How To Upgrade Your Sautéed Mushrooms Like A Pro

A plate of well-sautéed mushrooms is a nutritious, tasty side dish for any number of meals. However, there are numerous pitfalls when it comes to this delicate fungus, as it can easily become soggy, slimy, or simply taste like dirt if not prepared correctly. Simmering them first is a great trick to give your mushrooms a textural and savory boost, but when it comes to maximizing the flavor of your sautéed mushrooms, Sarah Bond, nutritionist and sensory scientist behind the vegetarian food blog Live Eat Learn has a secret weapon: pickle brine.

"It may sound wild, but the tangy, salty pickle brine cuts through the mushrooms' natural earthiness, making their umami flavors absolutely pop," Bond says. "It also keeps them juicy and adds just the right amount of complexity." The use of pickle brine has seen something of a renaissance in recent years, as cooks have discovered the multitude of easy uses for leftover pickle brine, adding explosions of flavor to everything from Nashville hot chicken to deviled eggs to simple pots of rice.

Bond's one note of caution when adding pickle brines to your mushroom pan is to exercise restraint, adding a small amount at first and building from there. "Start with one to two tablespoons per cup of mushrooms and tweak as needed." Because the brine is so salt-laden and the mushrooms so absorbent, it can be easy to tip the scales if you're not careful.

When it comes to figuring out what kind of pickle juice works best for your mushrooms, Sarah Bond warns that it's not quite as simple as a one-size-fits-all solution. "It all depends on what vibe you're going for," she says. 

A sweet brine, such as bread and butter pickles, can make for a great source of caramelization, but can easily overpower the mushrooms. On the other hand, Bond says that spicy brine is perfect for grain bowls and tacos, where the added kick will be welcome. You can even use fermented pickle brine, such as kimchi juice. According to Bond, this adds "... A whole different level of tangy, probiotic goodness, perfect for bold mushrooms like shiitake or portobello," (the latter of which she uses for her Vegetarian Portobello Mushroom Gyros). And of course, it's hard to go wrong with a classic dill, which contains a balanced juice that can fit any style. If you taste your dish and feel like you've gone too far with the brine, don't panic. "If your brine is extra sweet, balance it with a little lemon juice or vinegar. If it's too acidic, mix in a splash of olive oil to mellow it out," Bond says. 

If you want to take this flavor additive to the next level, scoring the caps is one of many tricks restaurants use to make the most delicious mushrooms. Adding a cross section to the top will help the mushrooms absorb even more flavor from the pan.