Thai Marinated Maitake mushrooms are glistening with a flavorful Asian marinade and the grilled mushrooms hold together perfectly as hearty slices.
Who thinks of grilling a nice thick slice of an earthy marinated mushroom that tastes like an Asian specialty. Not many, not often but they should. The mushrooms also pick up the nice color of the marinade.
Maitakes come to you as a big clump and for this dish, you make about ¾" thick slices straight through as you would a loaf of bread.
Maitake mushrooms are often one clump and they slice apart very easily and they also hold together with no problem for grilling.
Table of Contents
Equipment Needed To Make Thai Marinated Maitake Mushrooms
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Blender
- Casserole Dish
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Grill or Grill Pan
Ingredients
- Fresh Maitake Mushrooms- Also known as hen of the woods mushrooms, they are the star of the show! Thickly sliced maitake mushrooms will soak up all of the savory Thai marinade in this recipe.
- Olive Oil- Helps form an emulsion with the other liquids in the marinade, helping all the flavors come together.
- Tamari- Tamari is a soy sauce-like condiment that adds savory flavor and umami to this recipe.
- Wild Leeks or Scallions- Adds a sweet, oniony flavor to the marinade.
- Maple Syrup- Balances out the salt and gives the marinade a touch of sweetness.
- Curry Powder- Gives the maitake mushroom marinade a little kick of heat and helps balance the flavors.
- Dry White Wine- White wine adds acidity and helps to bring out all of the flavors.
- Sea Salt- For a nice salty flavor.
- Ground Black Pepper- Adds a nice peppery flavor.
How To Make Grilled Thai Marinated Maitake Mushrooms
First, quickly run the mushrooms under water and then set them out on a paper towel. You don't want them to soak up any of the water.
Mushrooms are absorbent and you want them to get as much of the marinade as possible. Then slice them as described above into nice thick slices for grilling. About ¾" thick.
Place in a large casserole for marinating. our the prepared marinade over the top. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap or the casserole lid and place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
I used my grill pan but you could sure grill these on an actual grill. You could also put your pan on the grill, or use aluminum foil, for smaller pieces so that they don't fall through.
Is this a Hen of the Woods Recipe?
Yes! I forgot to mention that maitake mushrooms are also called Hen of the Woods. I bet you've heard of those.
They can be harvested in America on oak trees and can weigh several pounds and one oak tree can possibly have several hens.
If you're lucky enough to know where there is a tree holding such hens, cherish it. Also, make sure it's not on private land or in a state park. Foraging in those places is a big no-no.
Luckily we can order them on the internet and enjoy the deliciously edible mushrooms.
Can You Freeze This Maitake Mushroom Recipe?
Yes! Store your mushrooms in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for 3 months. Allow the frozen mushrooms to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can also store grilled maitake mushrooms in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will last up to 5 days. To reheat, use a pan over medium heat until warmed through. You could also reheat them in the microwave or oven by placing them on a baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed.
When are Maitake mushrooms in season?
Maitake mushrooms are typically in season from late summer to early fall. However, you may be able to find them at your local grocery store or Asian markets year-round.
📋 Recipe
Grilled Thai Marinated Maitake Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Maitake mushrooms
For the marinade
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup tamari
- 6 wild leeks - cut into small pieces, or you could use scallions in a pinch
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 3 tablespoons white wine - dry, such as chardonnay
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the maitake's by quickly running them under water. Set on paper towels to drain.
- Slice in ¾" thick slices and lay out in a casserole dish or two for marinading.
Making the marinade:
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a blender.
- I forgot to mention that I got the wild leeks (ramps) from Whole Earth Harvest too!
- Blend until everything is smooth and completely blended. It only takes about a minute.
- Pour the marinade evenly over the prepared mushrooms.
- Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to cook grill over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Ready to eat!
The Food Hunter
those mushrooms look amazing!
Ginny McMeans
What?!?! Heather you are the luckiest person I have every heard of. What state do you live in? I am so glad you will get to make this recipe!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition
I am so intrigued Ginny! I have never had maitake mushrooms before and I can't wait to try them!
Susan
This might be one of the prettiest mushrooms I've seen. I love that they still keep their shape and of course the marinade is just a burst of flavor.
Martha @ A Family Feast
I love grilled mushrooms - but I've never had Maitake mushrooms! This marinade sounds fantastic!
Rose | The Clean Dish
I love all the ingredients in this recipe - yum! I'm not familiar with Maitake mushrooms which is another reason why I HAVE to try this dish!!
Linda @ Veganosity
These look so incredible Ginny! I love mushrooms and could seriously eat the whole bowl. Thanks for the mushroom source too.
Ginny McMeans
They are so good Martha and thanks!
Ginny McMeans
Thanks so much Rose! 🙂 You are also very welcome.
Ginny McMeans
Thank you and you are quite welcome Linda!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
Confession...I don't eat mushrooms and have actually never heard of this type. How interesting. I do how ever cook them all the time for the mushroom lovers around me (who wonder how I do it so well, when I never taste them, lol). Your dish is great looking and the flavors sound delicious!
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated
I've tried marinated mushroom recipes before and thought they were pretty bland. But I don't think there's any way that would happen with this recipe!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
My husband looooves mushrooms! These look really good and flavorful! I'll have to give these a try!
Christine
What an interesting drool worthy dish! Those mushrooms look delicious!!
Tara
Oh wow! Such gorgeous mushrooms! I have never tried Maitake before, but will definitely look out for them. I love how you prepared them.
Beth
These mushrooms look amazing! What a great, different side dish for my next BBQ! I have never had Maitake mushrooms! How pretty they are!
Ginny McMeans
The flavor is so good Nicola! Thank you 🙂
Ginny McMeans
I guarantee he will love them Liz! They are fun to cook too 😀
Ginny McMeans
Ahhh, thanks Christine. I love to make people drool 😀
Ginny McMeans
They are unusual Tare but so worth it. Thanks!
Ginny McMeans
People will be intrigued and then happy after they taste the. 🙂 Thank you very much Beth!
Rhonda
These were awesome! I used scallions in the marinade. Highly recommend this recipe!
I used left overs in a stir fry the next day and it was delicious!
Ginny McMeans
Wonderful Rhonda! The scallions were a good idea too.
Suee33
Ginny, this recipe looks GREAT - Our family loves making mushrooms into steaks, we did it for the 4th, we all loved them.
Okay, here is the question, the place you mentioned you get them from - only has dried - did you bby fresh or dried?
Ginny McMeans
Thanks Sue but ... Oh, no! They had fresh ones when I got a nice big bag of them. You can see in the post the fresh ones so I absolutely bought the fresh ones. Originally I bought them in April 2015. I'll have to research some new place or email them about their information on them. They may only dry them now. Unfortunately, I'll have to unlink the link but thanks for the heads up Sue!
Ginny McMeans
I found these there Suee and I changed the link. They are pricey though. They look like they are out of stock though when you go to their fresh mushroom page.
Jennifer West
Can I sub white wine vinegar for the wine?
Ginny McMeans
That should be okay Jennifer. There is enough oil to mellow it out.
Charlene Roseann Mcclure
Turned out really good. I didn't really like the maple syrup flavor. I think next time I'll add honey instead. Just my preference. Otherwise fantastic!
Cynthia Hale
Is there an alternative to grilling? could you broil them?
Ginny McMeans
I think the best bet is to fry them in a regular skillet Cynthia.