The Easy Way To Extend The Life Of Your Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of those love-it-or-hate-it foods, but count us among the funghi's top fans: From earthy shiitakes to meaty creminis to nutty morels, mushrooms bring an irreplaceable texture and a deep flavor to so many of our favorite dishes. Whether simply used as a pizza topping, as the star of a creamy risotto, or as a college-style vegetarian substitute for a grilled burger, mushrooms of all stripes are very often found on our shopping lists.

If you, too, like to grab a pack of button mushrooms at the grocery store or a basketful of chanterelles at the farmers market, you may have found yourself somewhat confounded about how to store your precious specimens. Widely known for being sponges that suck up the majority of the liquid they're exposed to (via Bon Appétit), mushrooms can go slimy if they're too tightly wrapped before being refrigerated, according to The Kitchn. 

If you've been confused about how to store shrooms, read on for some tips.

Who among us hasn't picked up a lovely-looking bunch of mushrooms at the store, only to refrigerate them at home and find them all slimy in the produce drawer a day or two later? This frustrating experience can be all too common, according to The Kitchn, due to the fact that mushrooms are highly sensitive to moisture. The funghi need a bit of ventilation, the outlet explains, and recommends storing them in a paper bag, which is breathable and can also absorb excess moisture, in the main compartment of the fridge (not the produce drawer). And definitely don't wash them first, as they will absorb too much water. Kitchn notes that properly stored mushrooms should last for about 10 days.

If you've picked out mushrooms with significant gills — those frilly parts on the underside of the mushroom cap — such as shiitakes or portabellos, Serious Eats has a handy tip for making those shrooms last even longer in the fridge. The outlet points out that a mushroom's gills are usually the first part to spoil, so removing them by scraping them with a butter knife is a great way to get a few extra hours or days out of your mushrooms.