How to Clean Shiitake Mushrooms

The best chefs know that shiitake mushrooms are magic in the kitchen. Rich in umami flavor, this type of mushroom is a great addition to Asian cuisines. Plus, it can transform any bland recipe into a rave-worthy masterpiece. Shiitakes are also a sought-after ingredient in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking, thanks to their meaty texture.

I’m a huge fan of sauteeing or roasting shiitake mushrooms and adding them to soups (like this Shiitake Mushroom Soup recipe) and salads as a topping, but there are tons of ways to use them. Whenever I develop a recipe for a vegetarian meal, I think of mushrooms as key ingredients. If you feel the same way, I know you’ll find today’s subject—cleaning shiitake mushrooms—helpful.

How To Wash?

I’ve always thought that washing shiitake mushrooms (or any kind of mushroom, for that matter) isn’t a good idea. In the past, I’ve heard many say that, when washed, mushrooms absorb additional moisture that leads to loss of flavor and longer cooking time.

However, I recently found out from this article on Cook’s Illustrated that rinsing mushrooms is actually okay. These pro chefs tested the myth by rinsing a batch of mushrooms and weighing them before and after. In the end, the weight difference was so minuscule that the chefs concluded that it’s okay to give mushrooms a quick rinse before use.

Now that we know it’s okay to wash mushrooms, let’s talk about how.

Wash One By One By Hand

While I think this method takes the longest, you can wipe each shiitake mushroom one by one using a damp paper towel.

To do so, wet a sheet of paper towel (a clean kitchen sponge or mushroom brush would also work) and gently wipe each mushroom cap. Make sure you turn it around and clean the back, too. While wiping, remove any visible dirt or debris hiding under or around the gills.

Furthermore, there’s no reason to clean the stems.

Using A Salad Spinner or A Colander

Because you can wash and dry many mushrooms simultaneously, using a salad spinner is the best way to clean mushrooms. Plus, it only takes minutes!

For this method, place your shiitake mushrooms in the salad spinner insert and rinse them under cold water for 30-45 seconds. While rinsing, gently move the mushrooms around with your hands to help remove any dirt or debris. Spin dry immediately to eliminate as much liquid as possible.

If you don’t have a salad spinner, you can use a colander. Simply give your shiitake mushrooms a quick rinse, wipe each one with a sheet of dry paper towel, and let them air dry.

Trim the Stems and Slice

It’s a popular myth that shiitake mushroom stems are poisonous and, as a result, inedible. However, this isn’t the case. In actuality, the stems of shiitake mushrooms are technically edible and are not poisonous. Still, most people choose not to use the stems because they have an unpleasant woodsy flavor and are too fibrous and chewy to eat.

To trim the stems, you can do one of the following:

1. Turn the shiitake mushroom over, exposing both the gills and the stem. Then, gently pull the stem right where it meets the cap. It should snip right off.
2. Use a paring knife and cut the stem off from the bottom of the gill.

How to cut shiitake mushrooms?

You can cook or roast shiitake mushroom caps as a whole or slice them thinly to use in your recipes. If you prefer to cut them, you can do one of the following:

• Slice them one by one: Place the cap on a cutting board with the mushroom gills facing down. Then, cut it into thin slices.
• Stack them up: Place three to four mushroom caps on top of one another and slice them simultaneously.

How to Store Shiitake Mushrooms?

In this Complete Guide To Fresh Mushrooms article, the folks over Cook’s Illustrated say that “Maximizing the shelf life of mushrooms is all about balancing air circulation with moisture retention.” In other words, regardless of how you store them, fresh shiitake mushrooms must have a bit of breathing room. 

• If you buy loose shiitake mushrooms: Place the mushrooms in a plastic bag, but don’t seal it tightly. Instead, leave the bag slightly open so that air can circulate.
• If you buy packaged shiitakes: Store the mushrooms in their original containers, as those are specifically designed to balance moisture retention and ethylene gas release. If you end up not using every mushroom, rewrap the container but poke a few holes to help air circulation. Source

Contrary to popular belief, storing mushrooms in a paper bag or wrapping them up with a damp paper towel is not a good idea. These methods will speed up your mushrooms’ deterioration.

How to Cook?

There are several ways of cooking shiitake mushrooms, but a few of my favorites methods are:

• Roasting them as a whole in the oven: Simply arrange fresh shiitakes on a baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle them with olive oil, and top them with salt and pepper. Then, bake the caps for a perfectly crisp and easy side dish. If you need an exact recipe, be sure to check out my guide for How To Roast Shiitake Mushrooms.
• Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms: Pan-frying shiitake mushrooms with a bit of vegetable oil is also an excellent way to cook them. You can easily enhance their meaty flavor by incorporating other ingredients, too. For an extra Asian flair, saute them with a little bit of sesame oil and soy sauce. Or, for a Mediterranean vibe, saute them in butter and use them to make Shiitake Mushroom pizza.