Sweet and Sour Mushroom Jerky

This is one flavorful mushroom jerky with lots of asian spices. It's got a little sweet, a little sour, and a little heat in each bite.

Mushrooms are a great substitute for meat.  Not only do they have that umami (meaty) flavor profile, but they are also packed with great vitamins.

Choosing the Mushroom

I love working with Portobello mushrooms. They are easy to clean and slice up into meaty slices.

I prefer to gently wipe dirt from mushroom using a damp wet paper towel rather than soaking them in water.

Mushrooms have a tendency of absorbing water and I’d rather them absorb the flavorful marinade.

The gills tend to fall apart when you slice the mushroom so I prefer to cut the gills on the underside of portobello mushroom for less messiness.

You can save the gills to flavor stock.

Once mushrooms are cleaned with gills and stems removed, we can proceed to slicing mushrooms.

Slice mushrooms evenly about ¼″ thick so it could dehydrate evenly.  You can also dehydrate the stems as well.

Place aside.  Now it’s time for the marinade.

Making the Marinade

Can't go wrong with this flavorful marinade.

Whisk ingredients together and pour into the ziplock bag with sliced mushrooms.

Do an overnight marinade in fridge or marinade anywhere from 4 to 24 hours.

Mushrooms love soaking up liquid so make sure to rotate bag occasionally for that even soak.

Drying the Mushroom Jerky

After the mushrooms are done marinading, it’s time to prep them for dehydrator. First, I drain the mushrooms using a colander to get excess liquid off.

I place sliced mushrooms on paper towel and gently pat any excess liquid.  I love seeing all the different colors of spices sprinkled on the mushrooms.

Place mushrooms on dehydrator trays.  I used my Nesco Dehydrator to make this recipe.

Make sure the mushrooms are evenly spaced so they are not sitting on top of one another.  I set the temp to 125F and let it dehydrate anywhere from 4 to 6 hours.

Testing for when the Mushroom Jerky is Finished

I like it crispy so I dehydrate them on the longer side. This is up to you and your preference of texture.  Start checking after 4 hours for your sweet spot. It should tear easy.  Eat asap!

This mushroom jerky is bursting with flavor.  Hints of soy sauce, some lime, and a little spicy from the red pepper flakes. It's not boring, that's for sure.

I doubt you will have left overs but if you do, keep in airtight container and leave in dark and cold place.

Helpful Tips:

• Mushrooms will dry out to be thin, slice thicker strips if you want a thicker finished jerky
• Marinate closer to 24 hours for a more flavorful jerky
• Store in vacuum seal bags or air tight containers for a longer shelf life