Clean mushrooms by brushing/wiping off dirt instead of washing
Remove dirt from mushrooms without washing them; wipe or brush them clean before cutting.
Instead of rinsing mushrooms, clean off visible dirt and then cut to size. This helps avoid adding extra water before sautéing.
The short version
- Don’t wash mushrooms; remove dirt without rinsing.
- Less added water helps browning.
What goes wrong
Washing mushrooms and ending up with more steaming during sautéing
Wipe/brush dirt off instead of rinsing.
Why it works
Extra surface water increases steaming and slows browning during sautéing.
Learn next
Squeeze bananas in the peel to make them easier to mash
Before peeling, gently squeeze bananas through the skin to soften them so they mash faster and more evenly.
Crush Weetabix with milk to make a no-cook breakfast base
Break up Weetabix and mix with milk to form a soft base for layered overnight breakfast pots.
Pat parboiled potatoes dry before air frying or baking for crispier fries
Dry the potatoes after boiling so they crisp instead of steaming in the air fryer or oven.
Rinse cut potatoes to remove excess starch before cooking fries
After cutting potatoes into fry shapes, rinse them to wash off surface starch for better crisping.