What’s the best, most effecient, way to wash mushrooms in bulk?
I guess I got to ask you to define “Bulk” are we talking a few 10# cases, or 100’s of pounds at a crack?
We only do 20 pounds at a time, so we fill one of our prep sinks with cold water, rinse, let them drain in a colander, lay them out on a sheetpan covered with parchment paper, place them on a speed-rack in the walk in cooler uncovered so the airflow evaporates the extra water. I have seen some people use paper towels to soak up some water, but that seems like too much work and costs to me.
Ya, we’re just doing 20-30lbs at a time. Thanks for the advice!
pardon me for sounding ignorant, but why not just buy pre-sliced mushrooms?
Cost savings.
From my produce co. I get thin sliced for $17.50. Foodservice mushrooms are $16.75. We must be lucky and have a great price, because it would cost more in labor to wash and slice those compared to buying pre-sliced.
I would save 57 cents per 10# box buying whole over sliced then you add in the labor of about $6. So in reality I save $4 by buying sliced.
Quality too… shelf life whole is better… and labor is “free”. We have a hand operated mushroom slicer that can do 10 lbs in maybe five minutes. We have plenty of slack time in the afternoon so slicing mushrooms adds nothing to cost for us. We wash by rinsing in a large colander.
In Cali it runs about $21 a case for mushrooms right now. Sliced or whole are about the same price. We slice ours though, for both quality and consistency. The pre sliced ones here are all over the place in both departments.
Same here. I prefer the whole mushrooms as they last longer but sometimes on weekends I will get sliced to save time. Produce prices in general in Cali right now are absurd. $25/dozen for grape tomatoes and lettuce is over $40/case, kills the bottom line.
“Watch the pennies, nickels & Dimes, and the dollars will take care of themselves”
Quote; Chef Michael Leitzke one of my first mentors
Right now we pay 19.25 for 10# case we wash them in a colander doesnt cost in extra labor because there is plenty of down time for prep to get stuff done plus we throw them in the slicer and it takes 5 min to do it. Slicing them ourselves the mushrooms are way more fresh than the pre sliced. The pre sliced are also way to thick for my liking.