Meaty and addictive with great chewy texture, this simple mushroom jerky recipe is one of my favorite plant based mushroom snacks. The recipe works with just about any mushroom from porcini to puffballs, is easy to make at home with a dehydrator, and there's lots of ways to tweak the flavor.
The Best Mushrooms for Jerky
Both wild and cultivated mushrooms can make great jerky, but I look for fleshy, thick mushrooms that won't shrink too much. With cultivated mushrooms, king oyster mushroom jerky is one of the best, as is shiitake.
With wild mushrooms, hen of the woods pheasant back jerky are good, and, surprisingly, it's a good way to use puffballs. Avoid small, thin mushrooms like enoki as they lose too much volume after drying.
Here's a list of different cultivated and wild mushrooms I like to use. If you have a suggestion of a species to add please leave a comment.
Cultivated
- King Oyster
- Oyster
- Shiitake
- Portobello mushrooms
Wild
- Hen of the woods
- Clustering blue chanterelles
- Black trumpets
- Puffballs
- Pheasant back
- Porcini and other boletes
Ingredients
You'll need soy sauce, Worcestershire, maple syrup, smoked paprika, onion powder. Unlike most recipes that use only dried ingredients, I like to add fresh garlic and fresh ginger too. You can also get really creative adding different seasonings before the mushrooms are dried.
How to Make Mushroom Jerky
First you mix the marinade ingredients. Next the mushrooms are cut into slices about ¼ inch thick.
Par-cook the mushrooms on a baking sheet with parchment to help them hold their shape. Some mushrooms like hen of the woods are easier to boil or steam.
The cooked mushrooms are mixed with the marinade in a bowl and left for 24-72 hours.
When it's time to dry the mushroom jerky in a dehydrator, drain them in a colander, then lay them on dehydrator trays and dry at 100 F for 5-6 hours, rotating the trays 180 degrees once at the half way point. The jerky is finished when the mushrooms have a leathery, chewy texture and aren't damp.
Some commercial mushroom jerky is left on the damp side, you can adjust the texture to your liking, but don't over-dry the mushrooms or they'll become brittle instead of chewy.
Tips and Variations
- Adjust the texture by drying the mushrooms a little less, as is common with shiitake mushroom jerky.
- Add chopped fresh herbs or spices to the mushrooms before dehydrating to make the recipe your own. Think hot and spicy seasonings, dried pickle powder, barbecue or jerk spice, fresh cracked pepper, etc.
- For the richest color, leave the mushrooms in the marinade for 2-3 days, and up to a week.
More Mushroom Snacks
- Roasted Hen of the Woods
- Baked Shrimp of the Woods
- Crispy Oyster Mushrooms
- Marinated Honey Mushrooms
Homemade Mushroom Jerky
Equipment
- Dehydrator
- 1 mixing bowl
- Stick blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh mushrooms, such as king oysters, shiitake, hen of the woods, porcini
Jerky Marinade
- ¾ cups soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cups worchesterchire
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce or cayenne powder
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
Finishing spices, herbs and seasonings
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs like dill, mint, or thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- Combine the jerky marinade ingredients and puree in a blender, then strain and reserve.
- Cut the mushrooms into ¼ inch slices. Some mushrooms can be pulled apart into pieces, such as oyster mushrooms or maitake.
- Lay the mushrooms on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, or until just wilted.
- Remove the mushrooms to a bowl and pour the marinade over them. Cover the bowl with cling film, pressing it down on the surface. You can use a resealable plastic bag too.
- Stir the mushrooms occasionally to ensure even coloration.
- Keep the mushrooms refrigerated in the marinade for 24-72 hours. They'll have the best color after at least two days.
- Drain the mushrooms in a colander and blot with paper towels. You can use the excess marinade to make 1-2 more batches of jerky and it will keep in the fridge for a long time.
- Toss the mushrooms with any additional spices or seasonings now, if using.
- Lay the mushrooms on dehydrator trays and dry at 100 F for 5-6 hours, or until pliable, but not brittle.
- Store the finished jerky in a bag or jar in the fridge. It will last for a long time.
Video
Notes
Adjusting the flavor
- You can plug and play different liquids in the marinade for different flavors. For example, you can substitute fish sauce or coconut aminos for part of the soy sauce.
- I like to add chopped fresh herbs to mushrooms after they've been drained. Finely chopped dill, lemon zest and crushed red pepper flakes is a good combination, as is cracked black pepper, jerky spice or your favorite seasoning blend.
- For a spicy jerky, use cayenne pepper in the marinade, starting with 2-3 teaspoons.
- For vegan mushroom jerky, use vegan Worcesterchire sauce.
Sarah
I have a batch of Resinous Polypore jerky in the oven right now, fingers crossed, the marinate smells amazing!
Alan Bergo
Let me know how they work for you!
Robin Coventry
I stumbled on your website while searching for a mushroom jerky recipe. Great website! I am looking forward to exploring more and creating in the kitchen. This is my first attempt at making jerky (marinating right now) using King Oyster and Portabella mushrooms. I am excited and anticipating the results.
Anyway, here is my question. In the recipe, you say to store in the refrigerator. Can it be stored out of the fridge after it is dried like beef jerky is?
The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora is in my Amazon shopping cart. I started foraging back in the 70s and stopped when kids came along. All adults now, full circle; I am beginning again and looking forward to your book experience.
Alan Bergo
Hi Robin. You can store it out of the fridge for a week or so but in order to be shelf stable it would need to be dried long enough make it brittle, which isn't fun to eat.
Kathy
This recipe is so delicious. I understand now why commercial mushroom jerky is so expensive; I easily ate the jerky in one sitting. Amazing how much these beauties shrink.
Michelle
Hi,
First of all, great recipe! I was wondering if the jerky needed to be refrigerated or if it could be left out? Also, how long does it last?
Alan Bergo
Kept in the fridge it’ll last for a few months. The vinegar is key to extending the shelf life. It could last for a time out of the fridge, say on a backpacking trip, but will probably mold after a few weeks.
Michelle
Awesome, thank you!
Doreen Tucker
Curious as to why I need to baker before marinating, thanks.
Alan Bergo
Some mushrooms are large or have uneven sizes. That means if they're not cooked beforehand they won’t be evenly seasoned. Some mushrooms can simply be sliced and marinated, but not all.
Doreen Tucker
Oh ok, mine are in the oven. Looking forward to taking these backpacking 😋
Alan Bergo
Thanks Doreen, let me know how they work for you.
Marissa
I stumbled upon your website upon looking for recipes using dryads saddles as I just found a couple of big ones in my front yard and after googling I realized they can be cooked and eaten. Mushroom hunting may just be a new found hobby for me. It's amazing how many varieties I have encountered. I have yet to pick and cook my own but the saddles are eye balling me so they'll my first. Thanks for the great recipe and info in the comments as well.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Marissa. Glad it was helpful for you.
Aaron Berg
Mushrooms contain Chitin, which are also found in crustaceans. Heat breaks down the chitin to make it more digestible. Edible mushrooms also contain misc. chemicals that cause upset stomach if not first broken down with heat. It typically doesn't take a lot of heat or for a long time, some as short at 3 minutes. But some like honey mushrooms need at least 10 minutes. Which is why in general all edible mushrooms are suggested to be cooked with heat for 10 minutes. Finally if there are any bad bacteria on the mushrooms cooking takes care of that as well.
Alan Bergo
Just for reference I'll add that cooking the mushrooms for jerky is also important from a culinary perspective as par cooking ensures even distribution of the marinade and prevents delicate mushrooms from crumbling into bits. On a side note on the chitin argument, corn, unless it's gone through the process of nixtamalization to make tortillas et al, is indigestible just like chitin. Not being able to digest corn kernels doesn't stop people from eating sweet corn on the cob every summer.
Kathryn
Have you tried Dryads Saddle?
Alan Bergo
This will make a great pheasant back / saddle jerky. They’re very good for jerky and it can be a good way to use some of the slightly chewier ones.
Lisa Mendoza
I'm excited to try this. Have you tried Lion's Mane this way?
Alan Bergo
Absolutely it works fine. Cook them first. Might be off-topic but lions mane also cannot be frozen raw. Make sure to use fresh mushrooms or mushrooms that have been cooked or steamed, then frozen.
Bear
Hi there,
Do you find that the dehydrator is a critical component of great mushroom jerky? I don't own one, and I'm wondering if you think it's worth it or if baking also gets the job done well.
Thanks
Bear
Alan Bergo
Hey Bear, sorry I was out of town for the weekend. No, you don't have to use a dehydrator. Put them in an oven on the lowest heat you can with the door cracked, you'll need to use your intuition and a little trial and error. Once they're dry but still pliable, and you like the texture call them done. They're heavily seasoned so don't worry about them going bad or anything like that. I'm here if you have more questions.
Ann
Would the large portabella mushrooms sold at Costco work with this recipe or do the mushrooms need to be freshly picked?
I appreciate all of your information for each topic. It's very helpful to me.
Alan Bergo
Hi Ann, yes those will work fine.
Jorge Vilanova
Saffron milk caps would work very well. They are hard to find however.
Jorge
Alan Bergo
Those would be fun to try. Sadly my patch hasn't produced in years.
Carter
Thanks for this post. Excited to try this. I notice chanterelles are conspicuously absent from your list of recommended varieties. Do they come out too tough?
Pete
In my experience, yes. The texture just wasn't good.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Pete.
Megan
I have been looking for a mushroom recipe and this one sounds so so good! Thanks for another great recipe!
Sonia
Ohh lovely recipe. Thanks for sharing your talents. For those of us who crave umami-like flavors for snacks this is the best.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Sonia.
Pete
Thanks, Alan, this looks great. I've only used hens and I blanch and squeeze them dry before marinating. I will have to try baking them. My favorite flavor is chili-lime with a hint of soy.
I love taking this to work and sharing, then asking the taster to identify the "meat." Nobody's guessed it yet.
Alan Bergo
Hey thanks Pete, I would still blanch your hens, it just works really well for them. Baking is more for mushrooms I don't want to crack or break.
Lois
Just took a batch of shiitake, which I grow naturally out in the woods, off the dehydrator and ate a whole tray with friends.They were FANTASTIC! GREAT RECIPE!
Alan Bergo
Hey thanks Lois, glad it worked for you.
Katie Goin
I found a lot of hens this year so I’ll be making jerky .. thanks for the recipe! I know they will be tasty 😊
Alan Bergo
Yeah they're one of the best for this. I still blanch mine when I dry them, works with frozen hens too.
Julie Motta-Gibbons
When marinating mushrooms for several days do I keep them in the refrigerator or can you leave them out?
I have many frozen Hens and want to try your recipe.
In the past I have made countless recipes of yours and they have all been wonderful. So im looking forward to trying this one.
Alan Bergo
Sorry if that wasn't clear. I keep them in the fridge, but, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't accidentally forgotten about a few batches on the counter here and there, and they were perfectly fine. The salt and acid in the marinade are strong preservatives, and the dehydration is essentially a form of cooking/sterilization.
Julie Gibbons
Thank you Alan, much appreciated!