Why are these mushroom stems leaving a long, skinny fiber behind on the cap?
I was pulling the stems out of some mushroom caps today - we save the stems and make broth out of them - when I discovered that some stems weren't coming out all the way. Have a look:
Mushroom fanatics out there: Any idea what causes this? Is there something wrong with these mushrooms? Am I being paranoid because I just read this question?
Best Answer
Mushrooms are complicated little guys. What you see as a single type of mushrooms is actually hundreds of different substrains. Its possible they're from a slightly different batch than what you're used to, and so have slightly different stems. I wouldn't worry about it, and enjoy the mushrooms!
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Should You Remove mushroom stems?
No matter what shape you want, the key is to first trim off the stem of your shrooms. This not only removes any woody, dried out, or dirty sections, but more importantly it also creates a flat base for your mushroom to rest on, making slicing much easier and safer.What part of the mushroom should you not eat?
Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva. You may be missing out on some good edible fungi but it means you will be avoiding the deadly members of the Amanita family. Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem.Should you eat mushroom stems?
Are mushroom stems edible? Generally, yes, mushroom stems are edible. Not that I've had the pleasure of trying all edible mushrooms but, among those that I've tried, the stems are as succulent as the caps. I take exception only with shiitake (a.k.a. \u201cChinese black mushrooms\u201d although they are not always black).Do you eat portobello mushroom stems?
The stems of large portabella, while technically edible, can be woody and fibrous and are usually discarded (or used to flavor stock). Likewise, the dark black gills can be eaten, but they'll turn your food a nasty, murky, scuzzy brown, so it's best to scrape'em out.This Mushroom Starts Killing You Before You Even Realize It | Deep Look
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Answer 2
Jefromi's comment is spot on. I wouldn't be paranoid. The stem probably just didn't feel like coming out and hung on the head. This is completely normal and unless you picked these mushrooms yourself, I would never worry about that.
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