Portobello mushrooms are large, round mushrooms known for their dark brown color and meaty texture when cooked. They’re often used as the central ingredient in vegetarian recipes because of their meaty consistency. Cleaning portobellos is a step you can’t skip even when they look all smooth and perfect in the grocery store. Unlike cleaning other mushrooms (get that step-by-step here), there’s an extra step to take when you’re working with portobellos.
There’s nothing worse than biting into juicy bite of mushroom and getting a mystery crunch. You don’t need Nancy Drew to tell you that mystery crunch is dirt. Here’s a step-by-step video that shows you how simple it is to clean portobello mushrooms. Watch the web story here.
How to Clean Portobello Mushrooms
How to Clean Portobello Mushrooms1. Use a damp paper towel to gently wipe any dirt or debris from the portobello. A damp paper towel should easily clean your mushrooms without the loss of flavor that occurs when mushrooms are cleaned in running water.
2. Remove the mushroom stem. You can use a sharp knife to cut it out or just give them a twist with your fingers.
3. Use a spoon to gently scrape away the dark brown gills found underneath the mushroom cap. The gills are edible but they can hold bits of dirt (blech) and their dark, dull color will turn everything in your dish a dark, dull brown.
Thank you. Always wondered about portobello.