Few things are as delicious in so many dishes as mushrooms. Pastas, sandwiches – mushrooms have endless possibilities! But to get the most delicious uses out of these mushrooms you have to take care of these root veggies. Cleaning and storing your different mushroom types are crucial to keep them healthy and edible. But it could be that you’ve been storing and cleaning them wrong for years! Check out the video below and learn how to take care of your beloved mushrooms.

CHOOSING YOUR MUSHROOM

Cremini – When buying cremini mushrooms, make sure the tops are full, firm and attached to the stem.

Portabella – Give your portabellas a smell, they should smell like earth. Underneath, their gills should look fresh.

Shiitake – The tops should be firm and moist, but not too slimy.

CLEANING

Mushrooms absorb water like a sponge, so only rinse them off if you’re putting them in a salad. If you’re pan frying them, just wipe them off with a cloth or brush.

You’ll want to take off the stems of Portabella and shiitakes (use them for flavoring broths). Cremini stems are delicious to cut up and eat themselves. Scrape gills off Portabella mushrooms to avoid a dark brown color to your dish.

STORING

Take the mushrooms out of their container and place them into a plastic bag that is lined with paper towels. Or store mushrooms in a regular brown, paper bag. Whichever you do, make sure you store the mushrooms in the fridge to keep them fresh and capture their earthy taste.