It’s true that you can pickle just about anything — it is a preservation method, after all. And who doesn’t love the tangy, sweet, spicy, and sour flavor of a pickle? But when it comes to what I personally choose to pickle, I tend to stick to firm-textured veggies like cucumbers, beets, onions, peppers; basically anything that has a nice crunch to it. It wasn’t until I assisted the first session of our seasonal Mighty Mushroom class did I realize that mushrooms, while not necessarily “crunchy”, could still make delicious pickles.
It’s not that I ever disliked the idea of pickling mushrooms, I just… never thought about it. Usually when I buy mushrooms, I only buy what I need for a specific recipe because I know how fast they can spoil. But farmer’s market season is officially upon us, and for the first time in my life, I might actually consider stocking up.
What is Quick Pickling?
If you aren’t familiar with quick pickling, it’s exactly what it sounds like. The process involves heating a vinegar based brine to a boil and pouring it over your ingredients, then letting it cool in the refrigerator. Once they’re completely cooled, they’re ready, though it’s recommended to wait 24-48 hours for optimum flavor. It’s a great way for beginners to get into pickling, and frankly, it’s the only way I do it because it saves so much time! The only drawback is that quick pickles don’t store as long as other types of pickles — the max is about four weeks.
It’s important to note that not all mushrooms are created equal when it comes to pickling. For this, you want to choose mushrooms with a lower moisture content, a relatively firm texture, and mild flavor, like shiitake or oyster mushrooms. For this recipe, we use the latter.
Pickled Oyster Mushrooms
Yield: 2 cups
Active Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, torn into small pieces
When breaking the mushrooms apart, I recommend using a knife to remove the thick, fibrous bottoms of the stems, then using your hands to break them apart. You want the pieces to be bite-sized, but not so small that they soften too much when pickling.
To make the brine, measure the vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, red chili flakes, and thyme sprigs in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Place the mushrooms in a medium sized bowl. Pour the hot brine over the mushrooms, and place the bowl in the refrigerator. Once the brine is cold, the mushrooms are ready. That’s all there is to it!
Honestly, these are so delicious that I found myself snacking on them throughout the day, but they can be used in a variety of dishes - salads, sandwiches, charcuterie accompaniments, you name it. Their sweet, tangy flavor reminded me particularly of Korean food, so I enjoyed mine in some bibimbap (Korean rice bowl) — not pictured because I scarfed it down. The acidity of these can pack a bit of a punch, so if you’re someone who’s sensitive to that, I would recommend rinsing them under cold water a few times before adding them to your dish.
If you missed our Mighty Mushroom class earlier this month, don’t fret! Our next session takes place next month on Tuesday, May 12 at 6pm. Check out this blog post for a sneak peak at the other dishes offered during the class, and to learn another fun, tasty recipe featuring mushrooms!
