# Deep Fried Mushrooms



## Houdini

Howdy. I was wondering if anyone knows the secret batter that Outback Steakhouse uses on their deep fried mushrooms? Those mushrooms are so good that when we go there to eat I fill up on those mushrooms. I have tried numerous times to duplicate them here at home but have been unsuccesful so far.


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## Uncle Bob

I'm working on it....but nothing yet....

Oh and welcome to DC!!!


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## Houdini

Thanks Uncle Bob. Are you also trying to figure out the recipe for those yummy mushrooms? I have tried coating them with and without egg, buttermilk, regular milk, then tossing them in regular flour with italian seasoning, tossing them in seasoned bread crumbs, tossing them with a flour & bread crumb mixture. I can't seem to be able to get the batter right. I have even gone so far as to use a thick tempura type batter. I have tried differant seasonings. Thank goodness the majority of the experimental mushrooms have been edible! Ha Ha


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## Andy M.

Try a flour and corn meal mixture for the coating.


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## Uncle Bob

Houdini said:
			
		

> Thanks Uncle Bob. Are you also trying to figure out the recipe for those yummy mushrooms? I have tried coating them with and without egg, buttermilk, regular milk, then tossing them in regular flour with italian seasoning, tossing them in seasoned bread crumbs, tossing them with a flour & bread crumb mixture. I can't seem to be able to get the batter right. I have even gone so far as to use a thick tempura type batter. I have tried differant seasonings. Thank goodness the majority of the experimental mushrooms have been edible! Ha Ha


 
I have never tried them...Haven't been to Outback in quite a spell...
Was just trying to see if I could come up with something for you....
Would have to go eat some of them to even guess at trying to duplicate them...You might try the meal/flour combo that Andy mentioned...But that should be a "slam dunk" at detecting when eating the Outback version.
Anyway...hang in there...Maybe an old disgruntled Outback employee will come along and share the "secret"


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## Houdini

Uncel Bob you had me laughing so hard I was crying with your statement of the old disgruntled employee. 
I'll give the cornmeal/ flour mix a try. Thanks Andy M. and Uncle Bob.


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## kitchenelf

I don't know what they are either but a good crisp coating that seems to work for quite a few things is equal parts beer and flour, let it set out on counter for 3 hours.  You can use a tad more beer if you want as that coating can get REALLY crunchy!


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## Constance

My husband makes great fried mushrooms. He slices them in fairly thick slices, dips in egg, then seasoned flour, and into the hot oil. He's done them both deep-fried and pan-fried, and I actually prefer the latter. 

I'm glad you brought that up...I'm ready for some fried mushrooms.


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## Uncle Bob

Kitchenchef....

The beer batter is exactly what I fry my dill pickles in...with cayenne pepper added before and after...yeah buddy!!!!!! Got to have some soon!


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## Uncle Bob

Houdini...

If you pass this way again...I have news for you!!!


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## kitchenelf

Uncle Bob said:
			
		

> Kitchenchef....
> 
> The beer batter is exactly what I fry my dill pickles in...with cayenne pepper added before and after...yeah buddy!!!!!! Got to have some soon!



YUM!  .......................


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## Houdini

Hey Uncle Bob here I am. ( waving)
What's your news? Did you find an old disgruntled ex- employee willing to spill the secret? Did you crack the code? 
Waiting on pins and needles.


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## Uncle Bob

Houdini...

Next time you are here...check your PM...(Private Messages)

This discussion might be long winded!


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## Lee L

*Fried mushrooms, Outback style*

Hello!

I believe I have what you are looking for. I used to manage an Outback in the late nineties though I am not disgruntled! I do still remember how things worked in the kitchen. I left the company before the fried mushrooms were added but I am certain they are made the same way they make their blooming onions. It's a simple procedure. They are double-breaded using a seasoned flour and an egg-wash. I believe they even use the same flour on the mushrooms as the do for the onions.

The restaurants buy the seasoned flour from the company, so no one will ever know the exact recipe, but I have a very close version.

EGG WASH
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk

SEASONED FLOUR
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp black pepper (preferably fresh ground)
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional but recommended)
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme

8 oz fresh white button mushrooms

Give your mushrooms a good rinse in a colander then dip in the egg wash then dredge through the flour mixture. Dip them in the egg wash again and dredge them in the flour a second time. Deep fry them in 350 degree oil until golden brown and enjoy!


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## StrawberryFields

kitchenelf said:


> I don't know what they are either but a good crisp coating that seems to work for quite a few things is equal parts beer and flour, let it set out on counter for 3 hours.  You can use a tad more beer if you want as that coating can get REALLY crunchy!




I use this on all kinds of fried food. The trick is the 3 hour wait. It rises and becomes so light and fluffy. Very much YUM!


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## Roll_Bones

It would seem a batter would work better?
I'm asking.


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## GotGarlic

Roll_Bones said:


> It would seem a batter would work better?
> I'm asking.



Beer and flour does make a batter. We've made tempura vegetables with it. The gases in the beer make it nice and light.


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## Roll_Bones

GotGarlic said:


> Beer and flour does make a batter. We've made tempura vegetables with it. The gases in the beer make it nice and light.



When I do make a batter, it is always a beer batter. Beer, flour, corn starch and salt. Some beer batter recipes call for flat beer where some don't.  I usually just use it straight from the can.  I'm usually drinking one anyway.

My opinion was that a batter would adhere better than a dry coating.  Give a better more consistent coating.
I have never made deep fried shrooms and thats why my post ended with a question mark.

Thinking a bit harder it seems a dip in batter, then a dip into Panko would make a quite crispy coating.  I have done that with shrimp before.  Big gulf shrimp.


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## GotGarlic

I thought you were responding to the comment just above yours, but it sounds like you're talking about the original post.


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## medtran49

I have a question and I know this thread is really old and just resurrected.  Whenever I deep fry mushrooms at home, like button or crimini, they always have a gush of liquid (watery, not oily) when you bite down into them.  Ones that I get at a restaurant don't seem to have that.  I wash them VERY quickly under running water and drain/dry them on paper towels before proceeding with battering or coating them.  Does anybody else have that problem or is just the mushrooms I'm getting or what?  Do the restaurants maybe salt them to pull out some of the excess liquid?  I wash them for frying just like I do for any other kind of prep and never seem to have excess liquid except when I fry them.


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## Addie

medtran49 said:


> I have a question and I know this thread is really old and just resurrected.  Whenever I deep fry mushrooms at home, like button or crimini, they always have a gush of liquid (watery, not oily) when you bite down into them.  Ones that I get at a restaurant don't seem to have that.  I wash them VERY quickly under running water and drain/dry them on paper towels before proceeding with battering or coating them.  Does anybody else have that problem or is just the mushrooms I'm getting or what?  Do the restaurants maybe salt them to pull out some of the excess liquid?  I wash them for frying just like I do for any other kind of prep and never seem to have excess liquid except when I fry them.



I used to go to a restaurant in Tacoma and my girlfriend and I *always* bought their fried mushrooms. The reason? For that explosion of delicious liquid you got with the first bite. They were battered and deep fried. At first we would place one order of them. Then we got smart and each ordered our own. 

If you are  just sautéing them, the liquid cooks out. But when you cover them with batter and then deep fry, you don't lose any of the liquid. I personally love having the liquid in the deep fried mushrooms.


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## medtran49

Addie said:


> If you are just sautéing them, the liquid cooks out. But when you cover them with batter and then deep fry, you don't lose any of the liquid. I personally love having the liquid in the deep fried mushrooms.


 
I realize that Addie, that's why I wrote *excess* liquid.  When sautéing you always let the liquid come out and then reabsorb and/or evaporate.  But that gush with the deep fried ones just seems like more liquid than what comes out with sautéing, and I DON'T like it.  None of the restaurants that I've had them at have that gush or at least to the extent that I get with homemade ones.


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## CWS4322

Medtran-are the ones at the restaurants with stems on? The way we made them when my parents' owned a restaurant had stems and gills removed and were breaded and frozen. We dropped them in the fryer frozen and let the drain on paper towels before serving. If we had a lot to do, we cooked them off in the oven.


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## Addie

Come to think of it, the ones I had at the restaurant had no stems. So it was a little gush. I have never made them at home. I do have a recipe for them, so I think I should give it a try. A few with the stems and the rest without.


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## GotGarlic

Freezing tends to dry things out, so maybe that's the restaurant secret.


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## CWS4322

The other secret is to only buy button mushrooms that have a tight stem. You shouldn't be able to see the gillls. And toss the stems and gills in a zippy for mushroom soup.


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## CWS4322

We froze them flat on prep trays and then bagged them.


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## medtran49

Thanks CWS and GG.  I don't remember if they had stems or not in the restaurants.  I'm picky about produce so always buy mushrooms with closed/tight gills.  I'll give stem-less and frozen a try next time I make some, as well as trying to get some of the gills out.


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## CWS4322

I use my grapefruit knife to strip the gills.


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## Addie

CWS4322 said:


> I use my grapefruit knife to strip the gills.



And a grapefruit spoon also is a great tool to use. The serrated edge of any utensil is a great tool for so many chores in the kitchen.


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