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Have you ever been to your farmers market and see all the different types of mushrooms and wonder, “how in the world would I cook that?” Well, for a long time, that was me with oyster mushrooms; their irregular shape had me stymied, but really all they needed was a little thought on how to tear them apart. My recipe for Whole30 Pan Seared Oyster Mushrooms will help you cook these beauties up and enjoy their wonderful umami-filled flavor as the perfect side for any main dish.
Fancy Mushrooms Don’t Need Fancy Cooking
There are all sorts of fancy mushrooms out there, and they can look intimidating. You’ve got oyster mushrooms that look like little puff-balls, golden chanterelles, foraged morels, and giant oyster mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms, though, are an easy entry point to the world of wild-looking mushrooms. Unlike some other mushrooms, the stems of oyster mushrooms are tender, and you don’t need to remove them before cooking. Rather than use a knife to cut the large mushrooms into smaller pieces, use your fingers to gently tear them into smaller chunks. The smaller chunks will allow more of the mushrooms to make contact with your pan, and therefore get more of the browning action.
Don’t be intimidated with the fancy oyster mushrooms, they’re actually easy to work with and absolutely delicious.
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Blue Oyster Mushrooms
Blue oyster mushrooms are a commonly cultivated mushroom that you’ll find at the farmers market. It’s characterized by a bluish gray top and white gills (there are other oyster mushrooms with different coloring). Blue oysters have a more earthy flavor than white or brown mushrooms, and they have a wonderful texture when seared up.
You can use the same technique from this recipe on any mushrooms you might find at the farmers market. King trumpet mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms would all be great choices here if you don’t see any oyster mushrooms at your farmers market.
Ghee
Ghee, or clarified butter, is butter that has had all the milk solids removed, leaving behind just the fats. The remaining butterfat can be cooked at much higher temperatures, reducing the risk of burning the butter. This is one of my favorite Whole30 cooking fats, as you get to keep all the flavor of the butter and still stay compliant! In fact, I use ghee whether or not I’m doing a Whole30 month, as the higher smoking point is useful for searing all sorts of vegetables and meats.
My favorite ghee is this one from 4th and Heart. In general, I’ve found this brand to be way more cost effective on Amazon than at the grocery store (I’ve compared prices at multiple grocery stores in multiple states, so this isn’t just an Alaska situation). Trader Joe’s has another good option, if you’re lucky enough to have one nearby.
Tips and Tricks
The only way to get that beautiful browning on your oyster mushrooms is to ensure that they are dry. Moisture is the enemy here. If any water is present, it’ll prevent the temperature from rising above the boiling point. This causes the mushrooms to steam, rather than to brown, as the Maillard reaction needs a temperature above 280ºF.
The good news? Oyster mushrooms are typically grown on trees, so they are often far less work to clean than other mushrooms. Using a mushroom brush is the best way to clean the dirt off. But, you can also use a dry paper towel or soft toothbrush if you don’t have a mushroom brush.
If your mushrooms are especially muddy and dirty, use a damp paper towel to brush away the dirt. The key, though, is damp; you don’t want this paper towel to be dripping wet. This can get tedious sometimes, but properly browned mushrooms are worth it. I promise.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these Whole30 Pan Seared Oyster Mushrooms with any protein of your choice. They will make an excellent side dish for roasted chicken, steak, or pork chops. Mushrooms go with pretty much everything.
What about the leftovers?
Leftover pan-seared oyster mushrooms can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. They won’t hold onto the same crispy texture as the mushrooms will soften a bit, but the flavor will still be the same. I recommend reheating on either the stovetop in a pan or in the oven; microwaves will just do weird things to the mushrooms.
Whole30 Pan Seared Oyster Mushrooms
My recipe for Whole30 Pan Seared Oyster Mushrooms will help you cook these beauties up and enjoy their wonderful umami-filled flavor.
Ingredients
- ½ lb blue oyster mushrooms
- ¼ cup ghee
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If your oyster mushrooms are in a large block, gently separate them into bite sized pieces. This can be done by tearing the mushroom heads apart at the gills or stems. Clean them by gently brushing with a mushroom brush or with a dry paper towel.
- Heat the ghee in a cast iron pan on high heat until shimmering. If a toothpick is inserted into the hot ghee, it should bubble as if it is cooking.
- Add the mushrooms to the hot ghee in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let mushrooms sear until golden brown on the bottom, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the mushrooms and sear on the other side for approximately 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the mushrooms from the cast iron and serve!
Notes
This recipe is easy to scale up for more people. You'll want ¼ lb of oyster mushrooms per person.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
Calculated nutrition values are not always accurate, but can provide a general idea for planning purposes. Please do not rely on this information as it may not be complete. Recipes that include unusual ingredients, especially scrap ingredients, will have the least accurate information with this calculator.
