Mushroom eaters: do you trim the stems off your mushrooms?

[Mosca]

I apologize if I’m asking too many questions like this, but I’m genuinely curious. I have another couple or so that I’m going to ask over the next few days.

When I read recipes or watch videos that involve cooking mushrooms, invariably they call for cutting off the stems and using just the caps. I don’t get it. The caps and the stems taste the same. Therefore, the appearance, either a button or a whole ‘shroom, is just a preference. Why waste the stem? Even if you’re making stuffed mushrooms; why not chop the stems up into the stuffing?

Furthermore: for years, I would trim the bottom 1/8” or so of the stem anyhow, the part that was in the dirt. Then a few months ago, I thought, “Eh. That’s perfectly clean, there’s no reason to cut it off.” I stopped trimming that, and now I just wash the dirt off and slice the mushrooms, or toss them into the soup (or stew or whatever) whole.

[Dan Deter]

Unless I'm making stuffed mushrooms I keep the stem. If I have something that I do want to remove the stems I keep them for another use.

[RiverJeff]

I also like to chop the stems up some times just dime size slices however I toss the hard woody stems on the very large shrooms as I'm sure you do.

[captainlee]

Gathering wild mushrooms we cut most of the stem off before dehydrating. Store bought it depends on visually how they appear. May trim and keep some of the stem on.

[Purc]

I trim the stems slightly for a fresh cut. Sorta like trimming a live Christmas tree before putting it in the tree stand.

[Oak Smoke]

+1

[Mosca]

That’s what I’ve done for 50 years, but I stopped doing that a couple months ago and there’s no difference.

[WayneT]

+2

[Jfrosty27]

I keep them on but trim a little off the end to get the hard, dirty part off. But maybe I will try just leaving them alone as you do.

[fzxdoc]

Like many others, I trim the stem end while cleaning the mushrooms (I'm talking baby bella (crimini) or white button mushrooms here) and leave them on for sautéing. For stuffed mushrooms, they're trimmed, popped off, chopped, and added the the stuffing.

Kathryn

[WayneT]

+1

[Finster]

I don't really eat many mushrooms, but my wife and son do, and the stem is always removed regardless of how they are being prepared.

[texastweeter]

I leave it on there. I also use an egg or strawberry slicer to cut smaller mushrooms, is faster with uniform slices.

[Mosca]

Good idea.

[barelfly]

Turning that utensil into a non-unitasker!!!!!!

[Panhead John]

Great idea, I’ve never thought of using mine for that!

[jfmorris]

I trim the bottom of the stem off if it is looking dried out or brown (on a white mushroom), and use the entire thing. If slicing the mushrooms, my slices include the stem, just like in pre-sliced mushrooms from the store.

To me it all tastes the same, raw or cooked, so why waste it, unless it needs trimming? Seems wasteful otherwise...

It's like what my parents tell about when they got married. My mom went to make my dad a sandwich after the honeymoon, and he was incredulous when she started trimming the crust off all the bread. He forbad her to ever waste bread on his sandwiches again, haha. He grew up in a household where food was not always plentiful. She was just trimming it because that was what her mother did...

[Panhead John]

Like most others I always leave it on, unless I’m doing stuffed mushrooms, which is rare. I only trim if the stem is boogered up. NOTE: Boogered up is an elite culinary term used to describe…. a food item or object in less than ideal condition or shape…..

[captainlee]

Not sure if boogered and culinary should be in the same sentence.

[FireMan]

Is crud sorta the same as booger?

[Troutman]

Does that mean combining boogers and culinary equates to eating them as well?

[Old Glory]

I trim off the dried out end for a fresh cut on most mushrooms. Some types have tough woody stems that I remove and discard.

[RichardCullip]

Yes I do one on the white ones we buy at Vons

[Smoker_Boy]

I just run over them with the lawn mower.

[Porkies]

hahahaha!

[au4stree]

Snapper or Honda? riding mower?

[Smoker_Boy]

35 year old John Deere. Still going strong.

[smokenoob]

I trim stems to fresh point