Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Mushroom Bacon
- 250 g shiitake mushrooms, fresh, stems removed
- 30 ml neutral oil
- 15 ml tamari
- 5 ml liquid smoke
- 5 ml maple syrup
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 93 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 214 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 209 mg
- Calcium
- 4 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 16 mg
- Phosphorus
- 76 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 59 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Clean the shiitake mushrooms by brushing off any dirt with a pastry brush or paper towel. Do not wash with water. Remove the tough stems and slice the caps into strips approximately 3-5mm thick.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (approx. 190°C/375°F). Add the mushroom slices in a single layer. If your pan is small, do this in two batches to avoid steaming.
Fry the mushrooms undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden all over and significantly reduced in size.
Reduce heat to low. In a small cup, whisk the tamari, liquid smoke, and maple syrup together. Pour over the mushrooms and toss rapidly for 30-60 seconds until the liquid evaporates and glazes the mushrooms without burning.
Remove from the pan immediately and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes; they will crisp up further as they cool.
Chef's Notes
- Consistency in slicing is key; uneven slices will result in some burning while others remain chewy.
- Do not salt the mushrooms at the beginning of cooking; salt draws out moisture and delays the browning process.
- For a 'Professional' variation without liquid smoke: Fry the mushrooms, then use a smoking gun with applewood chips under a cloche for 5 minutes before serving.
- These are excellent crumbled over Caesar salads, loaded baked potatoes, or creamy pasta dishes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb moisture.
Reheating: Re-crisp in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Mushrooms are soggy or chewy instead of crisp
Cause: Pan was overcrowded or heat was too low, causing steaming
Fix: Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 5-10 minutes to dry out
Prevention: Cook in batches ensuring space between slices; use medium-high heat
Cultural Context
While 'facon' has existed in various forms, using whole vegetables like shiitake mushrooms honors the Japanese ingredient's natural high levels of guanylate (umami) while applying American curing and smoking flavor profiles to create a bridge between plant-based ethics and carnivorous nostalgia.
