash though as they do absorb water.

Not grown in manure. Grown in pasteurised substrate which is bacteria free. Prob more germs in your sink than on the mushrooms.

They need neither washing or peeling.

Wipe with damp kitchen roll. I thought this was common knowledge!

I know they don't need peeling but I can't help myself, it's so satisfying.

I'm not scared of germs, I'm scared of bits of soil in my mouth.