Dehydrator Mushroom Jerky
Marinated mushrooms dried down to something chewy and savory. A meat-free jerky that survives a week in a pack.
- calories
- 110
- weight
- 1 oz
- cal / oz
- 110
- protein
- 6 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 45 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 45 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- No cook
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Day hike
- Bikepacking
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Thick-fleshed mushrooms | 2 lb | king oyster, shiitake, portobello, or puffball; skip thin ones like enoki |
|---|---|---|
| Soy sauce | 1/2 cup | |
| Worcestershire sauce | 2 tbsp | |
| Water | 1/4 cup | |
| Apple cider vinegar | 2 tbsp | |
| Maple syrup | 2 tbsp | |
| Hot sauce | 1 tbsp | |
| Garlic | 3 cloves | fresh, not powder |
| Fresh ginger | 1 in piece | |
| Onion powder | 1 tsp | |
| Smoked paprika | 1 tsp | |
| Red pepper flakes | 1/2 tsp | |
| Dried thyme or dill | 1 tsp | optional |
Method
- At home: blend the soy sauce, Worcestershire, water, vinegar, maple syrup, hot sauce, garlic, ginger, onion powder, paprika, pepper flakes, and herbs into a smooth marinade.
- Cut the mushrooms into slices a quarter inch thick. Thinner slices dry into chips.
- Spread the slices on a parchment-lined sheet and bake at 350 F until they wilt and shrink, about 15 minutes. This sets their shape so they do not fall apart in the marinade.
- Move the wilted mushrooms to a bowl, pour the marinade over, and press plastic wrap down onto the surface. Refrigerate 24 to 72 hours, stirring once a day.
- Drain in a colander. Do not rinse.
- Lay the slices on dehydrator trays without overlap. Dry at 100 F for 5 to 6 hours, turning the trays around halfway.
- Pull them when they are leathery and bend without snapping. Brittle means you went too far.
- Cool completely, then bag. On trail, eat straight from the bag.
Mushrooms are mostly water, which is the whole problem and the whole point. The pre-bake drives off enough of it that the slices hold together, and once they are firm they soak marinade instead of falling apart in it. Skip that step and you get shreds.
The long soak matters more than the drying time. Two or three days in the marinade gets salt and sugar all the way through, and that is what makes the finished jerky read as food rather than dried fungus. Dry at low heat and stop while it still bends. This is not vegan as written: Worcestershire contains anchovy. Use a fish-free version if that matters to you.
Packing
Store in a sealed jar at home and portion into ounce bags before a trip. Cool fully before sealing or the trapped steam will soften the batch. Keeps about a week in a pack, longer if you drop in a desiccant packet.
Variations
- Toss the drained slices with jerk seasoning or barbecue rub before they hit the trays.
- Pull them an hour early for a softer, damper chew closer to commercial mushroom jerky.
- Chop finished jerky into a couscous or ramen dinner for savory depth.
https://foragerchef.com/mushroom-jerky-recipe