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Since I was a child, I never really liked mushrooms. To be honest, I was extremely picky, but now, I eat anything. Well... Almost anything. I can't stand mushrooms. Except, I can't understand why, and I want to learn to love mushrooms since they're really useful as a vegetarian.

For example, yesterday, I made some pretty simple miso soup and added some, supposedly delicious shiitake mushrooms to it. I salted them and fried them at medium-high heat for a few minutes until they had a nice color and texture. Did doing that affected the taste in a bad way?

I also remember making mushrooms risotto some time ago and getting the same disgusting taste.

Am I missing something obvious here? Is this not how you're supposed to cook mushrooms?

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    We can't provide any suggestions for how to prepare mushrooms so that you will (or might) like them. Those responses would simply be comprised of personal opinion, which is not what we do here on this site. We are also not a recipe sharing site. There are questions on cleaning and cooking mushrooms that have been asked, and have answers. Have you tried the search bar...or the related questions? If these don't capture your question, try rephrasing it so that what you want to know is more obviously captured.
    – moscafj
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 20:12
  • @moscafj I did wonder if asking for directions was on topic, my main question remains fairly non-opinion-base though, I think.
    – Hugo
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 20:18
  • Have you tried different types of mushrooms?
    – Cindy
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 20:28
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    Is your issue only with cooked mushrooms? They certainly don't require cooking to be eaten. Have you tried them raw (for example in a salad)? Strangely I'm suddenly feeling a craving for a salad with mushrooms ...
    – brhans
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 20:42
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    Everyone experiences flavors and scents differently. It's possible that you taste chemical compounds that others don't (similar to the 'cilantro tastes like soap' group of people), and you'll never like mushrooms. But it also takes trying things a few times so you're not surprised by the taste/texture/scent of things to really make up your mind about things. (I didn't like olives 'til I was in my 30s and had a castelvetrano)
    – Joe
    Commented Jul 19, 2019 at 15:02

3 Answers 3

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There's nothing wrong with the way you cooked those mushrooms, you fried them to give them some color and seasoned them, which is perfectly fine. You didn't mess them up, you just don't like them. No matter how you prepare them you probably still won't like the flavor, there's nothing wrong with that, it's just how you are.

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The answer to your question is: It was not a "wrong" way to cook them., people just like different things. Mushrooms have glutamates and maybe you are either sensitive to them physically or sensitive to them taste-wise.

That said, if you fried (pan fried, right?) at medium high and the edges got darkish, you likely intensified some of the flavors, which you seem to not care for. Shiitake can be strong flavored to begin with. If you want to try again, I suggest trying a mild mushroom like a white button (at least that is the common name in the USA) and sautee at low heat with salt and pepper until they look cooked, but not "caramelized" or burnt on the edges.

Disclaimers: I adore mushrooms, pretty much any variety cooked in any manner.

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Have you considered that maybe you're in the very slightest allergic to mushrooms? Is it just the taste or is it also the smell and or texture of the mushrooms?

For example I'm allergic to raw cucumbers and, I'm assuming as a defence mechanism, I can't stand the smell of them if someone is preparing or consuming them near me. I also can't stand the taste and smell of most melons as they're in the same family. It could just be your body telling you that it doesn't like mushrooms even if it isn't bringing on a full-on allergic reaction (vomiting/rash/anaphylactic shock).

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  • I'm not allergic however, I had a traumatic mushroom experience so I probably just need to recondition myself; that's what I've been doing these past few days.
    – Hugo
    Commented Jul 23, 2019 at 13:23

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