100% on how long to cook oyster mushrooms and how to fry them properly

Oyster mushrooms are an excellent base for fillings, gourmet salads, first and second courses, and pot roasts. There's no need to cook these mushrooms before cooking; simply rinse, clean, and chop them. It's important to keep in mind that the mushrooms should be refrigerated in their original state, without any pre-processing.

Features and useful properties

Oyster mushrooms are one of the most delicious, healthy, and nutritious mushrooms, growing in small clusters. Young fruits of this species are recommended for consumption, as they have a distinct, delicate mushroom flavor.

The benefits of this product are hard to overestimate, as heat treatment preserves not only its taste and exquisite aroma, but also its beneficial properties.

When purchasing, it is recommended to choose specimens that are light gray in color with a purple tint, without any yellow spots on the fruiting body.

They can be boiled, fried, stewed, salted, or marinated. No matter how they're prepared, oyster mushrooms retain their nutritional value and excellent mushroom flavor. They can be stored dried or frozen for extended periods. Due to their beneficial properties, they've begun to be cultivated in artificial conditions. Their rich nutritional content and low calorie content have earned them the reputation of being a favorite among many fitness-conscious gourmets.

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Cooking rules

Cooking oyster mushrooms in a saucepan doesn't require any special culinary skills. First, bring the water to a boil and add a light salt. Then, add the washed, chopped mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes until tender.

It's important that the water only barely covers the prepared mushroom material, as a large amount of juice is released during heat treatment. Furthermore, changing the water is not recommended, as this will result in the loss of up to 75% of the beneficial nutrients.

To save time, you can use a microwave oven or multifunctional kitchen appliances.

When cooking oyster mushrooms, you need to adhere to the following rules:

• rinse thoroughly, clean from dirt;
• cut off the lower part of the stem, chop large specimens;
• It is recommended to cook only in salted water without adding a lot of spices;
• there is no need to soak the fruits beforehand;
• It is highly undesirable to overcook them, as this will ruin their taste and make them tougher.

Total time to readiness

You can boil raw mushrooms in the following way:

1. It is recommended to place the chopped and peeled mushrooms on the bottom of the pan and add black peppercorns.
2. Add salt and pour cold water above the level of the oyster mushrooms.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 15-25 minutes. The total cooking time depends on the size and age of the fruit.
4. Place in a colander to drain the liquid.

If using oyster mushrooms as an ingredient in a soup, first chop the thoroughly washed and peeled oyster mushrooms and peel the onion. Fry the mushrooms in a pan with sunflower oil until the liquid evaporates and the onion is golden brown. Then add the mushrooms to the vegetable broth and cook for 10 minutes.

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Before frying

There's no need to boil the mushrooms described before frying, especially if you're using store-bought mushrooms. If you've picked them in the wild, experts recommend simmering them briefly, but no more than 5-10 minutes. To do this, boil some water, let it simmer, and then add the mushrooms.

After the foam has risen, it is removed and the fruiting bodies are boiled for several minutes.

In a steamer

To steam oyster mushrooms, first soak them, peel them, and remove any spots or hard spots on the stems and caps. Then chop them, salt them, and add spices.

It's recommended to leave the fruit in this state for 20 minutes to marinate. Next, spread the fruit evenly in a sieve placed over a bowl of water. Close the lid and set the "Steam" mode for 20 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7S2GvnMUsg

In the microwave

Thoroughly wash and cut the oyster mushrooms into strips. Then place the prepared mushrooms in a special container along with a knob of butter. Close the door and microwave on medium power for 3 minutes. Then open the microwave and stir the mushrooms. Then set the power to maximum and cook for about 10 minutes.

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For marinating

Take fresh, clean, dry mushrooms without any blemishes, rinse them under running water, and trim off any tough parts on the stems. Cut them into medium-sized pieces and place them in a pot of water.

Once boiling, simmer for 20 minutes. Once done, drain and rinse under running water. Then, begin preparing the marinade.

How to fry oyster mushrooms

Cooking this way doesn't require much time. However, to properly fry oyster mushrooms in a pan, you need to follow certain guidelines.

The following important rules can be highlighted:

• there is no need to pre-boil them;
• To ensure faster evaporation of excess moisture, it is not recommended to close the lid throughout the entire process;
• The fruiting bodies are fried over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

Classic in a frying pan

Step-by-step recipe with photos:

1. At the first stage, you should thoroughly wash the mushrooms and cut them into strips.
2. Add vegetable oil and chopped mushroom mixture to a preheated frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. After 10 minutes, once the liquid has evaporated, reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.

   

3. At the end, add salt, black pepper, and squeeze out a clove of garlic for flavor.

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With onions

As with most mushrooms, onions are often used when frying oyster mushrooms. This method requires no extra cooking time, as the chopped onion fries until golden brown in just a few minutes. You can use one or two different pans for this.

The mushroom mixture and onion should be fried separately, and then combined at the end of the cooking process. Additionally, sour cream can be added to the pan shortly before the end of the cooking process to soften and enrich the flavor.

With potatoes

Step-by-step preparation of the dish:

1. First you need to peel, wash and chop the onions, potatoes and mushrooms.

   

2. Fry the potatoes in one pan, adding the onion at the end of cooking. Fry the mushrooms separately.
3. Combine all ingredients, add salt and black pepper to taste.

Unusual dishes made from fried and boiled mushrooms

Fried or boiled oyster mushrooms can be used to create a variety of original dishes. Salads are especially delicious, and you can easily get creative with the addition of various ingredients.

Salad with crab sticks

To prepare 4 servings you will need the following ingredients:

• 100 grams of young oyster mushrooms and crab sticks;
• 2 eggs;
• 3 pickled carrots;
• 50 g hard cheese;
• sunflower oil;
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise;
• a bunch of greens;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Step-by-step recipe with photos:

1. First, you need to chop the mushrooms, herbs, and grate the cheese on a fine grater.
2. The next step is to fry the oyster mushrooms until the mushroom juice evaporates, and also hard-boil the eggs.
3. Dice the crab sticks, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs. Place all ingredients on a serving platter, season with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, herbs, and grated cheese, and mix thoroughly.

The finished salad will decorate any festive table.

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Sauce

The delicate, refined flavor of this culinary creation will enhance a variety of dishes, enriching them with the flavor and aroma of mushrooms. Oyster mushroom sauce pairs perfectly with fish, meat, potatoes, and pasta. Moreover, its preparation requires little effort or time. To make 3-4 servings, you will need the following ingredients:

• 200 g each of mushrooms and cream;
• 1 large onion;
• 50 g butter;
• 2 tablespoons flour;
• salt to taste.

Step-by-step recipe with photos:

1. You should thoroughly wash, peel and chop the onion and mushrooms.
2. Heat a frying pan, melt the butter, and fry the oyster mushrooms for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the flour and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Then add the chopped onion.
3. Once the crust is golden brown, pour the cream into the pan and simmer until the mixture thickens. Next, pour the mixture into a blender and puree. Add salt and spices to taste.

Answers to frequently asked questions