Pink Oyster Mushroom Bacon BLT
Pink oysters have a naturally savory, slightly meaty flavor that crisps up into something startlingly bacon-like when cooked correctly. Stacked on toast with lettuce, tomato and a smear of mayo, this is the sandwich that makes people walk back to your market stand on Saturday morning.
Ingredients
Mushroom Bacon
- 6 oz pink oyster mushrooms from KC Mushroom Co.
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke optional but recommended
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- black pepper to taste
- To Build the Sandwiches
- 4 slices sourdough bread toasted
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 leaves Bibb or romaine lettuce
- 1 heirloom tomato thickly sliced
- flaky sea salt for the tomato
Instructions
- Tear the pink oysters into bacon-strip-shaped pieces, pulling along the natural grain. Discard any tough white base. The strips should be relatively thin so they crisp evenly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika and liquid smoke if using.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium with the oil. Lay the mushroom strips in a single layer — work in two batches if necessary, since crowding the pan will steam them instead of crisping them.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing down occasionally with a spatula. When the edges are deeply browned and crisp, brush the strips with half the marinade and flip. Brush the other side and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the glaze has set and the strips are crackling crisp. Finish with black pepper.
- Spread the toast with mayo. Layer with lettuce, sliced tomato (salt the tomato well), and a generous pile of pink oyster bacon. Top with the second slice of toast, cut on the diagonal, and serve immediately while the “bacon” is still crisp.
Notes
From the farm: Pink oysters have a short 3-day shelf life from harvest. They’re at their peak the day they’re picked. If yours are starting to fade or smell floral, cook them the same day. The bacon-style preparation actually works well with mushrooms a day past their visual prime.
Storage: Cooked mushroom bacon keeps in an airtight container for 2 days and can be re-crisped in a hot dry skillet for 1 minute.
Variation: Crumble the cooked bacon over a wedge salad, mac and cheese, or a baked potato — the same recipe makes a great topping for everything bacon would normally go on.