How to Use Foil Packets to Grill Mushrooms
By Joan Whetzel
Do you love mushrooms as much as I do? Steak and chicken smothered in grilled mushrooms are so-o-o-o delicious. If you've ever wanted to have grilled mushrooms without dirtying up a pan or crank up the stove, there is a way to cook them on the grill with a foil packet. What's more, if you're using wood chips to add a bit of smoky flavor to your meat, imagine the nutty, woodsy flavor that will be added to your mushrooms. Yum-m-m!
What You Will Need
1/2 Pound Sliced Mushrooms
1 Cup Beef Broth
1/4 Cup Red Wine
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
A Word Of Note: I recommend using heavy duty or extra heavy duty aluminum foil when grilling anything. I have tried to use regular foil and it doesn't seem to hold up well on the grill. It's too soft and tears too easily.
Recipe
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the broth, wine, and Worcestershire Sauce. This will serve as marinade and as a cooking sauce.
- Place the sliced mushrooms in a zipper baggy or a re-sealable plastic container.
- Pour the marinade in with the mushrooms and allow them to marinate for approximately 1 to 3 hours.
- Form a foil boat (see photo) using the heavy duty foil.
- Put the mushrooms and some of the marinate into the foil boat. You have a choice here, either (a) leave the top open to smoke them, or (b) pinch the edges closed to steam them. If you pinch the edges closed make sure that you can easily open the foil later to add the butter. Leaving it open allows the smoke to permeate the mushrooms better, especially if you're cooking with charcoal or using wood chips.
- Cook on the grill for approximately 15 to 20 minutes on a low to medium heat (if you're using a gas grill) or around the edges of the heat (for charcoal grills). Stir the mushrooms gently a couple times during this cooking process. The sauce should come to a bubble.
- Drain off most of what's left of the liquid and add the butter. Either drain the juice with a turkey baster or use some tongs and tilt the foil boat to pour off as much of the juice as you can without spilling the mushrooms. A third way involves removing the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and setting them aside on a plate or in a bowl while you pour off the juice. Place the mushrooms back into the foil packet and add the butter back for the final step.
- Gently stir the mushrooms and butter over a medium to high grill heat or over the hottest part of the charcoals for about 1 minute. Then serve with beef or any other red meat.
Serves 2 people.
Alternatives:
- Use chicken broth and white wine if you wish to serve them with poultry or fish.
- Add a bit of minced garlic for added flavor.
- Tarragon and parsley are also excellent with mushrooms.
- This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled to serve more people. If you plan on doing a batch that's triple or larger, split the mushrooms into at least 2 packets to make sure they cook evenly.