Equipment
Ingredients
Mushroom Bacon
- 400 g shiitake mushrooms, fresh, stems removed, caps sliced 5mm thick
- 250 ml neutral oil, grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil for frying
- 15 ml tamari, room temperature
- 10 ml maple syrup, pure, room temperature
- 2 g flaky sea salt, crushed slightly
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 42 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 409 mg
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 326 mg
- Calcium
- 6 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 118 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 4.0 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 93 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Clean the shiitake mushrooms with a damp cloth. Remove and discard the tough stems. Slice the caps into uniform 5mm strips to ensure even cooking.
Heat the neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F. The oil should shimmer but not smoke.
Carefully add the mushroom slices to the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn a deep golden brown and the rapid bubbling subsides, indicating the moisture has cooked out.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried mushrooms to a plate lined with paper towels. Allow them to drain and cool slightly for 1 minute.
Transfer the drained, warm mushrooms to a large glass bowl. Drizzle with the tamari and maple syrup, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Toss gently to coat evenly.
Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, leaving a tiny opening. Insert the hose of the smoking gun, fill the bowl with dense applewood smoke, and quickly seal it. Let the mushrooms rest in the smoke for 10 to 12 minutes to infuse.
Chef's Notes
- Shiitake mushrooms act like sponges. Shallow frying rapidly drives out their high water content and replaces it with fat, which is the exact mechanism that gives traditional bacon its satisfying mouthfeel.
- Do not discard the woody shiitake stems. Keep them in a freezer bag and use them later to add massive umami to homemade vegetable broths or dashi.
- Cold smoking is the secret technique here. Traditional stovetop smoking adds heat and humidity, which would turn your perfectly fried crispy mushrooms into soggy, chewy bites. The smoking gun provides pure flavor without moisture.
- Applewood or hickory chips provide the most authentic bacon flavor, but cherry wood is a fantastic, slightly sweeter alternative that pairs beautifully with the maple syrup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Will lose crispness in the fridge. Re-crisp in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Mushrooms are chewy rather than crispy
Cause: The oil temperature was too low, or the mushrooms were not fried long enough to expel all their natural water content.
Fix: Return to the hot oil for another 1 to 2 minutes before seasoning.
Prevention: Maintain oil at 180°C/350°F and fry until the bubbling in the oil almost entirely stops.
Mushrooms taste bitter or acrid
Cause: The mushrooms were burnt during frying, or the wood chips in the smoking gun caught fire too aggressively and produced stale smoke.
Fix: Cannot be fixed if burnt. If slightly over-smoked, tossing with a tiny bit more maple syrup can help balance the bitterness.
Prevention: Watch the color closely during the last minute of frying, and ensure clean, dry wood chips are used for smoking.
Bacon lost its crunch after seasoning
Cause: Too much liquid seasoning (tamari/maple) was applied, or they sat in a humid environment.
Fix: Spread on a baking sheet and place in a 150°C/300°F oven for 5 minutes to dry out the exterior.
Prevention: Measure liquid seasonings carefully. The oil coating from frying should naturally repel some liquid, keeping the interior crisp.
Cultural Context
The quest for a perfect plant-based bacon has led modern American vegan cuisine to look beyond heavily processed soy products. Utilizing the naturally high levels of guanylate in shiitake mushrooms provides a profound, natural umami foundation that mimics cured meats with startling accuracy.
