As a plant-based alternative to beef jerky, mushroom jerky is gaining a lot of attention. The idea of trying beef jerky was appealing to us because we love all things jerky. The best mushroom jerky recipe has been developed after cooking up several batches and fine-tuning it.
In many ways, mushroom jerky resembles beef jerky in terms of texture, flavor, nutrition, and portability. Healthy snacks such as mushroom jerky are full of nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. In addition to Vitamin D, Vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, riboflavin, choline, niacin, and pantothenic acid, there are several key nutrients. Mushrooms provide a number of medical benefits.
Similarly, to beef jerky, mushrooms have a meaty umami flavor profile. In addition, mushrooms have the consistency of a sponge. Marinating them packs a tasty punch as they soak up the flavors. The recipe below makes a spicy, vinegary, and smoky vegan jerky.
We really enjoyed the chewiness of the mushrooms. You will keep coming back for more of this snacking experience. You can also make it at home. In making homemade mushroom jerky, there are a few important things to remember.
Mushroom Selection
If you want to make mushroom jerky, you’ve got many options to choose from. Portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms, and king oyster mushrooms are the most popular mushrooms used for mushroom jerky. There are some common characteristics among all of these mushrooms that make them good candidates for jerky.
Firstly, they are all larger-sized mushrooms, making slicing and prepping them a lot easier. The cooking process shrinks mushrooms by approximately 30-50%, so it is important to choose bigger mushrooms. If you’ve worked hard, you don’t want to wind up with tiny pieces.
Second, these mushrooms have a distinctive flavor that comes through in the final product. Don’t expect tasteless, waterlogged mushrooms here. There is a lot of flavors here.
Mushroom Preparation
Many people disagree about how to properly wash mushrooms (including whether you should even wash them). Traditionally, mushrooms should never be washed; only brush them or wipe them with a paper towel so they don’t soak up water.
The truth is here. Unless they are soaked in water for quite a while, mushrooms can’t absorb a lot of water. You want to shower mushrooms, not bathe them.
So, to clean your mushrooms, plunge them in a bowl of cold water. Mix them gently with your hands, removing as much dirt as possible. You’ll see the dirt slowly fall to the bottom of the bowl. After a few turns, remove them to a clean towel and gently pat dry.
