This game-changing recipe is a delicious choice for those of you who love the flavors of Korean barbecue. King oyster mushrooms are the star in this dish, making a healthy choice including niacin, iron, vitamin D, and antioxidants. These Korean BBQ Mushroom “Ribs” may just become your new favorite dish!
Don’t you just love how versatile mushrooms are? I’ve used them to recreate such a wide variety of dishes. From scallops to cheesesteaks, I feel like the possibilities are endless! In this dish, the mushrooms aren’t shredded (like you may see in some recipe, such as pulled mushrooms), but instead are thick and meaty, something I find is very satisfying for a main course.
The mushrooms are baked in Korean BBQ Sauce but first, we press them which I give two different methods for doing, each which are equally effective. Before pressing, the ends need to be removed, and the mushrooms are rubbed with my Korean-inspired spice rub.
One of the methods for pressing the mushrooms is to use a panini grill. I turn the heat to medium, and once hot, I add the mushrooms to the grill and close the lid. Every five minutes, I flip and rotate the mushrooms so they’re cooked evenly. After about 30 minutes the mushrooms will be nicely colored and pressed down to a little less than half of their original thickness.
If you do not have a panini grill, the other method is to use two cast iron skillets. I heat only one of the skillets, add the mushrooms, and then top them with the second skillet to add pressure. Similar to using the panini grill, the mushrooms will need to be flipped every five minutes. The only real difference is, with the cast irons I keep the heat a little lower so they don’t get too charred. I then turn up the heat in the last five minutes on each side.
If 30 minutes seems like a lot of time to spend on the mushrooms prior to baking, know that they really don’t need a lot of attention. I simply set a timer for every five minutes, and leave them alone in the time being to make the barbecue sauce and prep my side dishes.
Once the mushrooms are pressed I cover them with sauce and place them in a baking dish. They bake, uncovered for 35 minutes. This is when I cook my rice (or potatoes) and my side veggies.
Every time I make this dish and post pictures in various spots on social media, I get many people asking for the recipe. This is why I’ve finally written it out for you. I would have sooner, but previously I never kept track of how long I pressed them for, I would always just do it it until they looked ready. I also never measured the amount of rub or sauce I used. This last time I made them, I took the time to take the proper notes so I’d be able to share the recipe with you.
This dish has become one of our favorites. My husband and son especially love when I make it. I hope you and your family (or friends) enjoy it as well. Let me know in the comments below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram, @veggiesattiffanis.
Korean BBQ Mushroom “Ribs”
Equipment
- Panini grill OR two cast iron skillets
Ingredients
For the mushroom rub…
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3/4 tsp fresh orange zest
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or substitute organic brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds, ground
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Everything else…
- 4 king oyster mushrooms rinsed clean and patted dry
- 3/4 cup Korean BBQ sauce I use *this recipe, or use your own favorite, store-bought is fine (ensure vegan)
- toasted sesame seeds optional for topping
- sliced green onions optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix all of the mushroom rub ingredients until well combined.
- Slice off the head of each mushroom, as well as, the pointy stub on the opposite end. Discard each stub and save the mushroom heads for future meals.
- Rub the mushrooms with the prepared rub, covering each mushroom completely.
- If using the panini grill: Heat the panini grill to medium. Once hot, add the mushrooms and close the lid. I start with my thickest mushrooms at the top of the grill and the thinnest two at the bottom. Grill the mushrooms for 30 minutes, stopping every 5 minutes to flip and rotate the mushrooms to ensure even grilling. If the mushrooms become more charred than desired, turn down the heat slightly.If using cast iron skillets: Heat one of the skillets on the stovetop over medium heat. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the mushrooms, then top the mushrooms with the second skillet to press. If the mushrooms are of uneven thickness line them up from thickest to thinnest in the skillet. Leave the mushrooms pressing for 20 minutes, stopping every 5 minutes to flip the mushrooms, if needed, you can also rotate the skillet to ensure even cooking. Turn the heat back to medium and press the mushrooms for an additional 5 minutes on each side (if the mushrooms have charred at medium-low don‘t bother raising the heat).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush the bottom of a baking dish (I use an 8 x 8 pyrex dish, however, any oven-safe dish will work) with Korean BBQ sauce, then add your pressed mushrooms to the dish. Brush each side of the mushrooms with more sauce. Once the oven is preheated, add the baking dish to the oven and bake the mushrooms for 35 minutes.
- Before serving, brush each mushroom with additional sauce. If desired, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions. Enjoy!
Notes